Band 5+: The bar chart shows the proportion of men and women aged 60-64 employed in four different countries in 1997 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of men and women workers aged 60-64 in Belgium, the USA, Japan and Australia between 1997 and 2000.

Overall, the proportion of men in employment was considered a downward trend and Japan has the highest percentage of men in working among the chart. The figure of women worker in the USA and Australia witnessed an upward trend, while those of in Belgium and Japan decreased.

In 1970, the percentage of men in employment in Japan was the largest with 85%, followed by Belgium, Australia and the USA with 79%, 76% and 73%, respectively. 30 years later, the figure of Belgium declined significantly around four times to 19%, which remained the lowest in the men chart. In addition, the proportion of men working in Japan dropped to 74% and it was still the largest figure of the men. There was a fall in the percentage of men workers in the USA and Australia with respective figures of 55% and 47%.

Turning to the percentage of women in employment, it is clear that the proportion of male workers in Japan was the highest which stood at 43%, then it decreased to 40% in 30 years later. The figure of women in employment in the USA was the second large in 1970, then increased to 39% in 2000. While the percentage of women working in Australia rose to 18% in 2000, the figure of Belgium declined to 7%, which was the lowest of the women chart.