ANKARA: Turkey`s economy grew by 8.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2011, according to the Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK) released on Monday.

It also said the economy grew by 8.9 percent in 2010, exceeding an official prediction of seven per cent growth.

TUIK also revised its economic growth figures for the first quarter of 2011, from 11 per cent to 11.6 per cent.

Turkey, a country of about 73 million and the world`s 17th largest economy, has shown one of the highest growth rates in the world.

Gross national product (GNP) per capita was $10,079 in 2010, compared with $8,590 in 2009.Experts said the 8.8 per cent second-quarter growth was better than expected. Full story