The table illustrates the proportion of unemployed people in the labour force across nine different countries in the years 1994 and 2004.
Overall, unemployment levels varied significantly among the countries in 1994, while in 2004 many nations experienced a noticeable shift, with several seeing major reductions and others showing increases.
In 1994, Ireland recorded the highest unemployment rate, reaching 14.8%, which was much higher than any other nation. Poland and Italy also showed relatively high figures, at 12.4% and 11.8% respectively. Meanwhile, Canada, the UK and Germany had moderate rates, ranging from 7% to 10.6%. In contrast, the USA and Australia reported lower levels of unemployment, at around 5% to 7%. Japan had the lowest rate, only 2.7%, indicating a very stable labour market during this period.
By 2004, the situation changed significantly. Poland rose to the highest level, reaching 19%, which was also the sharpest increase among all countries. In contrast, Ireland experienced a dramatic drop, falling to just 4.4%, making it the country with the lowest unemployment rate in 2004. Other nations such as the UK, the USA, Canada, and Italy also saw a clear decline, with figures between 4.7% and 8.4%. On the other hand, Germany, Australia and Japan recorded slight increases, rising to 9.4%, 5.4% and 4.7% respectively.