Record fall in Spanish unemployment during 2015

SPAIN’S economic recovery brought a historic drop in unemployment numbers last year, new figures show.

Jobless numbers fell by 678,200 with 525,100 new jobs created, according to data released by Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA).

By the end of 2015, 18,094,200 people were working, the highest figure since the fourth quarter of 2011, with 4,779,500 people unemployed, the lowest figure since the end of 2010.

Unemployment is now at 20.9%, almost three per cent less than in 2014 when the figure stood at 23.7%.

Andalucia saw the biggest leap among Spain’s regions with 137,500 new jobs created, followed by Madrid where 56,700 more people found work.

The service industry created 421,500 jobs with 50,800 positions being added in agriculture and 28,100 in construction.