The number of women in work has reached a 21-year high at the same time as unemployment in Scotland has fallen, new figures have revealed.
Official statistics showed there were 196,000 Scots out of work - including those not eligible for benefits - with the total down by 7,000 over the period August to October.
There was also a rise of 11,000 on the number of people in employment over the three months, with this now standing at 2,546,000 - 83,000 higher than the same period last year.
The number of women in employment has now reached 1,233,000, with the Scottish Government hailing this total as the highest since 1992.
The unemployment rate in Scotland continues to be lower than that for the UK as a whole, at 7.1% north of the border compared to 7.4%.
The employment rate is also higher in Scotland, at 72.6%, compared with an average of 72% across the UK.
Meanwhile, the number of Scots who are out of work and claiming jobseeker's allowance has dropped by 2,900 from October, to a new total of 115,900 in November - 23,300 less than it was a year ago.
The Scottish Government welcomed the rise in the number of women in employment.
Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance - who recently led a Holyrood debate on the issue - said the "very welcome news" came in the wake of Scottish Government action to "tackle the barriers faced by women seeking employment that prevent them from contributing to Scotland's economic growth".
She added: "Within the scope of the powers we currently have, we are taking steps across all areas of Government to help women progress in the workplace. This includes our CareerWISE initiative to encourage more young women to pursue a career in science, technology and engineering and encourage more women to start their own businesses.
"We are also working to improve opportunities for women through modern apprenticeships and are working closely with Carers Scotland to develop a kitemark scheme for employers who support unpaid carers in their workforce."
Despite that, she said there was "still much more that needs to be done" to help women into employment, saying the SNP's promise to increase free childcare if it was in power in an independent Scotland would "further significantly help raise women's participation in the labour market".
Finance Secretary John Swinney said the latest unemployment statistics were "another positive sign that employment in Scotland continues to increase and that Scotland's economic recovery is ongoing".
He said: "Scotland has a higher employment rate, lower unemployment rate and lower inactivity rate than England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
"Consistent growth in employment shows that the policies of the Scottish Government to create jobs and boost the economy are making progress."
But he warned: "While Scotland is outperforming the rest of the UK, the Westminster Government's continued pursuit of austerity, as outlined in the recent Autumn Statement, remains a threat."
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said: "Every new job created in Scotland represents someone getting back into work and is to be welcomed. Today's figures reinforce how well Scotland is doing as part of the UK and they are good news for people and families across the country. There are 83,000 more people in employment in Scotland than there were a year ago.
"Unemployment has fallen and employment increased over the three months to October. We have also seen a further significant fall of 2,900 in people claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA) in November. As a result there are 23,300 fewer Scots claiming JSA compared to one year ago.
"This comes on the back of recent positive news and the continuing recovery of our economy. We will keep up all our efforts to create the right conditions for the private sector to create sustainable, long-term jobs."
By area
Area Total unemployed Change on quarter Rate
Scotland 196,000 -7,000 7.1%
England
North East 133,000 -3,000 10.1%
North West 257,000 -29,000 7.5%
Yorkshire/Humber 239,000 -6,000 8.6%
East Midlands 162,000 -6,000 6.9%
West Midlands 240,000 -26,000 8.8%
East of England 176,000 -35,000 5.6%
London 368,000 +8,000 8.5%
South East 266,000 -2,000 5.8%
South West 175,000 +8,000 6.4%
Wales 112,000 -7,000 7.4%
Northern Ireland 65,000 +5,000 7.5%
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