Each second employed works in service sector

The unemployment rate in Moldova in the first quarter of this year was 5.5%, in contrast to 5.7% in the corresponding period last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The unemployed totaled about 67,000. 59.8% of the persons without a job were men. The urban residents made up 55.4% of the unemployed. The jobless rate among people aged between 15 and 24 was 13.1%, while among people aged 15 and 29 – 10.5%. The economically active population (the working population plus the unemployed) was about 1.221 million. The number of the employed decreased by 32,000 or 2.7%, to approximately 1.154 million. The number of working men and women was practically the same. The working population in rural areas made up 53.7%, while in urban areas – 46.3%. 29.2% of the employed worked in agriculture. Out of these, 53.3% worked in their own farms. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the unfavorable weather conditions last year have led to a 7.7% (28,000 people) reduction in the number of workers in agriculture in the first quarter of this year. The people working in industry made up 14%, while in construction 5.7%. Every second employed worked in the service sector (51.1%). By patterns of ownership, 68.0% of the population worked in private companies, 28.1% - in public companies and 3.9% - in joint and foreign capital companies. The salary-earners made up 69.7% of the working population. The inactive population aged over 15 constituted 58.3% of the people older than 15. Out of these, 25,000 people gave up looking for the job they wanted. The persons from rural areas that went abroad to work made up 68.8% of the total.