Unemployment in Tunisia went up to 18.9%, between the second and fourth terms of 2011, a period during which the number of the jobless rose to 738,400, according to the findings of the National Survey on Employment, released by the National Statistics Institute (INS). Seventy-two point-one percent (72.1%) of all the jobless are under-30 young people. the unemployment rate is higher among women (28.2%) than among men (15.4%).
Unemployment: highest rates in southern regions
From October to December 24, 2011, the unemployment rate of the university graduates is about 30.5%. INS surveyed more than 223,700 jobless people among the university graduates, 78,500 men and 145,200 women.
The highest unemployment rates were registered in the Tunisian south, i.e., 29.5% in the south-west and 27.2% in the south-east.
The joblessness rate stands at about 26.9% in the mid-west, 22.3% in the north-west, 17.2% in the Tunis district, 14.5% in the north-east and 11.9% in the mid-east.
According to INS, the joblessness period is shorter than one year for 62% of the Tunisian unemployed and it ranges between one year and two years for 19.1% of the jobless.
Labor force: 3.9 millions
The labor force (eligible for work and who work or wish to work) is estimated at 3,909,100 people, including 27.3% who are women. The results of the INS enquiry show that the number of workers jumped by 64,500 between the second and the fourth term of 2011.
The additional job seeking university graduates climbed by 49,800 (+77.2% of the total applications) during this studied period.
Creation of 30,600 jobs:
The number of workers rose to 3,170,700 persons, by the fourth term of 2011, up from 3,139,800 during the second term, i.e. an increase of 30,900 jobs.
More than 24,000 jobs were created in the farming and fisheries sectors and 39,000 in services. Jobs in the manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries went up by 4,400 and 15,800 jobs respectively.
