The unemployment rate in the OECD area remained steady at 6.5% in February 2016, 1.6 percentage points below its peak value in January 2013.
Overall, 40 million people were unemployed in the OECD area, 8.8 million fewer than in January 2013, but still 7.5 million more than in April 2008, before the crisis.
In February 2016, the unemployment rate in the euro area decreased by 0.1 percentage points, to 10.3%.
The unemployment rate was stable in the United States (at 4.9%).
The unemployment rate for youth (ages 15-24) in the OECD area increased by 0.2 percentage points (to 13.2%) in February 2016, after following a downward trend since January 2013.
In France, the youth unemployment rate remained broadly stable.
