The given bar charts illustrate the proportions of males and females aged 60 to 64 who worked in Belgium, the USA, Japan, and Indonesia in the years 1970 and 2000.
Overall, Belgium saw the steepest decline for both genders, whereas Indonesia experienced the smallest change.
In 1970, the rates of employed men aged 60-64 in the USA and Indonesia were the same – approximately 85%. In 2000, the figure for both countries decreased slightly, to 79% for the USA and 71% for Indonesia. By contrast, the proportion of employed elderly men in Belgium and Japan dropped sharply. In 1970, the two rates were at a relatively similar level – around 77%. In 2000, both fell by 25%.
Employment among elderly women in Belgium and the USA declined far more dramatically than for men, particularly in Belgium, where the rate plummeted from 61% to just 9%, making it the lowest figure across all countries by 2000. Moreover, there was a downward trend in the USA from 79% to 40%. In 1970, the percentages for Japan and Indonesia accounted for 55% and 65%, respectively. In 2000, both figures showed almost the same level at 50%.