SHANGHAI, Jan. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The unemployment rate in Shanghai dropped in 2005, for the second time in the past decade, according to a working conference on labor and social security held here on Wednesday.

    Last year, the city created 651,000 jobs, 43,000 more than in 2004, and reported a registered unemployment rate of 4.4 percent, down by 0.1 percentage point.

    The number of unemployed people stood at 275,000 in 2005.

    Analysts attributed the lower rate to the city government's unremitting efforts to establish a dynamic long-term employment management system and to encourage mini businesses with small loans.

    This year, the city plans to create 500,000 jobs and will try to help needy households by providing a job for at least one person in the family. Enditem