Turkey's economy grew by 8.5 percent in 2011 and by 5.2 percent in the final quarter, official data showed Monday, AFP reported.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita hit $10,444 (7,808 euros) in 2011, according to the Turkish Statistics Institute's figures.

"The growth rate for 2011 is probably the second highest in the world, right after China," Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Nihat Ergun was quoted as saying by Anatolia news agency.

The Turkish government forecasts GDP growth will slow to 4.0 percent in 2012 due to the effects of the eurozone crisis, but is confident that the slowdown will be short-term.

However, analysts worry the country's widening current account deficit is a sign the economy is overheating and is in for a sharper slowdown.

The 5.2 percent growth in the final quarter of 2011 was in line with government expectations, according to Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek.

"The numbers for the last quarter shows that the process of soft landing continues at a stable pace, in line with government goals," he told Anatolia.

Turkey's economy grew by 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2011, 9.1 in the second and 8.4 in the third.

The country, currently ranked the world's 17th largest economy, aspires to join the ranks of the world's top 10 by 2023.

Turkey turned in 9.2 percent GDP growth in 2010.



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