ATHENS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Greece's unemployment rate dropped to 18.9 percent in August 2018, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) figures released on Thursday.

In July, the unemployment rate was recorded at 19.1 percent, while in August last year it was 20.8 percent.

Data from the country's statistics service showed the number of the unemployed among young people aged up to 24 years old fell to 36.8 percent from 40.4 percent in the same month in 2017.

According to ELSTAT, the workforce in Greece grew by 85,997 persons in August this year compared to August 2017 and by 25,249 compared to July 2018.

The number of unemployed people decreased by 95,760 in August 2018 compared to last August and by 7,886 compared to July 2018.

During the bail out programs of the last eight years, Greece suffered from high rates of unemployment which hit a record high of 27.9 percent in September 2013.