The bar chart compares the manufacturing output contributed by Asia, Europe, and the rest of the world over the 160-year period from 1840 to 2000. Overall, it is clear that while the manufacturing shares of Asia and Europe fluctuated significantly over the century and a half, the contribution from the rest of the world generally followed an upward trend.
In 1840, Asia contributed the largest share of global output at 50%; however, this figure declined by more than half to 20% by 1920. In contrast, Europe, which started with a 40% share, saw a gradual increase to 50% in 1920, making it the leading producer at that time. Meanwhile, the rest of the world produced only one-fifth of Asia’s figure at the beginning; however, this proportion increased steadily, reaching 30% by 1920.
By 2000, Asia had regained its position as the top producer after a dramatic rise to approximately 45%. In 1960, Europe and the rest of the world both recorded the same output of 38%, but by 2000, these figures had dropped to 28% and 32% respectively. Throughout the period, significant shifts were witnessed in the outputs of Asia and Europe, while the rest of the world experienced a notable overall increase compared to its starting point.