Turkey’s 2016 unemployment rate hit 10.9 percent, continuing at double digits

ANKARA

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Turkey’s unemployment rate hit 10.9 percent in 2016 with a 0.6 percent of increase compared to the previous year, continuing its double-digit trend, official data showed on March 23. 

The unemployment rate in 2015 saw double digits for the first time since 2010.

The number of unemployed persons aged 15 years and above was announced 3.33 million with a 273,000 increase in 2016 compared to the previous year, by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK). 

Official data showed that unemployment rate marked 9.6 percent with a 0.4 percentage point increase among men, and 13.7 percent with a 1.1 percentage point increase among women.

In the same year, non-agricultural unemployment rate realized as 13 percent with a 0.6 percentage point of year-on-year increase. 


Youth unemployment at 19.6 pct 

While youth unemployment rate including the 15 to 24 age range was realized as 19.6 percent with a 1.1 percentage point of increase, the unemployment rate for 15 to 64 age range occurred as 11.1 percent with a 0.6 percentage point increase, according to TÜİK. 

The number of employed persons aged 15 years and above was realized as 27.2 million with an increase of 584,000 persons, and employment rate occurred as 46.3 percent with a 0.3 percentage point increase. 

Employment rate occurred as 65.1 percent with 0.1 percentage point increase for males, and 28 percent with a 0.5 percentage point increase for females.

Of those who were employed in 2016; 19.5 percent was employed in agriculture, 19.5 percent was employed in industry, 7.3 percent was employed in construction and 53.7 percent was employed in the service sector. 

Labor force realized as 30.5 million persons with an increase of 857,000 persons, and labor force participation rate realized as 52 percent with a 0.7 percentage point of increase in 2016, according to TÜİK.