The bar chart compares the data of global candidates from four countries – China, Japan, USA and Russia – to universities of one European nation between 2004 and 2008.
Overall, the total number of global applicants increased minimally over the four-year period. According to the graph, China and the USA consistently held the highest numbers in the figure. In contrast, the data of Japan and Russia are still at the lowest position, while both recorded overall rise.
As can be seen, the number of Chinese applicants came out on top with about 27000 applicants in 2004, followed by the USA with only half as much. However, an exponential drop of 10,000 was seen in China’s data until 2006 when it stabilized at 17,000 after one year. The figure of China continually decreased moderately by 3000 from 2007 onwards. In contrast, while China’s figure witnessed a total fall, the data of the USA’s candidates shows an opposite trend. Having started at a trough of 13,000 in 2004, the USA’s statistics increased moderately by 4000 two years later, equaling China’s data in this year. There was a surge of 9000 in the number of the USA applicants from 2006 to 2008 when it reached the highest position.
Japan and Russia started at lower statistics in the first year, with respective data of 7000 and over 2000. After starting at the lowest point, the number of Japan applicants leveled off at the same figure in 2005, before growing by 3000 three years later. Conversely, Russia experienced a fluctuation around over 2000, compared with a slight rise to approximately 3000 in the last year.