Labour market figures for the fourth quarter of 2005 in the A.C. of the Basque Country put the number of people in work at 951,500, 4,200 more than three months ago, or +0.4%, according to Eustat data. Elsewhere, the unemployment rate remained virtually unchanged with regard to the previous quarter, coming to 4.9%, meaning 300 less people out of work.

The employment rate, as a result of the evolutions of the employed and unemployed populations, rose by 0.2 percentage points in relation to the third quarter of 2005, standing at 54.9% in the fourth quarter of 2005.

The youth unemployment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points

The female unemployment rate fell to 5.7% (point two per cent less), while the male rate rose by point one per cent. The youth unemployment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points, meaning that unemployment affected 8,100 active young people aged 16 to 24 (11.4%).

The number of unemployed women, totalling around 24,000, decreased by 500. However, there was an increase of 200 unemployed men in the last quarter, bringing the total affected to 25,100. Also worth noting is the fall among the 45 and over age group, with 2,000 less people out of work.

The unemployment rate for the A.C. of the Basque Country in the fourth quarter of 2005 stood 3.4 percentage points below that of the Euro Zone. According to EUROSTAT- The European Union Statistics Office-, in November 2005 the unemployment rate in this region remained steady at 8.3%. The rate for the European Union as a whole, bearing in mind all 25 member countries, was 8.5%.

The unemployment rate rose in Álava and Bizkaia and only in Gipuzkoa did it fall

The number of people out of work, which is to say that were looking for work, carrying out active job searches and were also available for work, was estimated at 49,100 in the fourth quarter, 300 less than three months previously. By province, in Gipuzkoa, with a total of 10,700, there was a fall of 800 and the rate diminished to 3.2%. On the other hand in Álava there were 3,700 jobless, 200 more than three months previously, making its rate 2.5% and in Bizkaia it was estimated that there were 300 more people out of work than there had been three months earlier, meaning that it maintained the most negative rate of the three provinces (6.7%).

Women were responsible for the net creation of employment in the fourth quarter of 2005

The number of employed people in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole came to 951,500, 4,200 more than three months earlier. In two of the three provinces employment increased: Gipuzkoa with 3,400 more net jobs, followed by Álava with 700 more. In Bizkaia, however, 100 jobs were lost. As regards gender, the improvement affected exclusively women, with 6,400 more in work than in the previous quarter, while among men 2,300 jobs were lost.

Construction, with 4,000 more jobs, accounted for the bulk of the growth in employment

In relation to the third quarter of 2005, it is worth pointing out the rise in the number of people employed in construction, with 4,000 more jobs, in the services sector with another 500 and in agriculture with 400 more. Once more, industry lost 900 jobs.

The employment rate, the percentage of employed people aged 16 to 64 out of the total number of people in this age range, stood at 66.1%, 0.3 percentage points more than three months previously. This rate came to 76% for men, while for women it accounted for a mere 56.1%.

By province, the highest employment rate was that of Gipuzkoa with 70% and an increase of one percentage point; it was followed by Álava with 69.1% and a 0.4 per cent increase; Bizkaia had the lowest rate, with 63%, falling point one percent with regard to the third quarter of 2005.

It as estimated that in the fourth quarter of 2005 there were 776,800 households in the A.C. of the Basque Country, of which almost a third had no active member. There were 11.300 households where all the active members were unemployed (1.5% of the total), 600 more than the previous quarter.

The services sector created 25,100 net jobs over the year

The employed population grew by 12,900 over the twelve-month period, a 1.4% increase. There was a 1.3 per cent rise in the male employment rate and one of point nine per cent in the female one. By province, the rates increased in Gipuzkoa (2.9 points) and Álava (1.6 points) while in Bizkaia the employment rate fell by point two per cent, with regard to the fourth quarter of 2004.

Over the year, the services sector created 25,100 net jobs. However, industry, the primary sector and construction continued to lose weight.

The unemployment rate in the A.C. of the Basque Country fell by 2.1 percentage points over the year

The unemployment rate fell by 2.1 percentage points over the year (from 7% to 4.9%), meaning that 21,600 people in the A.C. of the Basque Country left the ranks of the jobless over the year. All three provinces saw their unemployment rates reduced during 2005, with Gipuzkoa (-3.5 percentage points) and Álava (-2.6 percentage points) decreasing by more than the average, while in Bizkaia there was a reduction of 1.1 percentage points.