Unemployment Among EU Nations

Here is a list of countries in the EU and their current unemployment figures.

Spain's registered jobless leapt by 198,838 people in January, the biggest monthly rise on record, taking the total number of unemployed to 3.33 million, government data showed on Tuesday.

Spain has the highest rate of unemployment in the European Union, and the new data show how the global financial crisis continues to hurt the euro zone's fourth largest economy. In the fourth quarter, Spain's jobless rate rose to 13.9 percent or 3.2 million people.

Here is a list of countries in the EU and their current unemployment figures: * AUSTRIA:

-- The Austrian unemployment rate rose to 8.3 percent in Jan. 2009 from 7.8 percent in Dec. 2008, resulting in an increase in the actual number of unemployed to 301,500 from 287,100.

* BRITAIN:

-- The number of Britons claiming unemployment rose for an 11th consecutive month to 3.6 percent in Dec. 2008 from 3.3 percent in Nov. 2008 reflecting an increase in the number of unemployed to 1,157,200 from 1,079,300.

* CROATIA:

-- Croatia's unemployment rate rose to 13.7 percent in December from 13.2 in November which increased the actual number of unemployed to 240,455 from 233,661.

* CZECH REPUBLIC:

-- Unemployment rate rose to 6.0 percent in Dec. 2008, from 5.3 percent the previous month. The number of jobless stood at 352,250 in Dec. 2008 from 320,299 in Nov. 2008.

* DENMARK:

-- Denmark's unemployment rate rose to 2.1 percent in Dec. 2008 from 1.9 percent in Nov. 2008. The government said it expects unemployment to rise to 2.4 percent in 2009. Since Sept. 2008 unemployment rose by 24 percent or 11,200 people.

* FRANCE:

-- French unemployment rose by 45,800 in Dec. 2008. The European Commission expects the jobless rate in France to soar to 9.8 percent in 2009.

* GERMANY:

-- German unemployment rose by 56,000 in Jan. 2009 from 33,000 in December 2008, its third straight rise and biggest increase in nearly four years. The rise took the jobless rate to 7.8 percent in January from 7.7 percent in December.

* HUNGARY:

-- Hungary's three-month rolling unemployment rate rose to 7.8 percent in the Sept-Nov period from 7.7 percent in the Aug-Oct period which reflected an increase in the number of unemployed to 329,600 from 327,900.

* NETHERLANDS:

-- Dutch unemployment rose to 3.9 percent in the Oct-Dec period from 3.8 percent in the Sept-Nov period which resulted in an increase to 300,000 from 293,000.

* NORWAY:

-- Norwegian registered unemployment rate jumped to 2.6 percent in January from 2.0 percent in December resulting in an increase to 71,013 from 64,926. The government said it forecast unemployment to rise to 3.5 percent in 2009.

* ROMANIA:

-- Romania's unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in Dec. 2008 from 4.1 percent in Nov. 2008. The number of unemployed stood at 403,441 in Dec. 2008 from 376,971 in Nov. 2008. Romania said it is struggling with a shortage of workers mainly in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

* SLOVAKIA:

-- Slovakia's unemployment rate rose to 8.39 percent in December from 7.80 percent in November. The actual number of unemployed increased to 218,920 in Dec. 2008 from 203,430 in Nov. 2008.

* SPAIN:

-- The unemployment rate in Spain, which is the highest in the EU, rose to 13.9 percent or 3.2 million jobless in the fourth quarter. The number of people registered as jobless in Spain leapt 198,838 or 6.35 percent in January. Nearly 1.3 million workers lost their jobs during 2008.

* SWEDEN:

-- Sweden's jobless rate rose to 6.4 percent in Dec. 2008 from 6.2 percent in Nov. 2008. The number of unemployed rose to 309,000 in December from 304,000 in November.

SWITZERLAND:

-- The Swiss unemployment rate rose to 3.0 percent in Dec. 2008 from 2.7 percent in Nov. 2008, its highest in almost two years. The number of unemployed stood at 118,762 in Dec. 2008 from 107,652 in Nov. 2008.