More than 1.1 million people under 35 unemployed in Italy

More than 1.1 million people under 35 unemployed in Italy

2011-08-25 08:51:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

ROME (BNO NEWS) -- More than 1 million people under the age of 35 are unemployed in Italy, according to a new report released by Confartigianato on Wednesday.

Confartigianato, which represents artisans and small businesses across Italy, said there are currently around 1,138,000 jobless people under the age of 35. The average youth unemployment rate across Italy is 15.9 percent, while in the south of the country the rate rises to 25.1 percent or 538,000 people.

The southern region of Sicily has the highest level of youth unemployment with a rate of 28 percent for those under 35, while the unemployment rate for young people aged 24 and under is 29.6 percent. The European average is 21 percent.

According to the report, regions in the north fared much better. The rate of unemployment in the northeast region of Alto Adige among those aged between 15 and 34 is 5.7 percent, while in Lombardy, the region surrounding Milan, youth unemployment is running at 9.3 percent.

Confartigianato represents 700,000 artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses in Italy.

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