Campo unemployment rises for third month, to 24,000 people

October’s unemployment figures for the Campo de Gibraltar showed numbers rising for a third month, an additional 196 people out of work bringing the total to 24,039. 

The statistics show a pattern where the wider services sector, in fields such as hospitality and retail, accounted for the largest proportion of unemployment, with women and people aged over 45 particularly affected. 

This characteristic was recorded across all eight municipalities, with only La Línea and Jimena de la Frontera registering a fall in unemployment due to other factors. 

Algeciras, the most populous municipality in the Campo area, saw the largest increase with an additional 82 people out of work in October. 

It also recorded the highest number of unemployed, at 11,325, of which 7,638 had previously worked in the services sector. 

More than 7,000 of those unemployed in this city were women, while more than 5,900 were aged over 45. 

La Línea, the second most populous municipality and the second highest figures for joblessness, reported 7,359 people out of work, of which 4,713 were previously employed in services. 

In terms of age and gender, the 3,828 people over 45 years of age outnumbered the 3,031 under-45s, and 4,473 of the 7,359 were women. 

San Roque recorded 2,648 unemployed people, including 1,718 who had previously worked in the service sector. Women accounted for 1,646 of the total, while 1,419 unemployed were aged over 45. 

In Los Barrios, unemployment stood at 1,843. Of these, 1,246 were women and 1,032 were over 45. The service sector was again the largest source of unemployment, accounting for 1,363 people. 

Jimena de la Frontera recorded fewer than 500 unemployed people, with 345 coming from the service sector. Castellar registered 210 people out of work, while Tesorillo recorded 160.