The bar graph provides information about the share of global manufacturing production in Asia, Europe, and the rest of the world between 1840 and 2000.
Overall, it is clear that while Asia and Europe experienced contrasting, fluctuating trends in their percentages of global manufacturing, the Rest of the World saw a general upward trend over the 160-year period. Asia started and finished the period as a major manufacturing region, whereas Europe reached its highest share before decreasing significantly.
In 1840, Asia accounted for exactly half of the total manufacturing production, followed by Europe at 40%, and the Rest of the World at just 10% . Over the following decades, Asia’s share dropped sharply, bottoming out at 20% in 1920. In contrast, Europe’s figure rose steadily, reaching a peak of 50% in the same year, becoming the leading manufacturing region.
However, after 1920, these trends reserved. Europe’s percentage of manufacturing fell progressively, declining to 38% in 1960 and ending at its lowest point of approximately 28% in 2000. At the same time, Asia recovered strongly, its share climbed back to 25% in 1960 and rocked to 45% by 2000. By contrast, the Rest of the World illustrates steady growth for most of the period, which its percentage increased from 10% in 1840 to peak at 38% in 1960, before decreasing slightly to ending at 32% in 2000.