WELLINGTON, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in the December 2018 quarter, up from 4 percent last quarter, and the rate was lower for women than men for the first time in nearly nine years, the country's statistics department Stats NZ said on Thursday.

The rise in unemployment was largely contributed by more unemployed men, which was up by 8,000, and the number of unemployed women rose by 2,000, Stats NZ said, adding for men and women combined, there were 12,000 more unemployed youth between 15 and 24-year-olds.

The unemployment rate for men rose to 4.4 percent in the December quarter, while it was 4.2 percent for women, labor market and household statistics senior manager Jason Attewell said in a statement.

"This was the first time since June 2010 that this rate was lower for women than men," Attewell said.

The underutilization rate, which provides a broader gauge of untapped capacity in New Zealand's labor market, rose to 12.1 percent in the December 2018 quarter, up from 11.4 percent in the previous quarter, statistics showed.

This rise mainly reflected higher unemployment and underemployment and covered those who prefer to work more than they currently are.

In the latest quarter, growth in the working-age population, which was up 25,000, outstripped growth in the labor force, which resulted in a slight dip in the labor force participation rate to 70.9 percent, although it still remains high, Stats NZ said.

The employment rate fell to 67.8 percent, down from its peak of 68.2 percent in the September 2018 quarter, due to stronger growth in the working-age population than for employment, it said.