The bar chart compares the average retirement age of men and women in seven countries between 2004 and 2008.
Overall, it is clear that retirement ages increased slightly in most countries over the period. Sweden recorded the highest number for both genders. Additionally, men tend to retire later compared to women.
In terms of men, Sweden had the highest retirement age, increasing from 63 in 2004 to 64 in 2008. Similarly, the figures for the Netherlands and the UK also experienced an increase, reaching about 63 in 2008. The figure for Denmark and Germany saw a growth as well, with the figure reaching about 63 and 62, respectively. In contrast, France had the lowest number, which was under 59, whereas Italy remained stable at 60 in both years.
Regarding women, a similar pattern can be seen. Sweden again had the highest retirement age, climbing to approximately 64 in 2008. Netherlands and the UK also rose noticeably, with the figure reaching almost 63 and 62 respectively in 2008. The figure for Denmark and Germany rose slightly as well. However, Italy was the only country, where the retirement age declined from 60 to about 59. France again had the lowest figure, standing under 59 in 2008.