The last time a similar unemployment rate was registered was August 2005, when it was 16.8 per cent.
The rate registered last month represented the continuation of a trend which began early this year as it fell down from 18.4 per cent in January to 18.3 per cent in February, to 18.1 per cent in March and to 17.6 per cent in April.
According to the Employment Bureau, 287,283 persons were registered as unemployed in late May, down five per cent from April this year and down 6.8 per cent from May 2005.