Algerian unemployment rate down

The unemployment rate in Algeria went down 15.3% in 2005 compared to 17.7% in 2004 and 23.7% in 2003, the National Statistics Office (ONS) has announced. According to the official statistics, the unemployed population reached about 1.47 million persons –out of a working population of 9.66 million persons, i.e. about 200,000 less unemployed compared with 2004, the same source stressed.  

However, according to unofficial estimates the unemployment rate in Algeria is well over 20%.