A New Record

Since we prepared to move to Spain we heard things about the unemployment rate in Spain.  However, today the top news story has caught our eyes and our ears and our hearts.  When you meet someone new, no longer do you ask where they work, because it is highly likely they don't have a job.

Today the statistics say that 27.2% of Spaniards are unemployed.  In the first quarter, more than 237,400 new people are unemployed.  That brings the total to a little more than 6.2 million people.  Let me put that in perspective for you.

The entire population of Tennessee would almost make up the number of unemployed in Spain.

The entire population of the Madrid province does not quite cover this number.

The entire population of Hong Kong is right at 6 million.
If you are in a group of four people, at least one is unemployed.







But the story gets worse - 3.5 million of those people have been unemployed for more than a year.

Almost 2 million families have no one employed in the household.


And for those who are under 25, the unemployment rate is 55.7%.  That is almost 3 million.

And don't forget - this does not take into account the underemployed.

Keep praying for Spain!  The days ahead for many Spaniards are not filled with hope.