Employment Increase in Ecuador in 2011

Quito, Jan 17. -Full employment in urban areas in Ecuador increased to 49.9 percent in 2011, which represents an increase over 2010, when 45.6 percent was recorded, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INEC).In urban centers there are 4.4 million people in the age range considered economically active, and around 2.2 million Ecuadorians have full employment or a steady job.

The underemployment account for 44.2 percent, also less than in 2010, which was 47.13.

The urban unemployment rate at the end of 2011 was 5.06 percent, also better than at the end of 2010, which was 6.11 percent of the Economically Active Population (EAP).

In Ecuador, 9.61 million people live in cities and the total population is of 14.48 million, according to the latest population census of 2010.

Guayaquil, the largest city, has 2.32 million inhabitants, of whom 1.19 million are economically active and 637,000 have full employment, for a rate of 53.4 percent compared to 39.6 underemployed and 5.92 unemployed.

Quito, Ecuador's capital, has 1.63 million inhabitants and boasts a full employment figure of 58.6 percent of its economically active population, which means that of 759,000 inhabitants of working age, 445,000 have a steady job.

According to an analysis of the National Secretary of Planning and Development (Senplades), in terms of income equality in Ecuador, the concentration of wealth in the richest 10 percent fell from 27.7 to 23.8 between 2006 and 2010. (Prensa Latina)