The bar chart illustrates about the distribution of the UK workforce across 5 main industries between two years, 1841 and 2011.
The overall trend shown in the data is a dramatic growth of the proportion of workforce in the service industry, and a significant decline in manufacturing and agriculture/fishing. In addition, in 1841 the manufacturing and services attracted many more employees than others, while in 2011 the majority of the workforce chose to work in the services sector.
According to the chart, what stands out is that the number of people working in services almost tripled, from 33% in 1841 to 81% in 2011. A similar but much slighter rising trend could be seen in the figure of construction industry, from 5% to 8% respectively in 1841 and 2011.
Moving on to manufacturing, its percentage was four times lower from 36% in 1841 to 9% in 2011. Similarly, the agriculture/fishing experienced a shocking drop drom 22% – the third highest in 1841 to only 1% in 2011. Likewise, there was also a fall in energy/water; however, it was a small dip during the 170-year period from 3% to 1%.
In conclusion, the data indicates a considerable upward trend in the rate of workes in the services and construction, while witnessing a downward trend in others sectors over the given time frame.