The June data was revised down from 7.6% previously estimated.
In July 2011, the jobless rate was 7.5%, the data showed.
An estimated 694,000 people were unemployed and looking for work in July, down from 727,000 a month earlier. Male jobless rate was 7.6%, while female unemployment reached 6.3%.
The figures refer to people aged between 15 and 74 and are based on the definition recommended by the International Labor Organization.
The unemployment rate for people aged 25-74 was 5.7% in July, the data showed. The latter category made up for 74.9% of the total jobless people in July.