Spanish unemployment falls below 20% for lowest figure in six years

The Spanish economy is showing further signs of recovery as the country's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in six years.

In the third quarter the jobless figures fell to 18.9%, with 4.3 million people out of work, according to Spain's national statistics agency.

The country emerged from a deep recession in 2013 after an economic downturn which was underpinned by a property crash and an unemployment peak of 26.1% in 2014.

After a 10-month period of deadlock in the country's government as two elections failed to produce a winning majority, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is set to form a minority government after the abstention of the ravaged Socialists.

The economy has been growing steadily in the last three years and is expected to reach 3.2% GDP growth this year.

There were 478,800 jobs created in Spain over the last year according to the INE, as the country benefited from several areas of good performance, including one of its stronger sectors, tourism.

The unemployment figure still remains one of the highest in Europe however, and growth is expected to stall to 2.3% in 2017.