1990 POPULATION CENSUS Detailed data based on a 2 per cent representative sample (1992)

I. REVIEW OF THE DATA - A/ Main characteristics of the population

cohorts born in the first half of the 1950s, at the time of the demographic wave. Within the economically active population the proportion of the 40-59 year old males and of the 40-54 year old females increased, but their number decreased in the 1980s, especially in consequence of retirement permitted before the pensionable age and, respectively, on account of disability. The number of persons who were economically active over pensionable age already declined significantly in the 1970s too. In 1990, it represented only a fraction, scarcely more than one quarter of the 1980 figure. Namely, in the case they wanted to take a job, persons over pensionable age had a growing inclination to pursue some gainful activity while receiving pensions. 20. Active earners by major age-groups Age-group Number (1000 persons) Percentage Index:1990 1980=100,0 (year) 1970 1980 1990 1970 1980 1990 Index:1990 1980=100,0 14-29 30-39 males aged 40-59, females aged 40-54 males aged 60-X, females aged 55-X 1671 1654 1191 33.5 32.6 26.7 72.0 1160 1337 1405 23.2 26.4 31.5 105.1 1763 1918 1829 35.3 37.8 40.9 95.4 395 160 42 7.9 3.2 0.9 26.4 Total 4989 5069 4467 100.0 100.0 100.0 88.1 Examining the rate of economic activity by detailed age-groups we find a continuous decline in the activity rate in the group aged 15-19 years and partly in the group of 20-24 year old persons. In the 1970s, this was mainly related to the increasing proportion of those continuing their studies in secondary and third-level schools, in the 1980s, however, — especially in the last third of the decade — more and more to the problems of finding employment. This is proved by the fact that in the beginning of the 1990s the proportion of the unemployed was over the average level in these age-groups. (7 per cent of the non-learning 15-19 year old and 3 per cent of the 20-24 year old were unemployed, they were mostly young people seeking employment for the first time.) A more significant change in the rate of economic activity can be observed, besides those under 25 years, among those approaching and, respectively, over pensionable age. The decrease in the proportion of the 55-59 year old economically active males having been observed for a longer period indicates the effect of retirements permitted before the pensionable age and, respectively, on account of disability. The great regress in the case of the 60-64 year old males as well as of the 55-64 year old females is the result of the process described above in broad lines in connection with persons of pensionable age. In the age groups over 65 years the role of economically active persons can practically be neglected. 21. The level of employment of the population aged 15 years and over, by age-group and sex Active earners both sexes male female both sexes (year) in percentage of the respective age group and sex 1970 1980 1990 1970 1980 1990 1970 1980 1990 15-19 47.4 43.0 33.0 45.8 45.5 34.7 49.1 40.4 31.4 20-24 79.0 76.2 72.9 91.5 91.9 85.7 66.2 59.9 59.1 25-29 82.0 84.2 78.0 98.5 98.2 93.9 65.3 69.8 62.2 30-39 83.8 90.5 87.8 98.3 98.1 94.4 69.9 83.0 81.4 40-54 79.1 83.4 83.5 95.3 91.6 88.0 64.3 75.8 79.3 55-59 54.8 43.3 30.9 84.4 72.2 61.0 29.2 18.8 5.6 60-64 29.3 10.7 2.6 43.7 13.2 3.8 17.1 8.7 1.6 65-X 10.3 3.5 0.7 16.7 3.9 1.1 5.8 3.2 0.4 18