The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) has announced a decrease in the unemployment rate to 7% during the second quarter (2Q) of 2023, compared to 7.1% in 1Q 2023.
The workforce amounted to 30.969 million individuals during 2Q 2023, with an increase of 1.3% compared to 30.571 million individuals in 1Q. The workforce in urban areas reached 13.375 million individuals, while it reached 17.594 million individuals in rural areas. The male workforce reached 25.514 million individuals, while the female workforce reached 5.455 million individuals.
The agency stated that the number of unemployed was 2.169 million, which is 7% of the total workforce, including 1.228 million males and 941 thousand females, compared to 2.171 million unemployed, a decrease of two thousand unemployed by 0.1%, and an increase of 18 thousand unemployed by 0.8%.
According to the agency, the unemployment rate among males was 4.8% of the total males in the workforce during 2Q 2023, compared to 4.5% in 1Q and 5.0% in 2Q 2022. The unemployment rate among females was 17.3% of the total females in the workforce during 2Q 2023, compared to 19.2% in 1Q and 17.5% in 2Q 2022.
The agency pointed out that the percentage of unemployed in the age group between 15 and 29 years old reached 61.8% of the total unemployed. The unemployment rate in urban areas reached 10.1% compared to 4.6% in rural areas, and the percentage of unemployed holders of intermediate, higher intermediate, university, and postgraduate degrees reached 84.1%.
On the other hand, the number of employed individuals reached 28.800 million individuals during 2Q 2023, compared to 28.400 million individuals in 1Q, with an increase of 1.4%. The number of employed individuals in urban areas reached 12.021 million individuals, while it reached 16.779 million individuals in rural areas.
According to the agency, agriculture and fishing activities had the largest percentage of employed individuals, with 5.409 million individuals, including 4.494 million males and 915 thousand females, representing 18.8% of the total employed individuals. The number of employed individuals in wholesale and retail trade activities reached 4.207 million individuals, including 3.541 million males and 666,000 females, representing 14.6% of the total employed individuals.
The number of employed individuals in the construction activity reached 4.054 million individuals, including 4.027 million males and 27,000 females, representing 14.1% of the total employed individuals. The number of employed individuals in the manufacturing industries reached 3.735 million individuals, including 3.401 million males and 334,000 females, representing 13.0% of the total employed individuals. The number of employed individuals in the transportation and storage activity reached 2.681 million individuals, including 2.637 million males and 44 thousand females, representing 9.3% of the total employed individuals.
