RAMALLAH, April 20, 2010 (WAFA)- Unemployment rate registered the highest in Qalqilia governorate among the West Bank Governorates, while Khan Younis Governorate registered the highest among Gaza Strip governorates, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Tuesday in a press release on Labor Force Survey 2009.
The results indicated that the labor force participation rate was 41.6% in 2009 compared with 41.3% in 2008. The males participation rate was 67.0% in 2009 compared with 66.8% in 2008, and for females it was 15.5% in 2009 compared with 15.2% in 2008.
The results revealed that unemployment rate in the Palestinian Territory 2009 was 24.5%, distributed as 24.1% for males and 26.4% for females.
Unemployment rate in the West Bank reached 17.8%; with 17.6% for males and 18.8% for females, whereas in Gaza Strip unemployment rate reached 38.6%; with 37.3% for males and 45.8% for females.
Results revealed that unemployment was concentrated among the youth aged 15-24 years at 38.9%; distributed as 37.2% for males and 46.9% for females.
The highest unemployment rate was found in Qalqiliya governorate (23.4%), followed by Hebron (22.5%), Tulkarem (21.8%), then Bethlehem (20.2%), while the lowest unemployment rate was in Jericho & AL Aghwar (8.0%).
The highest unemployment rate in Gaza Strip by governorate was in Khan Younis with 49.3%, followed by Rafah (38.4%), North Gaza (36.6%), then Deir Al-Balah (35.2%). While the lowest unemployment rate was in Gaza governorate with 34.4% .
Results revealed that 39.6% of employed persons are working in services, while 19.1% are working in commerce, hotels and restaurants. The results indicated that services are the main field of employment for females; about 61.8% of employed women work in services. Agriculture provides job opportunities to about 20.5% of females in the Palestinian Territory.
The result indicated that the percentage of employed persons in Israel and Israeli settlements was 10.2% in 2009 compared with 11.6% in 2008, the percentage of employed persons from the West Bank in Israel and Israeli settlements was 13.9% in 2009 compared with 15.6% in 2008, whereas in Gaza Strip there was no access for the workers to work in Israel or Israeli settlements since 2006.
The results indicated that the percentage of employed persons in the public sector in the Palestinian Territory was 25.2% in 2009 compared with 24.7% in 2008, the percentage in Gaza Strip was 48.1% in 2009 compared with 46.8% in 2008, While it was 17.0% in 2009 in the West Bank compared with 16.8% in 2008.
The nominal daily median net wage of employees worked in the West Bank was 76.9 NIS in 2009, while in Gaza Strip was 57.7 in 2009, for nominal daily median net wage for those working in Israel and Israeli settlements was NIS 150.0 in 2009.
