The unemployment rate in Cyprus has fallen to 15.3% in January 2016, down from 15.7% in December last year, remaining however among the highest in the EU, lower only compared to Greece (24,6%), Spain (20,5%) and Croatia (16,4%), according to Eurostat figures, released on Tuesday.

That figure accounts for 64,000 unemployed  individuals, down from 66,000 last December, out of whom 11,000 were under 25 (in December) and at least 15,900 women (stable since December 2015).

At the same time the euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was recorded at 10.3% in January 2016, down from 10.4% in December 2015, and from 11.3% in January 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since August 2011.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 8.9% in January 2016, down from 9.0% in December 2015, and from 9.8% in January 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since May 2009.

Eurostat estimates that 21.789 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 16.647 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in January 2016. Compared with December 2015, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 163 000 in the EU28 and by 105 000 in the euro area.

Compared with January 2015, unemployment fell by 2.034 million in the EU28 and by 1.445 million in the euro area. Member States Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in January 2016 were recorded in Germany (4.3%), the Czech Republic (4.5%), Malta and the United Kingdom (both 5.1%, November data for the UK).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in January 2016 fell in 24 Member States, remained stable in Estonia and increased in Latvia (from 9.7% to 10.4%), Austria (from 5.5% to 5.9%) and Finland (from 9.1% to 9.4%).

The largest decreases were registered in Spain (from 23.4% to 20.5%), Slovakia (from 12.3% to 10.3%), Ireland (from 10.1% to 8.6%) and Portugal (from 13.7% to 12.2%). In January 2016, the unemployment rate in the United States was 4.9%, down from 5.0% in December 2015 and from 5.7% in January 2015.

In January 2016, 4.434 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.037 million were in the euro area. Compared with January 2015, youth unemployment decreased by 408 000 in the EU28 and by 217 000 in the euro area.

In January 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 19.7% in the EU28 and 22.0% in the euro area, compared with 21.0% and 22.8% respectively in January 2015. In January 2016, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.1%), the Czech Republic (11.0%), Denmark (11.1%) and the Netherlands (11.2%) and the highest in Greece (48.0% in November 2015), Spain (45.0%), Croatia (44.1% in the fourth quarter 2015) and Italy (39.3%).