Press release 20/01/2010
The employed population up by 0.4% and the unemployment rate reached 8.7% in the fourth quarter of 2009 in the Basque Country
3,400 net jobs were created in this quarter
Labour market data for the Basque Country for the third quarter of 2009 revealed that the number of people in work stood at 951,200, which was a net increase of 3,400 people compared to the previous quarter (-0.4%), according to Eustat data. On the other hand, the unemployment rate stood at 8.7%, 0.4 points up on the previous quarter.
As a result of the evolution of the employed and unemployed population, the activity rate was 55.8% for the fourth quarter of 200, 0.4 percentage points higher than the previous quarter.
As far as gender was concerned, there was an increase in the number of men employed, with 4,200 more employed than in the previous quarter, but, on the other hand, the number of women employed fell by 700. The employment rate rose in two out of the three provinces: Bizkaia had 4,400 more net jobs, followed by Álava with 100 more, while the employed population fell by 1,100 people in Gipuzkoa.
Jobs were recovered in industry, construction and agriculture, while they were lost in the service sector
Industry gained 3,200 net jobs, followed by construction with 1,700 more and, finally, agriculture recovered 800. However, the service sector lost 2,300 net jobs.
The employment rate, the percentage of employed people aged 16 to 64 out of the total number of people within that age range, stood at 65.2%, 0.3 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter This rate came to 72.2% among men, while it stood at 58.2% for women.
By province, the highest employment rate was in Gipuzkoa (67.2%), followed by Álava (65.5%, but both were two tenths down on the previous quarter. However, Bizkaia had the lowest rate (64%) and was up by eight tenths of a point compared to the last quarter.
The number of employed workers on an indefinite contract increased by 7,900 up to 624,800, while the employees with temporary contracts (including those without contracts) fell by 2,400 to a total of 161,900.
The Basque Country is estimated to have around 2009 households, of which almost a third had no working member. In almost six out of ten households, all the working-age people were employed, which meant 400 fewer families than in the previous quarter. In addition, households whose working-age members were all unemployed came to 28,000 (3.3% of the total), 4,600 more than in the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate rose from 8.3% to 8.7%
The number of people out of work, which is to say people who were actively seeking work and were furthermore available for work, totalled 90,400 for the fourth quarter of the year, 4,900 more than in the previous quarter. The number of unemployed women, in total 39,200 people, increased by 6,700 and the number of unemployed men fell by 1,800 in the fourth quarter, down to a total of 51,200.
Data for the fourth quarter of 2009 showed that the unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points up on the previous quarter, standing at 8.7%. Female unemployment rose to 8.5% (up 1.4 percentage points) and male unemployment fell by 0.3 points, down to 8.8%. The youth unemployment rate continued to be the highest at 25.4%, with unemployment affecting 14,400 young job seekers aged between 16 to 24.
By province, the greatest increase in the number of unemployed was in Bizkaia, up by 2,300 people and with an unemployment rate of 9.2%. Unemployment rote by 2,200 in Gipukoa, up 23,800, and the unemployment rate was 7.1%, while there were 400 more people without a job in Álava, with an unemployment rate of 10.2%, compared to the previous quarter.
According to EUROSTAT - Statistical Office of the European Union-, the unemployment rate in this area for November 2009 was 9.5% for theEU-27 as a whole and 19.4% for Spain.
During the last year, 42,700 people joined the ranks of the unemployed in the Basque Country
The employed population fell over the last twelve-month period, in other words, the fourth quarter of 2009 with respect to the fourth quarter of 2008, by 26,600 people D 2.7%). This decrease was mainly among men, with 19,700 fewer jobs, while 6,800 women became unemployed.
The unemployment rate in the last year fell by 4.0 percentage points (from 4.7% to 8.7%), meaning that 42.700 more people joined the ranks of the unemployed in the Basque Country over the year. By province, the unemployment rate increased by 4.8 percentage points in Álava, by 4.3 points in Bizkaia and by 3.2 points in Gipuzkoa over the last twelve months.
For further information:
Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: MªJosé Santamaría Gallardo
Tel:+34-945-01 75 08 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01
Online press releases: www.eustat.es
Databank: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.aspx