Unemployment rate drops slightly during fourth quarter of 1999

The unemployment rate dropped slightly nationwide from 15.1% in July-August 1999 period to 14.5% during Sept-Nov period, the number of idle persons having gone down from 1.53 million to 1.45 million.

A study conducted by the statistics department on activity, employment and unemployment revealed that unemployment rate dropped from 6.1% to 5.3% in rural areas and from 23.4 to 22.9% in urban areas.

The active population aged 15 and more during the fourth quarter was assessed at 8.57 million, said the study that covered a sample of 48,000 households, 32,000 living in urban areas and 16,000 from the rural world.

Figures related to the third quarter had shown that the unemployment rate jumped nationwide from 12.9% during the second quarter of 1999 to 15.1% during the third quarter of the year, the number of persons on the dole having gone up from 1.32 million to 1.53 million.

Th study revealed that women, youth below 35 and high degree-holders were most affected by unemployment.