IT spending by national and international governments will grow faster in 2010 than spending in any other sector, according to a new report by the market analysis firm Gartner.

While the high-level public sector is not the largest spender of all verticals, it will increase its spending by 6.2 percent this year, when compared to its 2009 IT spending.

Overall IT spending will return to growth in all industries, who Gartner predicts will cumulatively spend $2.4 trillion this year. Total IT spending in 2010 is expected to grow by 4.1 percent.

"Vendors should convert to a growth market strategy and allocate business development resources to maximize long-term industry growth opportunities," Gartner Research Director Kenneth Brant said in a statement. "However, we recommend that they continue to promote the value of solutions that deliver 'cost optimization' in 2010 and 2011, which we believe will be a persistent value for IT buyers even as markets return to growth."

The manufacturing and natural resources vertical will remain the biggest IT spender. Gartner expects this sector to invest about $429 billion in IT this year, a 3.1 percent increase from 2009. The national and international government sector, for comparison, is expected to spend about $249 billion on IT in 2010.

After manufacturing and natural resources, the second and third biggest IT spenders are the financial vertical, expected to spend about $396 billion this year, and communications media and services, whose IT spending is expected to reach about $394 billion.

Other sectors Gartner included in its report are education, healthcare, insurance, local and regional governments, retail, transportation, utilities and wholesale trade. Spending growth is expected across all verticals, in the 2.8-6.2 percent range.