Hawaii statewide unemployment jumped to 5.5 percent in December — the highest in a decade — as an economic downturn took its toll on jobs.

December's 5.5 percent is the highest since June 1999, when unemployment hit 5.8 percent.

Still, Hawaii was doing better than most of the nation. The national unemployment rate last month was 7.2 percent, up from 6.8 percent in November.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported the rise of Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment from November to December was ninth highest in the country.

It said the number of jobs here also shrunk compared to a month earlier.

Hawaii unemployment has been rising as the state's economy sinks into a recession, though its rate remains lower than the national average of 7.2 percent. The seasonally adjusted U.S. unemployment December rate rose from 6.8 percent in November.

Hawaii had the 14th lowest rate in the country. Wyoming was lowest at 3.4 percent. The highest was in Michigan at 10.6 percent.