Colombian unemployment rose to 12.2% in April of this year, with 123,000 more jobless people compared to the same period in 2009, according to government statistics agency DANE.
The number of unemployed rose to to 2.668 million from 2.545 million in April last year, which represents the highest April unemployment rate since 2005, reports Portfolio.
The Colombian underemployment rate also performed badly, rising to 31.9% from 29.5% in April 2009.
The Risaralda department city of Pereira recorded the highest level of joblessness, with 21.5%, followed by Popayan on 18.8%
The lowest rate was in Santa Marta, which had an April unemployment rate of 7.3%, with Barranquilla not far behind on 8.5%.
Bogota recorded an 11.3% unemployment rate, slightly better than the national average.