Unemployment level in Georgia lowest within past 13 years

In 2016 the annual unemployment rate in Georgia declined by 0.2 percentage points and equalled 11.8 percent – the lowest level within the past 13 years.

Last year, the economically active population constituted 67.5 percent of the working population (population of 15 years and older), showed the employment and unemployment annual data of 2016 of the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).

Employment level has been reduced by 0.5 percentage points in Georgia’s urban areas, while in rural areas it has been reduced by 0.1 percentage points.

Traditionally, the majority of people who work in Georgia were self-employed and in 2016 nothing has been changed in this direction,” said Geostat.

The unemployment rate in women decreased by 1.4 percentage points and in men – increased by 0.7 percentage points.

In terms of age category, in 2016 the unemployment rate reached the highest level in the age group of 15-19 years (31.9 percent), which is a 5.7 percentage points increase year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is the lowest in the 65+ age category in Georgia.