The bar graphs display the proportion of employees in agriculture, industry, and services, in four prosperous nations between 1980 and 2010. Overall, it is evident that in 1980, the greatest percentage of workers were employed in industry sector in all countries, with one exception: China, which despite a significant decrease in 2010, agriculture attracted the highest proportion of employees in 1980.
In 1980, the sectoral division of workers in Germany, the U.S.A., and Japan, exhibited similar patterns, in which Germany recruited three-fifths of all workers in industry, while it was around 50% in the U.S. and Japan, in contrast to China, which accounted for 40%. The dominance of services was closer in all countries, compared to Japan, which was lower than two-fifths. Moreover, the lowest proportion of people were employed in agriculture, with lower than 20%; however, it was around 70% in China.
In 2010, despite China, the ascendency of industry increased in the remaining nations, with over 70%. The proportion of services dwindled to below 40%, while it halved in China. Agriculture, similarly, declined in all countries.