Unemployment | ISSUE

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5,2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece. On the banner reads "Sell Flats".

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5,2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 02: Afghan men and boys watch a monkey at the Kabul Zoo February 2, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men walk under Indian and Pakistani movie posters at a local movie theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghans shop in a bicycle and motorcycle market February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men walk under Indian and Pakistani movie posters at a local movie theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghans shop in a bicycle and motorcycle market February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan children spend time at the Kabul Zoo February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 percent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men and boys watch a monkey at the Kabul Zoo February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 percent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghans look at a monkey at the Kabul Zoo February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 percent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: A wall in the destroyed former Russian Cultural Center, a notorious drug den, in Kabul on February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. As poppy production in Afghanistan is still high, opium and heroin are cheap and easily available. As a result, drug addiction is quickly becoming a growing problem in Afghanistan with a United Nations survey recently showing over 900,000 people in Afghanistan are considered drug addicts. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men watch an afternoon Indian film at a theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover, February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: A wall in the destroyed former Russian Cultural Center, a notorious drug den, in Kabul on February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. As poppy production in Afghanistan is still high, opium and heroin are cheap and easily available. As a result, drug addiction is quickly becoming a growing problem in Afghanistan with a United Nations survey recently showing over 900,000 people in Afghanistan are considered drug addicts. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Children play soccer outside of the destroyed former Russian Cultural Center, a notorious drug den, in Kabul on February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. As poppy production in Afghanistan is still high, opium and heroin are cheap and easily available. As a result, drug addiction is quickly becoming a growing problem in Afghanistan with a United Nations survey recently showing over 900,000 people in Afghanistan are considered drug addicts. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men watch an afternoon film at a theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover, February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: A dog lays down in trash in the destroyed former Russian Cultural Center, a notorious drug den, in Kabul on February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. As poppy production in Afghanistan is still high, opium and heroin are cheap and easily available. As a result, drug addiction is quickly becoming a growing problem in Afghanistan with a United Nations survey recently showing over 900,000 people in Afghanistan are considered drug addicts. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: A room in the destroyed former Russian Cultural Center, a notorious drug den, in Kabul on February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. As poppy production in Afghanistan is still high, opium and heroin are cheap and easily available. As a result, drug addiction is quickly becoming a growing problem in Afghanistan with a United Nations survey recently showing over 900,000 people in Afghanistan are considered drug addicts. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.