Unemployment rate in Turkey in 2012 at 9.2%

Figure marks a 0.6 point drop from the previous year Turkey's statistics authority says the country's jobless rate in 2012 was 9.2 percent, .6 points lower from a year earlier. Turkey created 711,000 new jobs last year as unemployment rate dropped by 0.6 points from a year earlier to 9.2 percent, the country's statistics authority, said Wednesday. The number of the unemployed dropped to 2,518 thousand, TurkStat said. Urban (excluding agriculture) unemployment was down 0.8 points to 11.5 percent and rural unemployment (agricultural) dropped to 5.5 percent from 5.8 percent in 2011. Youth unemployment for ages 15 to 24 was down 0.9 points to 17.5 percent. Employment rate was up 0.4 points to 45.4 percent and rate of participation in the labor force was up 0.1 points to 50 percent. Unemployment rate in Turkey lower than European countries The unemployment rate announced by Turkey's Statistics Authority (TurkStat) on Wednesday shows that Turkey's position is better than 10 of the 17 Eurozone countries. While the unemployment rate was calculated as 10.5 percent in France, 11.3 percent in Italy and 26.1 percent in Spain it was 9.2 percent in Turkey in 2012. The unemployment rate in Eurozone increased to 11.8 percent in 2012 and TurkStat said the Turkey's unemployment rate in 2012 was 9.2 percent, 0. 6 point lower than 2011. Austerity measures, carried out as a result of financial and economic crisis, pushed out high number of people from business life in Europe. Nevertheless, it varies by countries and cities. EU and IMF data, compiled by Anatolian Agency (AA) correspondent, demonstrate that Turkey left behind many European countries. As the percentage of unemployed persons increased by 11.9 in the period of January 2013 in Eurozone, it had been 10.7 percent in EU. In the USA the rate is 7.8 percent. Greece, possessing the highest unemployment rate in Eurozone with 27 percent, was followed by Spain (26.1 percent) and Portugal (17.3 percent). Greek Cypriot administration, Slovakia and Ireland had the same unemployment rate of 14.7 percent. The rate is 11.3 percent in Italy, 10.5 percent in France, 10 percent in Slovenia and 9.9 percent in Estonia. Finland, respectively less affected country from economic crisis, had an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent. Meanwhile, the rate was 7.4 percent in Belgium, 6.8 percent in Malta, 5.8 percent in Holland, 5.3 percent in Germany, 5.2 percent in Luxembourg and 4.7 percent in Austria.