RAMALLAH, April 30, 2007, (WAFA)-Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Monday that the percentage of unemployed among the persons participating in the labour force in 2006 was 23.6% (18.6% in the West Bank(WB) and 34.8% in Gaza Strip(GS).

In a press release on the occasion of May 1 International Workers' Day, PCBS revealed that the participation rate reached in 2006 in the West Bank was 44.1%, compared with 36.1% in the Gaza Strip. Female participation rate in the Palestinian Territory is considered very low compared with males, at 14.5% (17.9% in the West Bank and 8.1% in Gaza Strip), compared with 67.7% for males (69,8% in the West Bank and 63.7% in Gaza Strip). The number of participants in the labour force is estimated to be about 872 thousands (605 thousands in the West Bank and 267 thousands in Gaza Strip.

"The unemployment rate among females reached 20.5% compared with 24.2% among men. The number of unemployed persons is estimated about 206 thousands 113 thousands in the West Bank and 93 thousands in Gaza Strip," it said.

PCBS said that the unemployment rate in the Palestinian Territory is considered very high compared with other countries. For instance the unemployment rate in 2006 in Jordan reached 14.0% and 8.4% in Israel.

Hebron Governorate had the highest percentage of unemployment in the West Bank while Gaza North was the highest in Gaza Strip.

In 2006, Hebron governorate had the highest unemployment rate with 23.3%, followed by Jenin governorate with 23.2%. The lowest percentage of unemployment in the West Bank was in Jerusalem Governorate (13.2%) and Bethlehem Governorate (13,7)7% In the Gaza Strip, North Gaza governorate had the highest percentage of unemployed with 39.0%, then Khanyunis with 36.1%, while the lowest percentage of unemployed was in Dier Al-Balah 30.2 %

The number of employed persons is estimated about 666 thousands (males and females) in the Palestinian Territory in 2006 (492 thousands in the West Bank and 174 thousands in Gaza Strip). The number of employed females is estimated about 120,000 women (100,000 in the West Bank and 20,000 in Gaza Strip). The number of persons employed in Israel and Israeli settlements from the West Bank reached about 33,000 with Palestinian Identity cards and 31,000 with foreign and Israeli Identity cards, compared with less than one thousand from the Gaza Strip employed in Israel. In comparison, the number of employed persons in Israel on the eve of Al Aqsa Intifada (3rd quarter 2000) was 146 thousands (116 thousands from West Bank and 30,000 from Gaza Strip.

The percentage of wage employees reached 59.3% from total employment (55.7% in the West Bank and 69.0% in Gaza Strip), down from 67.6% at the eve of Intifada (66.2% in the West Bank and 71.0% in Gaza Strip). The percentage of self employed increased from 18.1% in the 3rd quarter 2000 to 25.0% in 2006.

The services sector (education, health, public administration ) is considered the main employing sector for the Palestinian labour force, the results showed that 38.3% of employed persons work in that sector: 53,9% of which are employed in Gaza Strip, 31.9% employed in West Bank excluding the Palestinian workers in Israel and colonies). The construction sector is considered the main sector for those working in Israel and the Settlements, with 39.1% in that sector. The trade and restaurants sector followed the services sector in the local market, employing 19.7% in the West Bank and 17.3% in Gaza Strip, followed by the agricultural sector with 19.2% in the West Bank and 11.1% in Gaza Strip.

PCBS indicated that the public sector plays the main role in hiring unemployed persons: about 43,000 persons are enrolled in the public sector, where the total employed persons are 158 thousands (85,000 in West Bank and 72,000 in Gaza Strip. In 2006, the public sector employed 23.7% of all employed persons in the Palestinian Territory, compared to 17.4% in the 3rd quarter 2000.

PCBS concluded that the average daily wage in 2006 reached 78.0 NIS for wage employees in the local sector in West Bank compared with 69.0 NIS in Gaza Strip and 132,0 NIS in Israel and colonies. The results showed that the average weekly work hours for employed persons in West Bank were 42.0 hour compared with 40.0 hour in Gaza Strip and 44.0 hour for those working in Israel and colonies.

M.H.(09:50 P)(06:50 GMT)