Figures published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) last week showed that seasonally adjusted Unemployment continued to decline during the third quarter of 2005, dropping to 8.9%.
The CBS noted that unemployment is now 1.2% lower than it was in the third quarter of 2004, and 2% below its peak of 10.9% in the second half of 2003.
The data published by the CBS shows that 244,700 people were unemployed in the third quarter, compared with 9.1%, or 248,000 people, in the second quarter.
The Central Bureau of Statistics said that out of 244,700 unemployed in the third quarter: 126,500 were men and 118,200 were women
According to the CBS, the civilian workforce in the third quarter numbered 2.745 million people. In that time, 55.2% of the adult population (aged 15 to 65) belonged to the workforce.
The seasonably adjusted number of unemployed has fallen by 18,500 since the beginning of the year, a 7% drop.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment has fallen by 45,200 from its peak of 289,900 unemployed at the end of 2003, a 13.6% decrease.
