Record Unemployment Figures Spell Doom For Europe

Worldcrunch

PARIS - On Friday, the European statistics agency Eurostat, released new European Union and euro zone unemployment figures from January, showing record highs.

Here is a breakdown of the alarming numbers:

- More than 26 million people unemployed in the 27-member European Union.

- Almost 19 million unemployed in the 17-country euro zone.

- Euro zone average: 11.9% unemployment

- European Union average: 10.8% unemployment

- Highest rates:

Greece: 27%

Spain 26.2%

Portugal: 17.6%

- Lowest rates:

Austria: 4.9%

Germany and Luxemburg: 5.3%

- The U.S.: 7.9% unemployment in Jan. 2013.

- Australia: 5.4%

- Japan: 4.2%

Not surprisingly, youth unemployment was also up:

- Euro zone youth unemployment: 24.2%, up from 21.9 in Jan. 2012.

- European Union under-25 unemployment: 23.6%, up from 22.4% in Jan. 2012.

The worst European countries for youths:

- Greece: 59.4% youth unemployment rate.

- Spain: 55.5% youth unemployment rate.

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Photo of a family of Migrants from Venezuela crossing the Rio Grande between Mexico and the U.S. to surrender to the border patrol with the intention of requesting humanitarian asylum

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David Peinado via Zuma Press

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Migration has too many elements to count. Beyond the matter of leaving your homeland, the process creates a gaping emptiness inside the migrant — and outside, in their lives. If forced upon someone, it can cause psychological and anthropological harm, as it involves the destruction of roots. That's in fact the case of millions of Venezuelans who have left their country without plans for the future or pleasurable intentions.

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