In one year the number of people without work in Menorca has doubled. New figures produced by la Caixa's economic report show the percentage of people unemployed in the whole population, rather than as a percentage of the working population. This way of showing the trend is an innovation.
Worst hit area is Maó, where six out of every hundred inhabitants are out of work. This represents a 66% increase on the figure for 2008. A similar increase has taken place in Es Castell.
Compared to ten years ago the picture is indeed a bleak one. In 1999 only 0.6% of the population were without work.
The la Caixa report divides the population into three age groups: 16-24 years; 25-49 years; and those over 50 below the age of 66. Not surprisingly, the age group that is worst affected by the economic situation's impact on the job market is the youngest sector. In Maó some 10% of this group is without work. A most worrying situation given the social impact such inactivity can have.
The most experienced sector of the population, the over 50s, is the one in which the economic downturn has had the least direct impact. In this age group the worst situation is found in Es Castell, where unemployment is at 4.1% in this older sector.
With the exception of Es Mercadal, unemployment is less prevalent amongst females.