The Greek unemployment rate fell to 21.2 pct in the fourth quarter of 2017 from 23.6 pct in the same period in 2016, but grew from 20.2 pct in the third quarter of 2017, Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) said on Thursday.
The statistics service, in a quarterly report, said that the number of unemployed people totaled 1,006,844 at the end of 2017, with the long-term unemployed totaling 722,914 and only 120,821 receiving unemployment benefit. The number of unemployed people rose 3.8 pct compared with the third quarter of 2017, but fell 10.4 pct compared with the corresponding period in 2016.
The statistics service attributed this increase to the end of the tourist season in the country.
First-time unemployment was 19.7 pct. The majority of unemployed people (71.8 pct) were long-term unemployed, while 92.7 pct of unemployed people were seeking a full-time job. The number of employed people was 3,736,333 and employment fell 2.3 pct compared with the third quarter 2017 but rose 2.4 pct compared with the same period in 2016. Wage earners accounted for 65.8 pct of all employed people, with the self-employed totaling 22.7 pct. Part-time jobs accounted for 9.5 pct of total and 6.9 pct had a temporary job. The unemployment rate among women was 26.1 pct, while for men it was 17.3 pct.
The 15-19 age group recorded the highest unemployment rate (53.1 pct), followed by the 20-24 age group (42.3 pct), 25-29 (32 pct), 30-44 (20.3 pct), 45-64 (17.1 pct) and above 65 years old (11.2 pct).
Among the country’s regions, Western Macedonia (29.1 pct) recorded the highest unemployment rate, followed by Western Greece (26.1 pct), Ionian Islands (24.5 pct), Northern Aegean (23.9 pct), Epirus (23.2 pct), Central Macedonia (22.3 pct), Attica (21.5 pct), Central Greece (20.5 pct), Thessaly (19 pct), Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (17.8 pct), Crete (17.6 pct), Southern Aegean (17.3 pct) and Peloponnese (16.3 pct).