Registered unemployment rate increases to 11.7% at end-January

Compared to the end of December 2011, the unemployment level has increased by 0.2 percent, LETA was informed by the State Employment Agency.

At the moment, 132,214 people are registered as unemployed with the Employment Agency's branches, 1,918 persons more than at the end of December 2011.

The highest unemployment rate is still in Latgale - 20.2 percent, whilst the lowest - in Riga Region - is 8.4 percent. The unemployment level in Vidzeme is 13.3 percent, in Zemgale - 13 percent, and in Kurzeme - 12.4 percent.

Among the cities, Riga still has the lowest unemployment level of 7.8 percent, followed by Jelgava - 9 percent, Ventspils - 9.8 percent, Valmiera - 10 percent, Daugavpils - 10.4 percent, Jurmala - 10.4 percent, Liepaja - 12.7 percent, Jekabpils - 14.7 percent, and Rezekne - 18.2 percent.

As reported, last year, the unemployment rate in Latvia fell from 14.5 percent at the beginning of 2011 to 11.5 percent in October, remaining unchanged for the past several months.

LETA