Macao's unemployed population in the second quarter of 2006 decreased 100 over the previous quarter, according to official statistics issued Monday.

 

The figures from the Statistics and Census Service showed that the number of jobless residents seeking their first job was around 1,000, or 9.6 percent of the unemployed population in the second quarter.

 

Macao's total labor force was estimated at 274,000 in the period, the figures showed.

 

The special administrative region has a population of nearly 500,000.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)