RIGA, Mar 9 (LETA) - At the end of February this year, the registered unemployment rate in Latvia reached 8.2 percent of the economically active population, which is a rise of 0.2 percentage points from January, according to the State Employment Agency.

At the end of February 2021, there were 74,494 people registered with the State Employment Agency as jobless, which is 1,882 people more than a month ago when the jobless register included 72,612 people.

At the end of February, the lowest registered unemployment rate was still in Riga region - 6.1 percent, which is 0.1 percentage point more than a month earlier, but the highest registered unemployment rate remained in Latgale region - 16.5 percent, showing the fastest growth among regions during the month - by 0.5 percentage points.

The unemployment rate registered in Zemgale increased by 0.2 percentage points in February, reaching 8 percent of the economically active population at the end of the month, the unemployment rate registered in Vidzeme increased by 0.3 percentage points, reaching 8.3 percent at the end of the month, and the unemployment rate registered in Kurzeme increased by 0.4 percentage points, accounting for 9 percent of the economically active population at the end of the month.

In Riga, registered unemployment remained unchanged, at 5.9 percent of the capital city's working-age population.

At the end of January 2021, Latvia's registered unemployment stood at 8 percent. 

At the end of 2020, the registered unemployment rate in Latvia was 7.7 percent of the economically active population. Last year, the highest unemployment rate in Latvia was 8.6 percent, recorded at the end of June and July.