The bar charts illustrate the average retirement age of men and women in seven different countries in 2004 and 2008.
Overall, retirement ages in most countries increased slightly over the four-year period. Sweden and the Netherlands consistently recorded the highest retirement ages, whereas France had the lowest figures for both men and women.
In terms of men, Sweden had the highest retirement age, at around 63 years in 2004, rising marginally to approximately 64 in 2008. The Netherlands and the UK also showed relatively high figures, with men retiring at just over 62 years on average. Denmark and Germany followed closely, with retirement ages ranging between 61 and 62 years. By contrast, France recorded the lowest retirement age for men, at just under 59 years in both years, while Italy remained close to 60.
A similar pattern can be observed for women. Sweden again ranked first, increasing from about 63 years in 2004 to roughly 64 in 2008. The Netherlands and the UK also experienced modest increases. France had the lowest retirement age for women, remaining below 60 years. Notably, Italy was the only country where the retirement age for women declined slightly over the period.
In summary, most countries saw a gradual rise in retirement age, with Sweden consistently leading and France remaining at the bottom of the ranking.