The highest rate was seen in the department of Río Negro, with 14.9%, according to the latest report by the INE.
The coastal departments have the highest levels of unemployment in all the Uruguay, According to data released today by the National Statistics Institute (INE), a ranking that nobody wants to lead and in which they are first Río Negro, Artigas, Salto and Paysandú, with unemployment rates of 14.9%, 14.7%, 13.8% and 11.5% respectively.
In recent months, the increase in unemployment has occurred throughout the country, due to an increase in the number of people who turn to the job market, which is greater than own increase in employment. However, the situation on the coast is particular: it has been more than a year since the borders were fully opened with Argentina, after the pandemic, and the economy of the Uruguayan coast was exposed to commercial competition from the neighboring country.
Since Argentina has implemented an exchange rate, an informal dollar market began to be generated whose price is double the official dollar. This means that the products and services on the Argentine side of the Uruguay River are half price or less regarding the same products and services on the Uruguayan side.
This has particularly complicated trade in the mentioned coastal departments, not only in the sales of traditional items (warehouse and toilet), but also in the gastronomy, medical and cultural services. The aforementioned levels of unemployment are, on average, almost five points above the national average (8.7%).
The situation is different in Montevideo
Instead, Montevideo has an unemployment rate of 7.8%, but there are very different situations depending on the municipality in question. In the CH municipality, which includes high-income neighborhoods such as Punta Carretas, Pocitos and Diving, unemployment is barely 4.4%. In municipality E, which includes neighborhoods such as Malvin, Punta Gorda and Carrasco, also of high purchasing power, unemployment is in 5.2%
At the other extreme, municipality F, which includes neighborhoods such as Maroñas, Hippodrome Gardens, Manga, Villa Española and Villa García, unemployment reaches 11.1% and in the municipality D that includes Sayago, Colon, Lezica, Penarol and other neighborhoods, reaches the 11.6%. Meanwhile, in the west and northwest of Montevideo (municipalities A and G), unemployment is at 9.3 and 9.6% respectively.
Source: Ambito
