RAMALLAH, May 13, 2007, (WAFA)- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Sunday that the Labour Force by 5.2% between 4th quarter 2006 and 1st quarter 2007 to reached 192,000 Unemployed Persons.

In a press release, to WAFA, on on Labour Force Survey Results the PCBS reported that The percentage of persons who don't work nevertheless seeking or not seeking job, decreased from 28.4% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 27.9% in the 1st quarter 2007, compared with 20.2% in the 3rd quarter 2000.

This report, depends on the ILO standards, is based on the Labour Force quarterly Survey. Data was collected during 7/1/2007 to 5/4/2007, representing the 1st quarter 2007, PCBS said.

The results showed that unemployment rate in the West Bank increased from 16.2% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 17.3% in the 1st quarter 2007, while it noticeably decreased in Gaza Strip from 34.8% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 30.4% in the 1st quarter 2007, despite of that unemployment rate in Gaza Strip still high.

North governorates registered the highest unemployment rate among the West Bank governorates.

The results showed that the highest percentage of unemployment concentrated among the youth at different stages, the highest percentage registered for the age group 20-24 it reached 35.0%, (thereof 26.8% in the West Bank and 48.1% in Gaza Strip).

The survey showed that the lowest percentage of unemployment concentrated among females who not complete any years of schooling it reached 2.7%. Whereas the percentage reached 30.6% for those whom finished 13 years of schooling and above.

Regarding the employed persons, the results showed a decrease in the number of employed persons between the 4th quarter 2006 and 1st quarter 2007, the number of employed persons reached 698 thousand compared with 718 thousand in the 4th quarter 2006 (the number in the West Bank decreased by 36 thousands, while it increased in Gaza Strip by 17 thousands, also the results showed an decreased of employed women from 156 thousands to 132 thousands between the 4th quarter 2006 and 1st quarter 2007.

The number of employed persons at agriculture sector between the 4th quarter 2006 and 1st quarter 2007 decreased about 53 thousand worker.

On the other hand, the results in the West Bank showed an increase of the percentage of wage employees, it increased from 53.7% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 59.0% in the 1st quarter 2007, and a sharp decrease in the percentage of unpaid family members (from 17.4% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 10.7% in the 1st quarter 2007), Also in Gaza Strip the percentage of wage employees decreased from 67.3% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 65.8% in the 1st quarter 2007, while the percentage of unpaid family members increased from 9.9% to 10.2% in the 1st quarter 2007.

The employment from the West Bank in Israel and Israeli settlements increased from 12.8% in the 4th quarter 2006 to 13.8% in the 1st quarter 2007, whereas in Gaza Strip there was no access the workers to enter Israeli settlements.

The results showed that the public sector employed 22.9% of total employment, 16.5% in the West Bank and 38.7% in Gaza Strip.

As for dependency ratio and poverty, the economic dependency ratio2 increased in the Palestinian Territory from 4.8 to 5.7 between the 3rd quarter 2000 and 1st quarter 2007 (the change rate is 18.8%).

It increased in the West Bank from 4.3 to 5.0 (the increase rate is 16.3%), and increased sharply in Gaza Strip from 5.9 to 7.3 (the increase rate is 23.7%). The ratio in the West Bank and in Gaza Strip reached 4.6 and 7.9 in the 4th quarter 2006 respectively.

S. A.S. (12:10 P) (09:10 GMT)