After adjustment for season the unemployment rate in the Eurozone (EZ15) amounted to 7.1% in January 2008. This means that unemployment did not change in comparison with December 2007. As compared to January 2007 unemployment fell by 0.6%. These figures were published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EU.
In the EU27 unemployment amounted to 6.8% in January 2008 which was the same percentage as in December last year. As compared to January 2007 it decreased by 0.8%.
In January 2008 unemployment was lowest in the Netherlands (2.9%) and Denmark (3.1% in December 2007). The highest rate was registered in Slovakia (10.4%).
Twenty-four EU member states registered a decrease in the unemployment rate in the last year and three an increase. The most significant decreases were registered in Poland (from 11.1% to 8.6%), in Bulgaria (von 7.8% to 6.2%) and in Latvia (from 6.6% to 5.0%). Unemployment increased most in Estonia (from 4.8% to 5.6%).
Comparing January 2007 with January 2008, unemployment of men decreased from 6.8% to 6.4% in the Eurozone and from 6.9% to 6.3% in the EU27. Unemployment among women fell from 8.8% to 7.9% in the Eurozone and from 8.2% to 7.4% in the EU27.
Unemployment among people below the age of 25 amounted to 14.2% in the Eurozone and to 14.7% in the EU27 in January 2008. In January 2007 it stood at 15.2% and 16.0% respectively. In this age bracket unemployment was lowest in the Netherlands (5.5%) and Slovenia (7.9% in the fourth quarter of 2007) and highest in Greece (22.6% in the third quarter 2007) and Romania (21.2% in the third quarter of 2007).
Eurostat estimate that in total there were 16.1 million unemployed men and women in the EU27 in January 2008, 10.9 million of which in the Eurozone. In January 2007 the figures were 17.7 million and 11.7 million respectively.
In January 2008 the unemployment rate in the USA was 4.9%. Those of Japan and Norway were 3.8% and 2.4% respectively in December 2007. 