Band 9: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart gives employment and education statistics for eight European countries in 2015. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The table illustrates employment rates, higher education attainment, and average annual income across eight European countries in 2015.

Overall, countries with a greater proportion of university graduates tend to report higher average incomes, while employment rates show some variation but remain moderately linked to earnings. Norway and Luxembourg stand out as the top performers, whereas Bulgaria and Latvia are at the lower end across most indicators.

Norway recorded the highest employment rate at 74.8%, alongside the largest share of graduates (43.2%) and the greatest average income (€41,483). Luxembourg, despite a slightly lower employment rate (66.1%), reported the second-highest figures for education (41.1%) and income (€34,320). The UK also performed relatively well, with 72.7% employment, 41.6% graduates, and an average income of €20,945.

By contrast, Bulgaria ranked lowest in both income (€3,332) and higher education attainment (27.5%), despite a moderate employment rate of 62.9%. Greece showed the weakest employment level (50.8%) and relatively low income (€7,520). Latvia and Portugal also fell behind, with incomes under €9,000 despite having employment rates above 63%.

In summary, while employment levels varied, the clearest trend was that countries with more university graduates consistently enjoyed higher incomes.