CAIRO- Egypt's unemployment rate dropped to 8.1% in the first quarter of 2019 from 10.6% in same period the previous year, state statistics agency CAPMAS said on Wednesday.

The number of unemployed stood at 2.267 million out of a total workforce of 27.968 million, CAPMAS said.

Unemployment was 8.9% in the fourth quarter of 2018 and 9.9% over the full year in 2018, according to the government.

(Reporting by Ehab Farouk Writing by Aidan Lewis Editing by Catherine Evans) ((Aidan.Lewis@tr.com; +20-1001174410;))