Slight increase in active population in three last months of 2000

Active population aged above 15 years progressed by 0.8% (1.1% in rural areas and 0.5% in urban areas) in the Oct.-Dec.200 period, compared to the same period of 1999.

According to the statistics department, the activity rate dropped by 1 point (51.1 against 52.1), mainly among women, youth aged below 35 years and university graduates.

In the reference period, 146,000 jobs were created (94,000 in cities and 52,000 in rural areas), mainly in the construction, trade, food and hospitality, transports and communication sectors.

In the countryside, agriculture, forests and fishing were the main job-generating sectors (5%) while jobs created by non-farming activities diminished by 13.3%.