In August 2011, the jobless rate was 7.5%.
An estimated 692,000 people were unemployed and looking for work in August, down from 694,000 a month earlier. Male jobless rate was 7.5%, while female unemployment reached 6.4%.
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 5.8% in August, the data showed. The latter category made up for 74.9% of the total jobless people in August.