The rate was 1.8 percentage points higher than in November 2011, Istat said, adding that unemployment was at its highest level since 2004, when the statistics office began publishing its data.

It was however slightly lower than the 11.2 percent rate forecast by economists.

"The cycle will continue to have an impact on employment prospects in 2013 and unemployment should reach a peak of 11.6 percent during the summer," analysts from the Intesa Sanpaolo bank said.

For young people aged 15-24, the unemployment rate was 37.1 percent in November, the highest figure since 1992.

The seasonally adjusted data showed the number of people looking for work was 2.870 million people in November, slightly down on October but 21.4 percent up on a 12-month comparison.