Unemployment is second lowest in Spain

Unemployment dropped in six Spanish regions in the third quarter of the year, particularly in the Balearics, where figures were down by 2'700 persons or ten per cent compared to the previous quarter. This brought the number of jobless to 24'500, or 5.72 per cent of the work force. The total jobless nationwide was 2.1 million, representing 11.41 per cent of the work force. The report, from the Institute of Statistics, indicated that the work force in the Balearics is 427'400 persons (18'600 more than three months ago). The unemployment rate in the Balearics is the second lowest in Spain after Aragon. Other regions where there was a drop in unemployment were Asturias, Murcia, Galicia, Castille-Leon and Ceuta. Unemployment rose by more than 12 per cent in Madrid and Navarra, eight per cent in Andalucia and six per cent in Cantabria and Extremadura. The region with the highest unemployment rate is Andalucia, where 20.57 per cent of the work force are out of a job.