LUSAKA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's unemployment rate slowed down during the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same period last year, its statistics agency said on Thursday.

The unemployment rate declined to 11.1 percent in the third quarter 2018 from 13.0 percent during the same period in 2017, according to the Central Statistical Office (CSO).

"This shows a 1.9 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate over the year," acting CSO Director Daniel Daka told reporters during a monthly briefing.

He further said the reduction in the unemployment rate was also observed in the male and female subpopulations with male unemployment reducing from 11.7 percent in the third quarter of 2017 to 10.6 percent in the third quarter of 2018 while female unemployment reduced from 15.2 percent to 12.0 percent.