Russian unemployment levels still widely divergent by region - Rosstat
MOSCOW. July 22 (Interfax) - The unemployment level in Russia's federal regions continues to vary widely, by almost as much as four-fold, and the divergence between regions tops 30-fold, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said in report for last month.
The lowest June unemployment level by MOT criteria was, as is typical, in the Central Federal District - 3.4% (2.8% in June 2012). The highest, also as usual, was in the Northern Caucasus Federal District - 12.7% (12.0% a year earlier).
In the North-West Federal District, the unemployment level last month was 4.2% (3.8% in June 2012), in the Volga Federal District 4.8% (5.4%), in the Urals Federal District 6.0% (5.3%), in the Far East Federal District 6.6% (6.9%), in the Southern Federal District also 6.6% (5.6%), and in the Siberian Federal District likewise 6.6% (7.1%).
Countrywide, the level of unemployment in Russia was 5.4% this past June, versus 5.2% the month before and 5.4% in June of last year.
Among Russia's regions, the highest unemployment levels in April-June were 44.9% in Ingushetia and 27.8% in Chechnya (average for three months to increase accuracy of data).
Double-digit employment was also posted in the Republics of Tuva (23.4%), Kalmykia (12.3%), Dagestan (11.7%), and Kabardino-Balkaria (10.8%), in Baikal Territory (10.7%), and in the Republic of Altai (10.3%).
The lowest unemployment in April-June was in St. Petersburg (1.4%), Moscow (1.5%), Moscow Region (2.7%), Magadan Region (2.9%), Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District (2.9%), and Lipetsk Region (3.3%).
