The bar charts illustrate the employment rates of men and women aged 60-64 in four countries (Australia, Japan, Belgium, and the USA) in 1970 and 2000.
Overall, the percentage of employed men was significantly higher than that of women in both years. However, employment rates among men declined noticeably over the period, while those of women remained relatively stable at much lower levels.
In 1970, Japan had the highest proportion of working men (84%), followed by Belgium (79%) and the USA (73%), while Australia had the lowest figure at 74%. However, by 2000, employment rates among men had dropped significantly in all four countries, with Belgium experiencing the most dramatic decline to just 19%.
Unlike men, the employment rate for women was significantly lower in both years. In 1970, Japan had the highest proportion of employed women (43%), while Belgium had the lowest (8%). By 2000, Japan and the USA saw slight declines to 40% and 38%, respectively, whereas Australia’s rate remained nearly unchanged at 19%. Meanwhile, Belgium experienced a minor drop to 7%.