MADRID, July 4 - Spain's registered jobless rate fell to 8.65 percent in June from 8.76 percent in May, hitting its lowest level since December 1979, the Labour Ministry said on Wednesday,.
The total number of unemployed dropped to 1.46 million from 1.48 million the previous month, a 21-year low.
The figures are based on those signing on as unemployed at Labour Ministry offices.
A quarterly unemployment survey by the Economy Ministry counts people who say they are looking for work and gives a much higher jobless rate -- 13.43 percent in the first quarter. That figure is the one used in international comparisons.
Spain's quarterly jobless rate peaked at almost 25 percent in 1994 but since then has fallen steadily as rapid economic growth spurred job creation.
This year the government expects the economy to grow 3.2 percent after four years of roughly four percent growth. Some economists see growth in 2001 at less than 3 percent.