Turkey's unemployment rate fell to 13.7 percent in the February to April period, continuing steady improvement as the economic recovery strengthens.

A recession drove unemployment to 15.8 percent in the same period last year, but Turkey's economy is now recovering with the government last week revising up its economic growth estimates to 6-7 percent for this year.

The unemployment rate, which is measured on a three-month average, was 14.4 percent in the January-March period, the Turkish Statistics Institute said.

Turkey's workforce which swells annually due to a large young population grew to 25.179 million in the February-April period from 23.924 million a year earlier. The number out of work fell to 3.438 million from 3.776 million the previous year.

Non-farm unemployment fell 16.7 percent from 18.9 percent a year earlier.

Youth unemployment fell to 24.6 percent from 27.5 percent the previous year.