In 2012, the rate of unemployment in Turkey dropped to just 9.2 percent. The total number of unemployed decrease by 97,000 to settle in at 2.5 million. As for the number of employed, an additional 711,000 jobs in 2012 has increased the nationwide- employment total to 24,821,000.
According to Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, "This is the lowest rate of unemployment we have seen since the 2001 crisis. Turkey's economy has reached the highest level of employment ever before seen. In 2012, our population rose by 1,228,000. The labor force has increased by 614,000."
ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE YOUTH ARE UNEMPLOYED
The non-agricultural unemployment rate dropped by 0.9 points compared to the year prior, settling at the 11.5 percentile level. Meanwhile, unemployment amongst the 15-24 age group also dropped by 0.9 points to reach 17.5 percent.
INCREASED EMPLOYMENT
The number of employed in 2012 compared to the year prior increased by 711,000 people to reach a total 24,821,000. While the number of employees in the agricultural sector dropped by 46,000, the number of non-agricultural sector employees rose by 757,000.
SERVICE SECTOR
In employment distribution, 24.6 percent of jobs were in agriculture, 19.1 percent were in industry, 6.9 percent in construction and 49.4 percent of employment was in the service sector.
PARTICIPATION IN THE LABOUR FORCE
The rate of employment participation throughout Turkey increased by 0.1 percent in 2012, bringing the total labor force up to 50 percent. Male participation in the labor force dropped by 0.7 percent compared to the year prior, bringing the total to 71 percent. While the presence of women in the labor force rose by 0.7 percent to reach 29.5 percent. The unemployment rate for urban areas dropped by 0.8 points to reach 11.1 percent, while in rural areas, the rate decreased by 0.3 percent, to reach a total of 5.5 percent unemployed.
TURKEY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BECOME EU'S ENVY
Turkey's unemployment rates have dropped to levels lower than a number of EU nations grappling with economic troubles. In January, 2013, the unemployment rate in the 17-nation Euro Zone rose to 11.9 percent, while the 27-nation European Union had 10.7 percent jobless. At 27 percent, Greece has the highest unemployment rate in the Euro Zone. Greece is followed by Spain with 26.1 percent unemployed and Portugal comes in third with 17.3 percent of the population jobless. In Greek Cyprus, Slovakia and Ireland, the unemployment rate was 14.7 percent, followed by Italy at 11.3 percent, France at 10.5 percent and Slovenia at ten percent unemployment. In January, the Euro Zone experienced the highest level of unemployment in its history at 11.9 percent.
