DUBAI- Qatar posted a 200 million riyals ($55 million) surplus in the first quarter this year, helped by a recovery in oil prices, the ministry of finance said on Thursday.

The tiny but rich Gulf state, the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer, saw total revenue of 45.2 billion riyals in the first three months of the year against 45 billion riyals in expenditure, the ministry said in a statement.

The economy shrank 3.7% last year due to the coronavirus crisis and weak oil demand, it said, but it expects real gross domestic product to grow 2.2% this year.

 

($1 = 3.6400 Qatar riyals)

(Reporting by Davide Barbuscia; Editing by Toby Chopra) ((Davide.Barbuscia@thomsonreuters.com; +971522604297; Reuters Messaging: davide.barbuscia.reuters.com@reuters.net))