Unemployment rate in Germanylower than in the USAfor the first time in 16 years
WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), for the first time in 16 years the German unemployment rate in January 2009 (seasonally adjusted 7.3%) was lower than the rate in the USA, which was 7.6% and had markedly increased before. Already in December 2008, the two countries had the same rate (7.2%). In January 2008, the German unemployment rate was by 2.8% higher than that in the USA. The unemployment rate indicates the share of unemployed in the total labour force. The definition applied here is based on the concept of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and, consequently, is internationally comparable, which is not the case for the rate of registered unemployed published by the Federal Employment Agency.
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