German inflation rose to a three-year high in 2011 at 2.3 percent, above the 2.0-percent target set by the European Central Bank (ECB), the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said Thursday.

The marked increase of consumer prices in 2011 was mainly driven by energy prices, the Wiesbaden-based office said in a statement, adding that the price of energy altogether rose by 10.0 percent in 2011.

Excluding energy prices, the year-on-year rate of price increase was 1.3 percent.

Inflation rate tapered off at the end of the year to 2.1 percent in December, a third consecutive decrease in as many months, compared with the inflation rate of 2.4 percent in November and 2.5 percent in October.

The ECB sets the target of inflation rate below 2.0 percent for the eurozone. However, the Destatis said the country's inflation was above the level every month last year.

German inflation rate in 2010 was at 1.1 percent, while consumer prices rose in 2009 by 0.4 percent.