The unemployment rate stood at 13.7 percent in December, with a 0.4 percent increase from the previous month, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has announced.

 

The number of unemployed persons aged 15 years old and over increased by 92 thousand to 4 million 394 thousand persons in the period of December 2019 in Turkey compared with the same period of the previous year. The unemployment rate stood at 13.7 percent with a 0.2 percentage point increase. Non-agricultural unemployment rate occurred as 15.8 percent with a 0.2 percentage point increase.

 

The number of employed persons increased by 3 thousand to 27 million 658 thousand persons in the period of December 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. The employment rate stood at 44.7 percent with a 0.7 percentage point decrease.

 

While the number of agricultural employment decreased by 225 thousand persons, construction decreased by 119 thousand persons while industry increased by 225 thousand persons and services increased by 122 thousand persons. According to the distribution of employment by sector; 16.5 percent was employed in agriculture, 20.6 percent was employed in industry, 5.4 percent was employed in construction and 57.5 percent was employed in services.

 

The ratio of persons working without any social security relating to the main job occurred 32.3 percent with a 1.1 percentage point decrease in the period of December 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. The rate of unregistered employment realized as 21.9 percent with a 0.8 percentage point decrease in the non-agricultural sector compared to the same period of the previous year.

The number of persons in the labor force realized 32 million 52 thousand persons with 95 thousand persons increase in the period of December 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. Labour force participation rate (LFPR) was 51.8 percent with 0.6 percentage point decrease.

 

Non-seasonally adjusted main labor force indicators, 15 + age, (Thousand), December 2018, December 2019

 

The ratio of persons working without any social security relating to the main job occurred 32.3 percent with a 1.1 percentage point decrease in the period of December 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. The rate of unregistered employment realized as 21.9 percent with a 0.8 percentage point decrease in the non-agricultural sector compared to the same period of the previous year.

 

The youth unemployment rate between aged 15-24 years realized as 25.0 percent with a 0.5 percentage point increase and the youth employment rate realized as 31.9 percent with a 0.5 percentage point decrease compared with the same period of the previous year. In the same period, the labor force participation rate realized as 42.5 percent with a 0.5 percentage point decrease. The rate of neither in employment nor in education realized as 25.4 percent with a 0.5 percentage point increase compared with the same period of the previous year.

 

Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate realized as 13.1 percent with a 0.1 percentage point decrease. The number of unemployed persons decreased by 43 thousand to 4 million 267 thousand persons.

 

Seasonally adjusted employment rate realized as 45.5 percent with a 0.3 percentage point decrease. The number of employed persons estimated as 28 million 203 thousand persons with a 136 thousand decrease compared with the same period of the previous year.

 

The seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate was 52.4 percent with a 0.4 percentage point decrease. The number of the labor force is estimated at 32 million 470 thousand persons with 180 thousand persons decrease.

 

According to the seasonally adjusted number of employment by sectors, employment in agriculture decreased by 96 thousand persons, industry decreased by 59 thousand persons and services decreased by 6 thousand persons while construction increased by 25 thousand persons.