Greek unemployment up at 21.7 percent in February

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's unemployment rate rose to 21.7 percent in February, after 336,500 people lost their jobs in the past year in the crisis-hit country.

The Greek Statistical Authority said Thursday that nearly 1.171 million people were out of work during the month.

The jobless rate a year ago was 15.2 percent.

Greece is suffering a fifth year of recession, largely due to harsh austerity measures demanded in return for international bailout loans required to avoid default.