Press release 19.04.12

POPULATION IN RELATION TO ACTIVITY SURVEY (PRA) 1ST QUARTER OF 2012

The population in work fell by 1.8% and the unemployment figure stood at 12.1% in the first quarter of 2012 in the Basque Country

The active population fell by 7700 individuals, placing the activity rate at 55.4%

The data from the labour market in the Basque Country from the first quarter of 2012 showed that there were 912,300 people in work, which was a net decrease of 16,400 compared with the previous quarter (-1.8%), according to Eustat data. Furthermore, the unemployment rate of the Basque Country stood at 12.1%, 0.9 percentage points up on the fourth quarter of 2011.

As a result of the evolution in the employed and unemployed population, the activity rate was 55.4% in the first quarter of 2012, 0.4 percentage points less than the previous quarter.

As far as gender was concerned, the drop in employment affected women more, with 10,500 less in work than in the previous quarter, whilst the number of men in work fell by 5900. The province that saw the biggest fall in employment was Bizkaia with 10,100 fewer net employed, followed by Gipuzkoa with 5500 fewer and, lastly, in Araba/Álava the number of individuals in work fell by 800.

The loss of jobs was concentrated in services and construction

The working population was down by 12,900 in the services sector, by 4100 in construction and by 300 in agriculture, whilst in industry it rose by 900.

The employment rate, the percentage of people in work aged 16 to 64 over the total for these ages, was down compared to the previous quarter, standing at 62.9%. This figure stood at 67.5% for men and 58.2% for women.

By province, the highest employment rate turned out to be that of Gipuzkoa, with 66.3% and a decrease of 1 percentage point compared to the previous quarter; this was followed by Araba/Álava, with 64.5% and a decrease of four tenths of a point. Bizkaia had the lowest rate, with 60.4% and 1.4 percentage points less than the last quarter.

The number of salaried individuals with a permanent contract fell, standing at 584,300, whilst those on a temporary contract (including those without contracts) brought the total for this group down to 168,600.

In 4.6% of households all active individuals were unemployed

In the first quarter of 2012 it was estimated that there were 856,300 households in the Basque Country (7200 more than the previous quarter) a third of which did not have any active individuals. In just over half of households, all of the active individuals were in work, 2000 families less than the previous quarter; furthermore, households where all active individuals were unemployed stood at 39,500 (4.6% of the total).

The unemployed population in the Basque country, that is, individuals who are available for work, actively making enquiries and seeking employment, was estimated to be 125,600 in the first quarter of the year, 8,700 up on the previous quarter. The number of unemployed men, 71,200 individuals, increased by 2200, whilst the number of unemployed women was up by 6600, reaching a total of 54,500 in the first quarter.

The data for the first quarter of 2012 revealed an unemployment rate of 12.1%, 0.9 points up on the previous quarter. The male unemployment rate rose to 12.6% (0.5 percentage points up) and the female rate was up 1.4 points, standing at 11.5%. The youth unemployment rate continued to be the highest, and stood at 26.5%, affecting 13,200 active young people between the ages of 16 and 24.

By province, the greatest increase in the number of people out of work was in Bizkaia (+5100 individuals) where the unemployment rate stood at 15.2%. In Gipuzkoa, with 31,200 individuals out of work, the number of unemployed rose by 4400, which meant that the unemployment rate stood at 9.4%. In Álava, there were 800 fewer unemployed individuals than the previous quarter and it continued to have the lowest unemployment rate, 6.8%.

According to EUROSTAT –The Statistical Office of the European Union-, in February 2012 the unemployment rate of the European Union-27 stood at 10.2% and that of Spain stood at 23.6%.

Over the last year, 12,500 individuals were added to the unemployment figures in the Basque Country

The population in work in the Basque Country was down over the last 12 months, that is, the first quarter of 2012 compared to the first quarter of 2011, by 27,700 individuals, equivalent to -2.9%. This decrease occurred mainly amongst men, with 21,100 fewer in work, whilst for women the figure for those in work was down by 6600 individuals.

The unemployment rate in the last year was up by 1.4 percentage points (10.7% to 12.1%), with 12,500 individuals being added to the unemployment figures of the Basque Country over the course of the year. By province, the unemployment figure increased by 3 percentage points in Bizkaia and 0.6 in Gipuzkoa, whilst in Álava it decreased by 3 points over the last twelve months.

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es Contact: Pilar Martínez Rollón Tel::+34-945-01 75 31 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Further press releases on population in relation to activity survey (PRA) Databank on population in relation to activity survey (PRA)