RAMALLAH, August 7, 2006 (WAFA)- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said that the number of unemployed Persons mounted to 197,000 in the 2 ^nd quarter 2006.... In a press release issued Monday on the Labour Force quarterly survey during 7/4/2006 to 6/7/2006, representing the 2 ^nd quarter, PCBS revealed that the percentage of persons who don't work nevertheless seeking or not seeking job, decreased from 31.1% in the 1 ^stquarter 2006 to 28.6% in the 2 ^nd quarter 2006, compared with 20.2% in the 3 ^rd quarter 2000.... The results showed that unemployment rate in the West Bank (WB) decreased from 21.4% in the 1 ^st quarter 2006 to 18.0% in the 2 ^nd quarter 2006, while in Gaza Strip (GS) it decreased from 34.1% in the 1 ^st quarter 2006 to 34.0% in the 2 ^nd quarter 2006, despite of that unemployment rate in GS still high, PCBS said.... PCBS pointed out that Tulkarem governorate registered the highest percentage of unemployment rate among the West Bank governorate which reached 26.6% followed by Hebron and Salfeet governorates 23.9% and 22.2% respectively, while in GS, Gaza North governorate registered the highest percentage of unemployment rate (38.8%) followed by Gaza City (34.4%).... It stated that the results showed that the highest percentage of unemployment concentrated among the youth, the highest percentage registered for the age group 20-24 it reached 34.1% ,26.5% in the WB compared with 49.8% in Gaza Strip, followed by 15-19 age group it reached 32.2%, thereof 26.2% in the West Bank and 47.2% in GS, then 25-29 group, it reached 25.7%, 21.8% in the WBcompared with 34.0% in GS.... PCBS added that the results showed a high increase in the number of employed persons between the 1 ^st quarter and 2^nd quarter 2006, the number of employed persons reached 662 thousand compared with 621 thousand in the 1 ^st quarter 2006 (the number in Gaza Strip increased by 4 thousands, whereas in the WB increased by 37 thousands, also the results showed an increase of employed women from 100 thousands to 116 thousands between the 1 ^st quarter and 2 ^nd quarter 2006.... PCBS concluded that the percentage of employees whose monthly wages below poverty line3 decreased from 50.4% in the 1 ^st quarter 2006 to 51.1% in the 2 ^nd quarter 2006 the change rate is 1.4%), while it reached 43.5% in the 3rd quarter 2000 .... M.H. (12:58 P) (09:58 GMT)