In 2012, the average number of persons in employment whose place of residence is in Germany amounted to approximately 41.5 million, up by 1% or 416,000 persons compared to 2011.
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office on the basis of the first preliminary calculations, the number of persons in employment reached a new record level for the sixth year in a row. Employment rose less strongly in 2012 compared with 2011, in which the number of persons in employment had increased by 550,000 or 1.4%.
According to provisional estimates, on an annual average in 2012 the number of unemployed people in Germany decreased by 162,000 to 2.34 million on a year earlier. The unemployment rate was down from 5.7% in 2011 to 5.3% in 2012.
Source:
http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/Macroeconomic_indicators_Germany_unemployment_rate_declines_in_2012/297054.html