Unemployment in Spain passes six-million mark for the first time

Spain's unemployment rate soared to a new record of 27.2% of the workforce in the first quarter of 2013, according to official figures.

The National Statistics Institute’s Active Population Survey (EPA) reported on 25 April 2013 that for the period January-March 2013, the number of people out of work rose by 237,400 from the previous three months to 6.202 million as the unemployment rate jumped from 26.02 percent to 27.16 percent, the highest level since the current series began to be compiled in 1976, just after the death of dictator Francisco Franco

• Primary Source

Spain: Instituto Nacional de Estasidistica (INE) http://www.ine.es/welcoing.htm

Spain: Ministry of Labour and Immigration http://www.empleo.gob.es/en/index.htm

ESO: Background Information: This year will be even worse for the Spanish economy, IMF says http://www.europeansources.info/record/this-year-will-be-even-worse-for-the-spanish-economy-imf-says/

BBC News, 25.04.13: Spain unemployment hits record high http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22290422

ESO: Background information: Spain poised to ease austerity push http://www.europeansources.info/record/spain-poised-to-ease-austerity-push/

BBC News, 26.04.13: Spain revises down its economic forecast http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22305953

France 24, 25.04.13: Spain jobless rate hits record 27.2% http://www.france24.com/en/20130425-spain-unemployment-rate-new-record

BBC News, 30.04.13: Spain's economy contracts for seventh consecutive quarter http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22349004

The Guardian, 07.03.13: Spain hasn't seen unemployment this bad since Franco http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/07/spain-unemployment-bad-franco

Deutsche Welle, 01.04.13: Unemployed youth turn their backs on Spain http://www.dw.de/unemployed-youth-turn-their-backs-on-spain/a-16703572

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