According to 2008 estimates, the number of officially unemployed has reached 268 thousand in Kyrgyzstan, press service of the Kyrgyz State Committee on Migration and Employment informed the news agency "24.kg".
It states that the number of the monthly registered unemployed citizens has hit in average 5.6 thousand people in 2008. "The total level of unemployment reached 11.07 percent, i.e. 0.43 percent lower than in 2007. As of January 1, 2009 the number of unemployed registered in the employment services, has hit 102.2 thousand people. The number of officially registered unemployed decreased by 6 percent and made 67.2 thousand people by the end of 2008. Out of them 6.3 thousand are in Bishkek city, 18.7 thousand in Jalal-Abad oblast, 4.9 thousand - in Issyk-Kul oblast, 6.9 thousand - in Naryn oblast, 13.7 - in Osh oblast, 5.5 thousand - in Batken, 2.1 thousand - in Talas, 7.1 thousand - in Chui and 2 thousand are in Osh city," the statement says.
The press service says that the level of registered unemployed women in the republic is more than 50 percent or 33.6 thousand people. "One of the main sources of the market labor reinforcement has remained to be youth, that hasn't been able to find job after graduation. The level of youth has increased to 59.8 percent in 2008," the press service added.