A report released by the General Department of Statistics and Information, a division of the Ministry of Planning and Economy, showed that unemployment has increased to 10.5 percent. The total workforce in the Kingdom is estimated at 2.86 million workers. The number of unemployed citizens had risen by 32,197 from September 2008 to August 2009. This brought the total number of unemployed citizens in the Kingdom to 444,847 women and men. The statistics show that bachelor degree holders represent the majority of unemployed citizens at 44 percent. Coming in second at 39.9 percent are secondary school graduates. Women degree holders represent the highest rate of unemployed citizens, at 78.3 percent. Holders of diplomas represent 12.3 percent of unemployed citizens. Citizens between 20 to 24 years of age represent the highest rate of unemployment at 43.2 percent. Second on the list are women who are in the 25 to 29-year age category. This group occupies the first position among unemployed women, at 45.9 percent. The statistics show that 92.4 percent of males and 93.8 percent of among women are literate.
