The bar graphs compare the percentage of men and women aged 60-64 who were employed in four countries — Belgium, the USA, Japan, and Indonesia — in the years 1970 and 2000.
Overall, the employment rates for men in this age group decreased in all four countries over the 30-year period. Women also experienced a significant decline in employment in Belgium and the USA, while the rates in Japan and Indonesia were relatively stable.
In 1970, a significant proportion of men aged 60-64 were employed in all four countries, with the highest employment rate observed in the USA at 86%, followed by Indonesia at 84%. In Japan and Belgium, the rates were slightly lower, at 76% and 79%, respectively. However, by 2000, the percentage of employed men had dropped significantly in Belgium and Japan, to 52% and 63%, respectively. In contrast, the decline was less pronounced in the USA and Indonesia, where the figures fell to 78% and 74%.
The employment rates for women were considerably lower than those for men in both years. In 1970, the USA had the highest proportion of employed women at 78%, but by 2000, this number had dropped to 45%. Belgium saw the most dramatic decrease, from 63% in 1970 to just 8% in 2000. In contrast, the employment rates for women in Japan and Indonesia showed relatively little change, with Japan’s rate decreasing from 56% in 1970 to 47% in 2000, while Indonesia saw a more modest drop from 65% to 50%.