Russia's Unemployment Rate Drops

According to the information of the Russian ministry of economic development and trade, the number of the country's unemployed dropped by almost 2 million people, the ministry's press service reported on Wednesday.

The drop in the rate accompanied Russia's gradual economic uplift in 2000-2002.

In 1999, according to expert estimates, the country had 9.3 million of unemployed, or 13% of economically active population. In 2000, the figure dropped to 7.5 million, or 10.5% of the economically active population. In 2002, it totaled 5.7 million, or 8%.

Beginning with 2000, the annual growth in the numbers of workers employed in branches of economy amounted to 400,000 people.