Vienna, Sep 4 (IANS): The Austrian unemployment rate rose to 6.2 percent in August despite improvement in sectors such as industry, trade and tourism, the APA reported.

The total number of unemployed in August was 223,661, an increase of 13,414 people year-on-year, reported Xinhua.

Most effected were the long-term unemployed, their numbers increasing by 20 percent, while the number of unemployed people with a disability increased 16.7 percent, and for foreigners 13.2 percent.

Social Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer said despite the overall increase, the unemployment rate had slowed in August, and warned against overstating the job vacancy decline in Austria compared to its European Union neighbours.

"Economies are shrinking in neighbouring Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and many other EU states," he said.

"Growth has slowed for our main trading partner Germany and mass unemployment in the EU has grown year on year to 2.1 million," he added.