Unemployment rises for second month in Latvia

  • 2014-01-13
  • From wire reports, RIGA

The registered unemployment rate in Latvia has grown for the second consecutive month, reaching 9.5 percent of the economically-active population at the end of December 2013, the State Employment Agency has revealed.

The registered unemployment rate in Latvia increased to 9.3 percent in November 2013. This was an increase of 0.2 percent when compared to October 2013.

A total of 91,619 people were registered unemployed at the beginning of December 2013. The figure rose to 93,321 - at the end of the month.

In December 2013, the lowest unemployment rate was registered in Riga Region - 6 percent. Latgale Province had the highest unemployment level - 18.8 percent, followed by Kurzeme Province - 11.5 percent, Vidzeme Province - 11.2 percent, and Zemgale Province - 9.8 percent.

Among Latvia's largest cities, Riga had the lowest unemployment rate at the end of December 2013 - 5.6 percent. In Jelgava, unemployment was at 7 percent, in Valmiera - 6.7 percent, in Ventspils - 8.2 percent, in Liepaja - 13 percent, in Jurmala - 8.1 percent, in Daugavpils - 9.7 percent, in Jekabpils - 10.4 percent, in Rezekne - 16.6 percent.