The Monthly Employment Survey showed decrease of the unemployment rate in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (1.0%), in comparison with the result in November 2006. There was stability in relation to December 2005.The average real income usually earned (R$ 1,270,80) increased by 3.2% in comparison with November and was stable in relation to the figure of December 2005.

In December 2006, the estimated unemployment rate in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro was 5.9%, showing stability in relation to December 2005 and fall of 1.0 percentage points in comparison with November 2006. Between 2004 and 2006, the overall unemployment rate and the unemployment rate by sex (see chart below) decreased, especially among women.

EMPLOYED POPULATION (PO)

There were 2,778 million employed persons in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro in December 2006, which is a sign of stability in relation both to the previous month and to December 2005.

In comparison with results in November 2006, only the group Domestic services had significant increase of the overall number of employed persons (10.3%). There were not significant changes in the other segments, in relation to figures in November 2006 or December 2005.

Among the unemployed, 55.0% were men; 61.1% were 11 years of age or over; 73.9% had been in the same position for 2 or more years; 53.8% worked for enterprises with 11 or more persons. In terms of age, 1.8% were between 10 and 17 years of age; 12.9% were between 18 and 24 years of age; 61.9% were between 25 and 49 years of age, and 24.2% were 50 years of age or over.

Considering position in the occupation, there were not statistically-relevant changes in either period analyzed. The distribution of the employed population by type of participation in the in the labor market, in relation to December 2004 2005 and 2006, can be seen in the following chart:

AVERAGE REAL INCOME¹

In December 2006, the average real monthly income usually earned by the employed population (R$ 1,270,80) increased by 3.2% in relation to November, and was stable in comparison with the figure of December 2005.

The increase in relation to November resulted from the gains in the average income of workers - with and without a formal employment contract - in the private sector, and of own-account workers (3.2%, 6.3% and 1.5%, respectively). In the year, the income of all the types of occupation surveyed has decreased.

The following chart shows income by position in the activity, and by group of activity in December, in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS (PD)

The number of unemployed persons, estimated to be 174 thousand, remained stable in relation to December 2005, and decreased by 13.2% in relation to November 2006.

Among the unemployed persons, 54.5% were women, 57.6% had 11 or more years of schooling, 79.4% had had a previous job, and 21.7% were head of the household. By age group, the unemployed population was distributed as follows: from 15 to 17 years of age ,4.3%; from 18 to 24 years of age, 40.9%; from 25 to 49 years of age, 47.1%, and 50 years of age or over, 7.7%.

 ¹Average real income usually earned. For the calculation of the real income the deflator used for each area is the Consumer Price Index of the metropolitan area, which is produced by IBGE. For the income of the group of six metropolitan areas included in the survey, the deflator is the weighing average of the price indexes of these areas. For the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, the Consumer Price Index of the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro was used. The weighing variable is the resident population in the urban area of the metropolitan area.