Vietnam puts urban unemployment at 7.4 pct for 99
HANOI - Urban unemployment in
communist-ruled Vietnam is expected to reach 7.4 percent in
1999, compared to 6.85 percent in 1998, the government
General Statistics Office said on Wednesday.
``The number of people under-employed or without jobs is at a
high level, and is likely to further increase,'' the office said.
Unemployment figures for rural areas, where around 80 percent
of the country's 79 million people live, were not immediately
available.
Vietnam's economy has gradually slowed over the past three
years, and on-going restructuring of the country's cumbersome
state-owned sector has resulted in some job cuts.
According to the Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs
Ministry, Vietnam has a labour force of around 36.3 million
people.
Reuters - October 5, 1999.
|