Half of the flat panel televisions (TV) sold in the Middle East and Africa were made by Samsung Electronics Co., reflecting its strong market presence in the region, a survey showed Sunday.

The market survey, released by the world's top flat screen maker, showed that its flat screen TV sales eclipsed other competitors to account for a 49 percent share of the markets in the second quarter.

"Sales of flat panel TVs have fared well in the Middle East and African region," Samsung Electronics said in a statement.

Large-sized TVs have been especially popular, the company said, adding the products are establishing a strong foothold in the premium market as loyal families in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also bought the items.

Samsung Electronics' flat panel TV sales in the region have grown 35 percent in the first half from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the South Korean tech giant has also snatched the top spot in the Middle East in the smartphone market. In May, the first batch of its flagship smartphone Galaxy S III was sold out within a day in Dubai on the first day of its release, according to the company.

(Yonhap News)