After 1989 the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline, led in part by an obsolete industrial base and a lack of structural reform. From 2000 onward, however, the Romanian economy was transformed into one of relative macroeconomic stability, characterized by high growth, low unemployment and declining inflation. In 2006, according to the National Institute of Statistics (Romania), GDP growth in real terms was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe. However, a recession following the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 forced the government to borrow externally, including an IMF €20bn bailout program. GDP has been growing by over 2% each year since. According to The World Bank, the GDP per capita purchasing power parity grew from $13,442 in 2007 to an estimated $22,124 in 2015. Romania still has one of the lowest net average monthly wages in the EU of €540 in 2016, and an inflation rate of −1.1% in 2016. Unemployment in Romania is at 5.4% in 2017, which is very low compared to other EU countries.. How many years did the recession last?