TUNIS - Tunisia’s economy grew 2.5 percent in 2018 compared with 1.9 percent in the previous year, official figures showed on Friday.

The state statistics institute said the GDP growth was driven by a 2.2-percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The North African country’s economy has been recovering slowly since taking a hit following the overthrow of autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 and two major militant attacks in 2015.

Tunisia is aiming to raise GDP growth to 3.1 percent this year. It forecasts the budget deficit to fall to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2019, from about 5 percent in 2018.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Alison Williams) ((tarek.amara@thomsonreuters.com;))