TAIPEI, Jan 23 (AP) -- Taiwan's jobless rate fell slightly to 3.86 percent in December from 3.94 percent in November, as fewer people lost their jobs due to company closures, the government said Monday.

December's jobless rate was the lowest since February 2001's rate of 3.73 percent, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said.

But on a seasonally adjusted basis, the December jobless rate was 4 percent, unchanged from November.

First-time job seekers fell by 3,000 in December from November, while the number of people losing their jobs due to business closures fell by 4,000, the government said.

For full-year 2005, Taiwan's unemployment rate fell to 4.13 percent from 4.44 percent in 2004, the government said.