Economy

Turkey: Unemployment stands at 14.7% in February

Unemployed aged 15 and over climbs 1.37 million year-on-year to 4.73 million in February

Muhammed Ali Gurtas  | 15.05.2019 - Update : 15.05.2019
Turkey: Unemployment stands at 14.7% in February

ANKARA

Turkey's unemployment rate stood at 14.7% in February this year, the country's statistical authority announced Wednesday.

TurkStat said the unemployment rate rose by 4.1 percentage points on a yearly basis. 

The number of unemployed aged 15 years and older increased by 1.37 million year-on-year to 4.73 million in February.

"In the same period, [the] non-agricultural unemployment rate occurred as 16.9%," TurkStat said, reporting an increase of 4.4 percentage points.

"While youth [the] unemployment rate including persons aged 15-24 was 26.1% with [a] 7.1 percentage point increase, the unemployment rate for persons aged 15-64 occurred as 15.0% with [a] 4.1 percentage point increase," it added.

In January, the country's unemployment rate was also 14.7% with 4.67 million unemployed persons aged 15 years and above, marking a 3.9 percentage point annual rise.

The number of employed in Turkey had reached 27.3 million as of February.

TurkStat said employment had fallen 811,000 on a yearly basis, bringing the employment rate to 44.8%, a 1.8 percentage point annual decline.

"According to the distribution of employment by sector, 17.1% was employed in agriculture, 19.7% was in industry, 5.4% was in construction and 57.7% was in services," it said.

Recording an annual rise of 564,000, Turkey's labour force totaled nearly 32.1 million people in February, while the labor force participation rate (LFPR) was 52.5%.

In the same month, the LFPR was 71.4% for men and 34% for women.

Official figures also revealed that the rate of unregistered employment -- people working without social security related to their principal occupation -- was 33.5% in February, rising 1.3 percentage points year-on-year.

Last year, the unemployment rate hovered between 9.6% and 13.5%. Over the past five years, the highest figures were seen in January and February this year, while the lowest was in May 2014 with 8.8%.

The institute will release its next report on the subject on June 17.

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