Unemployment in Bulgaria climbed to close to 13% in 2013 – statistics institute
Unemployment in Bulgaria in 2013 rose by 0.6 percentage points from the previous year to 12.9 per cent, according to National Statistical Institute (NSI) figures released on March 17.
The total number of unemployed Bulgarians in 2013 was 436 300. Of these, 249 800 were men and 186 500 women.
Unemployment among youth, defined as those aged 15 to 29, was one percentage point higher than in 2012, at 21.8 per cent.
Long-term unemployed, meaning those who had been jobless for more than a year, added up to 250 300 or 57.4 per cent of all unemployed people in the country. The long-term unemployment rate was 7.4 per cent, the NSI said.
In 2013 the economically active population aged 15 – 64 was 3 322 700 and represented 68.4 per cent of population in the same age group. Compared to 2012 the activity rate (15 – 64 years) went up by 1.3 percentage points.
The total number of employed people was 2 934 900, representing 46.9 per cent of the population aged 15 and over.
The unemployment rate went up by 0.4 percentage points for men and by one percentage point for women, reaching 13.9 and 11.8 per cent, respectively.
(Image: Sergio Roberto Bichara/sxc.hu)
