Unemployment in Colombia is at a 12-year low, but some less developed areas still have rates as high as 18%, according to government figures released Thursday.
There are 2.08 million people unemployed in Colombia today, 9.9% of the total labor force, said the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), in their latest report.
But the numbers aren’t evenly spread across Colombia.
In Quibdo, the capital of Choco state on Colombia’s west coast, unemployment is running at 18.3%, while Armenia, in the heart of the coffee region, is running at 14.6%.
In a separate report in September, DANE said that youth unemployment is still much higher than the national average.
Colombians between the ages of 14 and 28 have an unemployment rate of 16.5%.
MORE: Youth most unemployed demographic in Colombia
But there is at least some good news for the unemployed; in June this year, President Juan Manuel Santos signed a law to financially assist workers who have lost their jobs.
MORE: Colombia gets unemployment benefit
The new law provides advice and training to the unemployed while offering financial support for job seekers.
Sources
- DANE report
- Desempleo, en niveles del 9% (El Spectador)