Brasilia, February 28 (RHC) -– Brazil's economic output grew 2.3% in 2013 for a third straight year of modest expansion by Latin America's biggest economy, the government announced on Thursday.

Also, the GDP for the final quarter of the year rose a 0.7% compared to the third quarter, according to Brazil's Institute for Geography and Statistics, IBGE.

Among the sectors showing the greatest expansion was agriculture, which rose by seven percent. By contrast, the service sector expanded by two percent and industrial output was up 1.3 percent.

Consumption by Brazilians, the main engine driving the economy, increased 2.3 percent, the government said.

In 2012, the economy expanded just one percent after growing 2.7% in 2011.