The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.7% in October 2012, up from 11.6% in September. The EU27 unemployment rate was 10.7% in October 2012, up from 10.6% in September. Malta stood at 6.6% up slightly from 6.5% in September.

In both zones, rates have risen markedly compared with October 2011, when they were 10.4% and 9.9% respectively.

Eurostat estimates that 25.913 million men and women in the EU27, of whom 18.703 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in October 2012. Compared with September 2012, the number of persons unemployed increased by 204 000 in the EU27 and by 173 000 in the euro area. Compared with October 2011, unemployment rose by 2.160 million in the EU27 and by 2.174 million in the euro area.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.3%), Luxembourg (5.1%), Germany (5.4%) and the Netherlands (5.5%), and the highest in Spain (26.2%) and Greece (25.4% in August 2012). Malta stood at 6.6%.

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate increased in sixteen Member States, fell in nine and remained stable in Austria and Slovenia. The largest decreases were observed in Estonia (11.5% to 9.6% between September 2011 and September 2012), Lithuania (14.2% to 12.4%) and Latvia (15.7% to 14.2% between the third quarters of 2011 and 2012). The highest increases were registered in Greece (18.4% to 25.4% between August 2011 and August 2012), Cyprus (9.2% to 12.9%), Spain (22.7% to 26.2%) and Portugal (13.7% to 16.3%). Malta rose slightly from 6.5% to 6.6%.

Between October 2011 and October 2012, the unemployment rate for males increased from 10.3% to 11.6% in the euro area and from 9.8% to 10.7% in the EU27. Malta was 6.5%. The female unemployment rate rose from 10.7% to 11.8% in the euro area and from 10.0% to 10.7% in the EU27. Malta was 6.7%,

In October 2012, 5.678 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU27, of whom 3.609 million were in the euro area. Compared with October 2011, youth unemployment rose by 279 000 in the EU27 and by 350 000 in the euro area.

In October 2012, the youth unemployment rate was 23.4% in the EU27 and 23.9% in the euro area, compared with 21.9% and 21.2% respectively in October 2011. In October 2012 the lowest rates were observed in Germany (8.1%), Austria (8.5%) and the Netherlands (9.8%) and the highest in Greece (57.0% in August 2012) and Spain (55.9%). Malta’s youth unemployment rate stood at 16.8%.

In October 2012, the unemployment rate was 7.9% in the USA. In Japan it was 4.2% in September 2012.

These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

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