Cyprus recorded the third highest increase of unemployment in a year, according to figures published Friday by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.Compared with July 2011, in July 2012 the unemployment rate fell in ten Member States, increased in sixteen and remained stable in Slovenia.

The highest increases were registered in Greece (16.8% to 23.1% between May 2011 and May 2012), Spain (21.7% to 25.1%) and Cyprus (7.7% to 10.9%).

The largest falls were observed in Estonia (13.2% to 10.1% between the second quarters of 2011 and 2012), Lithuania (15.2% to 13.0%) and Latvia (17.0% to 15.9% between the second quarters of 2011 and 2012).

The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.3% in July 2012, stable compared with June. It was 10.1% in July 2011. The EU27 unemployment rate was 10.4% in July 2012, also stable compared with June. It was 9.6% in July 2011.

Eurostat estimates that 25.254 million men and women in the EU27, of whom 18.002 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in July 2012. Compared with June 2012, the number of persons unemployed increased by 43 000 in the EU27 and by 88 000 in the euro area. Compared with July 2011, unemployment rose by 2.104 million in the EU27 and by 2.051 million in the euro area.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.5%), the Netherlands (5.3%), Germany and Luxembourg (both 5.5%), and the highest in Spain (25.1%) and Greece (23.1% in May 2012).