Morocco's jobless rate stood at 11.1 percent in the second quarter, unchanged from its level a year ago, as jobs lost to drought in the countryside were largely offset by job creation in the cities, official data showed on Tuesday.
But the total number of unemployed stood at 1.239 million in June 2005, up 1.6 percent from its level a year earlier, the data released by the Planning High Commission showed.
The $50-billion economy was hit hard this year by drought which slashed both agricultural output and projected economic growth for this year by more than half.
The commission said 50,000 jobs were lost in rural areas between June 2005 and June 2004 because of drought. Agriculture employs 40 percent of the country's workforce, estimated by the commission at 11.16 million.
Over the 12 months up to June 2005, 148,000 new jobs were created including 198,000 jobs in cities, the commission said, adding that the extra jobs did not benefit jobless graduates, women, and those aged between 15-24.
Economists say Morocco needs a sustained 6.0 percent economic growth to absorb some 180,000-200,000 who enter the job market each year. Economic growth, under the mercy of weather vagaries, is expected to reach 1.8 percent this year.
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