The unemployment rate in Bulgaria has reached 12.4% in January 2013, according to figures published Friday by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

It was 13.3% in December.

The Eurozone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.9% in January 2013, up from 11.8% in December 2012.

The EU unemployment rate was 10.8%, up from 10.7% in the previous month

In both zones, rates have risen markedly compared with January 2012, when they were 10.8% and 10.1% respectively.

Eurostat estimates that 26.217 million men and women in the EU, of whom 18.998 million were in the Eurozone, were unemployed in January 2013. Compared with December 2012, the number of persons unemployed increased by 222 000 in the EU and by 201 000 in the Eurozone. Compared with January 2012, unemployment rose by 1.890 million in the EU and by 1.909 million in the Eurozone.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.9%), Germany and Luxembourg (both 5.3%) and the Netherlands (6.0%), and the highest in Greece (27.0% in November 2012), Spain (26.2%) and Portugal (17.6%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate increased in nineteen Member States, fell in seven and remained stable in Denmark. The largest decreases were observed in Estonia (11.1% to 9.9% between December 2011 and December 2012), Latvia (15.5% to 14.4% between the fourth quarters of 2011 and 2012), Romania (7.4% to 6.6%) and the United Kingdom (8.3% to 7.7% between November 2011 and November 2012).

The highest increases were registered in Greece (20.8% to 27.0% between November 2011 and November 2012), Cyprus (9.9% to 14.7%), Portugal (14.7% to 17.6%) and Spain (23.6% to 26.2%).

Between January 2012 and January 2013, the unemployment rate for males increased from 10.6% to 11.8% in the Eurozone and from 10.0% to 10.8% in the EU. The female unemployment rate rose from 11.0% to 12.1% in the Eurozone and from 10.2% to 10.9% in the EU.

In January 2013, 5.732 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU, of whom 3.642 million were in the Eurozone. Compared with January 2012, youth unemployment rose by 264 000 in the EU and by 295 000 in the Eurozone.

In January 2013, the youth unemployment rate was 23.6% in the EU and 24.2% in the Eurozone, compared with 22.4% and 21.9% respectively in January 2012. In January 2013 the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.9%), Austria (9.9%) and the Netherlands (10.3%), and the highest in Greece (59.4% in November 2012), Spain (55.5%) and Italy(38.7%).

In comparison, in January 2013, the unemployment rate in the US was 7.9%. In Japan it was 4.2% in December 2012.

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