As we can see in the Table 1 above, the employment rate31 increased from 66.8% of
the working-age population in 1998 to 69.0% in 2001, nearly reaching the Lisbon target
by 2010 (70%). From 2001 onwards, the employment rate started to decrease, reaching only 66.3% in 2009. Men’s employment rate continuously diminished since 2001,
amounting to 71.1% in 2009. Female employment rate, on the contrary, registers constant
rates of growth, and, since the year 2000, is above the aim set in Lisbon (60%),
reaching 61.6% in 2009.