Chart 2.1 Size of the labor force, 2005

Millions

U.S.

149.3

Canada

17.1

Mexico

42.5

Australia

10.5

Japan

65.9

Korea

23.7

New Zealand

2.2

Singapore

2.2

EU-15

181.9

Austria

4.0

Denmark

2.8

France

27.0

Germany

40.8

Ireland

2.0

Italy

24.2

Netherlands

8.5

Norway

2.4

Portugal

5.5

Spain

20.8

Sweden

4.7

U.K.

30.1


Chart 2.2 Average annual growth rates in the labor force, 1994-2004

Percent

U.S.

1.2%

Canada

1.7%

Mexico

2.0%

Australia

1.6%

Japan

0.0%

Korea

1.3%

New Zealand

1.8%

Singapore

2.7%

EU-15

0.9%

Austria

0.4%

Denmark

0.3%

France

0.9%

Germany

0.4%

Ireland

3.3%

Italy

0.7%

Netherlands

1.6%

Norway

1.0%

Portugal

1.6%

Spain

2.5%

Sweden

0.5%

U.K.

0.7%


Chart 2.3 Labor force participation rates by sex, 2005

Blue equals percentage of men
Yellow equals percentage of women

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 73.3%

yellow equals 59.3%

Canada

blue equals 72.7%

yellow equals 61.4%

Mexico

blue equals 78.9%

yellow equals 40.7%

Australia

blue equals 73.0%

yellow equals 58.1%

Japan

blue equals 73.1%

yellow equals 47.7%

Korea

blue equals 71.3%

yellow equals 50.3%

New Zealand

blue equals 74.3%

yellow equals 60.1%

Singapore

blue equals 76.2%

yellow equals 54.9%

EU-15

blue equals 64.7%

yellow equals 48.7%

Austria

blue equals 66.1%

yellow equals 51.0%

Denmark

blue equals 70.3%

yellow equals 60.3%

France

blue equals 62.6%

yellow equals 50.9%

Germany

blue equals 65.5%

yellow equals 50.3%

Ireland

blue equals 71.6.0%

yellow equals 51.4%

Italy

blue equals 60.5%

yellow equals 37.8%

Netherlands

blue equals 73.7%

yellow equals 57.4%

Norway

blue equals 69.4%

yellow equals 59.8%

Portugal

blue equals 69.2%

yellow equals 55.6%

Spain

blue equals 67.4%

yellow equals 45.5%

Sweden

blue equals 69.3%

yellow equals 60.6%

U.K.

blue equals 70.5%

yellow equals 56.2%


Chart 2.4 Labor force participation rates by age, 2005 for youth and older workers

Percent - Youth participation rates

U.S.

60.8%

Canada

65.9%

Mexico

46.8%

Australia

71.3%

Japan

44.6%

Korea

33.3%

New Zealand

62.8%

EU-15

47.6%

Austria

59.2%

Denmark

67.2%

France

33.7%

Germany

50.2%

Ireland

50.5%

Italy

33.5%

Netherlands

68.5%

Norway

60.2%

Portugal

43.0%

Spain

52.1%

Sweden

54.7%

U.K.

65.9%

Percent - Older workers participation rates

U.S.

62.9%

Canada

57.9%

Mexico

53.6%

Australia

55.5%

Japan

66.6%

Korea

60.2%

New Zealand

71.0%

EU-15

46.7%

Austria

33.0%

Denmark

62.9%

France

43.6%

Germany

52.1%

Ireland

53.2%

Italy

32.6%

Netherlands

47.0%

Norway

68.8%

Portugal

53.8%

Spain

45.9%

Sweden

72.8%

U.K.

58.4%


Chart 2.5 Employment as a percent of the working-age population, 2005

Percent

U.S.

62.7%

Canada

63.4%

Mexico

56.6%

Australia

62.1%

Japan

57.3%

Korea

58.5%

New Zealand

64.6%

Singapore

61.8%

EU-15

51.7%

Austria

55.2%

Denmark

61.9%

France

51.0%

Germany

51.2%

Ireland

58.8%

Italy

44.9%

Netherlands

62.3%

Norway

61.5%

Portugal

57.3%

Spain

51.0%

Sweden

59.9%

U.K.

60.0%


Chart 2.6 Average annual growth rates for employment, 1995-2005

Percent

U.S.

1.3%

Canada

2.0%

Mexico

2.2%

Australia

1.0%

Japan

minus 0.2%

Korea

1.1%

New Zealand

2.0%

Singapore

2.4%

EU-15

1.2%

Austria

0.2%

Denmark

0.5%

France

1.1%

Germany

0.1%

Ireland

4.2%

Italy

1.1%

Netherlands

1.8%

Norway

1.1%

Portugal

1.5%

Spain

4.2%

Sweden

0.7%

U.K.

1.1%


Chart 2.7 Average annual growth rates in full-time and part-time employment, 1995-2005

Full-time equals blue
Part-time equals yellow

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 1.5%

yellow equals 0.5%

Canada

blue equals 2.0%

yellow equals 1.7%

Mexico

blue equals 2.8%

yellow equals 1.5%

Australia

blue equals 1.6%

yellow equals 2.8%

Japan

blue equals minus 1.0%

yellow equals 2.3%

Korea

blue equals 0.6%

yellow equals 8.7%

New Zealand

blue equals 1.9%

yellow equals 2.4%

EU-15

blue equals 0.8%

yellow equals 3.1%

Austria

blue equals minus 0.4%

yellow equals 4.1%

Denmark

blue equals 0.4%

yellow equals 1.1%

France

blue equals 1.0%

yellow equals 0.5%

Germany

blue equals minus 0.8%

yellow equals 4.5%

Ireland

blue equals 3.8%

yellow equals 7.1%

Italy

blue equals 0.7%

yellow equals 4.6%

Netherlands

blue equals 0.9%

yellow equals 3.8%

Norway

blue equals 1.1%

yellow equals 0.7%

Portugal

blue equals 1.3%

yellow equals 2.7%

Spain

blue equals 3.7%

yellow equals 9.5%

Sweden

blue equals  0.9%

yellow equals minus 0.5%

U.K.

blue equals 0.6%

yellow equals 1.3%


Chart 2.8 Annual hours worked per employed person, 1995 and 2005

Blue equals 1995
Yellow equals 2005

Hours

U.S.

blue equals 1849

yellow equals 1804

Canada

blue equals 1775

yellow equals 1737

Mexico

blue equals 1863

yellow equals 1909

Australia

blue equals 1872

yellow equals 1811

Japan

blue equals minus 1884

yellow equals 1775

Korea

blue equals 2658

yellow equals 2394

New Zealand

blue equals 1842

yellow equals 1809

Austria

blue equals 1646

yellow equals 1636

Denmark

blue equals  1499

yellow equals 1551

France

blue equals 1651

yellow equals 1535

Germany

blue equals minus 1529

yellow equals 1435

Ireland

blue equals 1823

yellow equals 1638

Italy

blue equals 1876

yellow equals 1791

Netherlands

blue equals 1344

yellow equals 1367

Norway

blue equals 1414

yellow equals 1360

Portugal

blue equals 1799

yellow equals 1685

Spain

blue equals 1815

yellow equals 1769

Sweden

blue equals 1626

yellow equals minus 1587

U.K.

blue equals 1739

yellow equals 1672


Chart 2.9 Unemployment rates, 2005

Percent

U.S.

5.1%

Canada

6.0%

Mexico

3.5%

Australia

5.1%

Japan

4.5%

Korea

3.7%

New Zealand

3.7%

Singapore

4.8%

EU-15

7.9%

Austria

5.2%

Denmark

4.8%

France

9.7%

Germany

11.2%

Ireland

4.4%

Italy

7.8%

Netherlands

4.7%

Norway

4.6%

Portugal

7.6%

Spain

9.2%

Sweden

7.7%

U.K.

4.8%


Chart 2.10 Youth unemployment rates, 2005

Blue equals Teenagers
Yellow equals 20 - 24-year-olds

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 16.6%

yellow equals 8.8%

Canada

blue equals 15.4%

yellow equals 9.0%

Mexico

blue equals 7.0%

yellow equals 6.3%

Australia

blue equals 15.2%

yellow equals 7.7%

Japan

blue equals 10.4%

yellow equals 8.4%

Korea

blue equals 12.5%

yellow equals 9.9%

New Zealand

blue equals 12.9%

yellow equals 6.6%

Singapore

blue equals 20.0%

yellow equals 6.3%

EU-15

blue equals 19.1%

yellow equals 15.6%

Austria

blue equals 13.5%

yellow equals 8.7%

Denmark

blue equals 7.6%

yellow equals 8.1%

France

blue equals 27.9%

yellow equals 21.4%

Germany

blue equals 14.8%

yellow equals 15.9%

Ireland

blue equals 11.0%

yellow equals 7.4%

Italy

blue equals 36.8%

yellow equals 21.1%

Netherlands

blue equals 10.5%

yellow equals 6.5%

Norway

blue equals 17.4%

yellow equals 9.1%

Portugal

blue equals 21.5%

yellow equals 14.8%

Spain

blue equals 29.1%

yellow equals 17.0%

Sweden

blue equals 34.0%

yellow equals 17.4%

U.K.

blue equals 15.8%

yellow equals 9.2%


Chart 2.11 Ratio of youth to adult unemployment rates, 2005

Ratio

U.S.

2.8

Canada

2.3

Mexico

2.5

Australia

2.9

Japan

2.2

Korea

3.3

New Zealand

3.8

Singapore

2.0

EU-15

2.3

Austria

2.4

Denmark

1.8

France

2.8

Germany

1.5

Ireland

2.4

Italy

3.9

Netherlands

2.0

Norway

3.4

Portugal

2.4

Spain

2.5

Sweden

3.9

U.K.

3.9


Chart 2.12 Persons unemployed one year or longer, 2005 as a percent of total unemployment

Percent

U.S.

11.8%

Canada

9.6%

Mexico

2.4%

Australia

17.7%

Japan

33.3%

Korea

0.8%

New Zealand

9.4%

EU-15

44.3%

Austria

25.3%

Denmark

25.9%

France

42.5%

Germany

54.0%

Ireland

34.3%

Italy

52.2%

Netherlands

40.1%

Norway

9.5%

Portugal

48.6%

Spain

32.6%

Sweden

18.9%

U.K.

22.4%


Chart 2.13 Ratio of unemployment rate of persons without high school degrees to that of persons with college or university degrees, 2004

Blue equals Men
Yellow equals Women

Ratio

U.S.

blue equals 3.1

yellow equals 4.2

Canada

blue equals 2.1

yellow equals 2.0

Mexico

blue equals 0.6

yellow equals 0.6

Australia

blue equals 2.5

yellow equals 1.9

Japan

blue equals 2.6

yellow equals 1.4

Korea

blue equals 1.3

yellow equals 0.8

New Zealand

blue equals 1.5

yellow equals 1.7

Austria

blue equals 3.2

yellow equals 1.6

Denmark

blue equals 2.4

yellow equals 2.4

France

blue equals 1.7

yellow equals 1.9

Germany

blue equals 4.7

yellow equals 2.9

Ireland

blue equals 3.7

yellow equals 2.8

Italy

blue equals 1.7

yellow equals 1.9

Netherlands

blue equals 2.0

yellow equals 2.2

Norway

blue equals 1.5

yellow equals 1.3

Portugal

blue equals 1.2

yellow equals 1.7

Spain

blue equals 1.5

yellow equals 1.9

Sweden

blue equals 1.5

yellow equals 1.9

U.K.

blue equals 3.2

yellow equals 2.6


Chart 2.14 Educational attainment of the adult population, 2004 by highest level of education attained

Red equals below upper secondary
Yellow equals upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary
Blue equals tertiary

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 39.0%

yellow equals 48%

red equals 13%

Canada

blue equals 45%

yellow equals 39%

red equals 16%

Mexico

blue equals 16%

yellow equals 7%

red equals 77%

Australia

blue equals 31%

yellow equals 33%

red equals 36%

Japan

blue equals 37%

yellow equals 47%

red equals 16%

Korea

blue equals 30%

yellow equals 44%

red equals 26%

New Zealand

blue equals 25%

yellow equals 53%

red equals 22%

Austria

blue equals 18%

yellow equals 62%

red equals 20%

Denmark

blue equals 32%

yellow equals 51%

red equals 17%

France

blue equals 24%

yellow equals 41%

red equals 35%

Germany

blue equals 25%

yellow equals 59%

red equals 16%

Ireland

blue equals 28%

yellow equals 35%

red equals 37%

Italy

blue equals 11%

yellow equals 38%

red equals 51%

Netherlands

blue equals 29%

yellow equals 42%

red equals 29%

Norway

blue equals 32%

yellow equals 57%

red equals 11%

Portugal

blue equals 13%

yellow equals 12%

red equals 75%

Spain

blue equals 26%

yellow equals 19%

red equals 55%

Sweden

blue equals 35%

yellow equals 48%

red equals 17%

U.K.

blue equals 29%

yellow equals 56%

red equals 15%