ROME, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.9 percent in 2016 over the previous year, according to data released Wednesday by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).
The estimate was a little higher than a previous 0.8 percent projection provided by both the Italian institute and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The data was not unexpected, however, since ISTAT in mid-February had posted a 0.2 percent GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2016 over the previous quarter, and a 1.1 percent growth over the same period of 2015.
"In terms of volume, the GDP increased to just above the level registered in 2000," the agency noted.
Commenting the latest figures on Twitter, Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said that "growth is still too slow, just like it was before the crisis".
"In order to create employment and wealth, we need to release energies by carrying out reforms," he added.
