The bar charts compare the average retirement age of men and women in seven countries in 2004 and 2008.
Overall, men generally retired later than women in most countries, with Sweden and the Netherlands showing the highest retirement ages. Between 2004 and 2008, retirement ages increased slightly in several nations, although France and Italy saw little or no change.
For men, Sweden recorded the oldest average retirement age, rising from about 63 in 2004 to nearly 64 in 2008. The Netherlands and the UK followed closely, both above 62 in 2008. By contrast, France had the lowest male retirement age, at just under 59, which remained almost unchanged over the period. Other countries such as Denmark and Germany also showed small increases, reaching around 62 and 61 respectively in 2008, while Italy stayed constant at 60.
For women, the overall pattern was similar. Swedish women retired latest, increasing from 63 in 2004 to about 64 in 2008, while those in the Netherlands and Denmark also retired relatively late, at around 62 and 60. France again recorded the lowest figure, at below 59 in both years. Most other countries, including Germany and the UK, experienced slight increases of around one year.