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

Rep. of Korea

23.7

New Zealand

2.2

Singapore

2.2

EU-15

181.9

Austria

4.0

Denmark

2.8

France

27.1

Germany

40.8

Ireland

2.0

Italy

24.2

Netherlands

8.3

Norway

2.4

Portugal

5.5

Spain

20.8

Sweden

4.7

U.K.

30.1

Chart 2.2 Average annual growth rates for the labor force, 1995-2005

Percent

U.S.

1.2%

Canada

1.7%

Mexico

2.0%

Australia

1.6%

Japan

0.0%

Rep. of 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

1.2%

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%age of men
Yellow equals percentage of women

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 73.3%

yellow equals 59.3%

Canada

blue equals 72.8%

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%

Rep. of 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 62.7%

yellow equals 51.0%

Germany

blue equals 65.5%

yellow equals 50.3%

Ireland

blue equals 71.6%

yellow equals 51.4%

Italy

blue equals 60.6%

yellow equals 37.9%

Netherlands

blue equals 71.0%

yellow equals 56.1%

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 for youth, 2005

Percent - Participation rates for teenagers

U.S.

43.7%

Canada

53.4%

Mexico

35.5%

Australia

60.6%

Japan

16.3%

Rep. of Korea

9.1%

New Zealand

54.4%

EU-15

28.7%

Austria

42.3%

Denmark

58.5%

France

12.2%

Germany

30.2%

Ireland

25.4%

Italy

12.8%

Netherlands

57.0%

Norway

45.8%

Portugal

17.8%

Spain

28.9%

Sweden

36.7%

U.K.

56.5%

Percent - Participation rates for persons ages 20 to 24

U.S.

74.6%

Canada

78.0%

Mexico

60.4%

Australia

81.6%

Japan

69.2%

Rep. of Korea

57.2%

New Zealand

71.8%

EU-15

64.9%

Austria

74.8%

Denmark

76.6%

France

55.1%

Germany

70.3%

Ireland

72.2%

Italy

52.1%

Netherlands

80.1%

Norway

72.5%

Portugal

63.3%

Spain

67.0%

Sweden

70.6%

U.K.

73.7%

Chart 2.5 Labor force participation rates for older workers, 2005

Percent - Participation rates for persons ages 55 to 64

U.S.

62.9%

Canada

57.9%

Mexico

53.6%

Australia

55.5%

Japan

66.6%

Rep. of Korea

60.2%

New Zealand

71.0%

EU-15

47.6%

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%

Percent - Participation rates for persons ages 65 and over

U.S.

15.1%

Canada

8.1%

Mexico

29.2%

Australia

7.6%

Japan

19.8%

Rep. of Korea

30.0%

New Zealand

11.7%

EU-15

3.8%

Austria

3.0%

Denmark

5.4%

France

1.3%

Germany

3.4%

Ireland

8.3%

Italy

3.1%

Netherlands

4.3%

Norway

14.3%

Portugal

18.0%

Spain

2.0%

Sweden

10.1%

U.K.

6.4%

Chart 2.6 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%

Rep. of 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

60.1%

Norway

61.5%

Portugal

57.3%

Spain

51.0%

Sweden

59.9%

U.K.

60.0%

Chart 2.7 Average annual growth rates for employment, 1995-2005

Percent

U.S.

1.3%

Canada

2.0%

Mexico

2.2%

Australia

1.9%

Japan

minus 0.2%

Rep. of 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

1.4%

Norway

1.1%

Portugal

1.5%

Spain

4.2%

Sweden

0.7%

U.K.

1.1%

Chart 2.8 Average annual growth rates for full-time and part-time employment, 1995 - 2005

Blue equals Full-time
Yellow Part-time

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%

Rep. of 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 2.9 Annual hours worked per employed person, 1995 and 2005
Blue equals 1995
Yellow equals 2005

Hours

U.S. blue equals 1849yellow equals 1804
Canada blue equals 1775yellow equals 1737
Mexico blue equals 1863yellow equals 1909
Australia blue equals 1872yellow equals 1811
Japan blue equals 1884yellow equals 1775
Rep. of Korea blue equals 2658yellow equals 2394
New Zealand blue equals 1842yellow equals 1809
Austria blue equals 1646yellow equals 1636
Denmark blue equals 1499yellow equals 1551
France blue equals 1651yellow equals 1535
Germany blue equals 1529yellow equals 1435
Ireland blue equals 1823yellow equals 1638
Italy blue equals 1876yellow equals 1791
Netherlands blue equals 1344yellow equals 1367
Norway blue equals 1414yellow equals 1360
Portugal blue equals 1799yellow equals 1685
Spain blue equals 1815yellow equals 1769
Sweden blue equals 1626yellow equals 1587
U.K. blue equals 1739yellow equals 1672

Chart 2.10 Unemployment rates, 2005

Percent

U.S.

5.1%

Canada

6.0%

Mexico

3.6%

Australia

5.1%

Japan

4.5%

Rep. of Korea

3.7%

New Zealand

3.7%

Singapore

4.8%

EU-15

7.9%

Austria

5.2%

Denmark

4.8%

France

9.9%

Germany

11.2%

Ireland

4.3%

Italy

7.8%

Netherlands

5.2%

Norway

4.6%

Portugal

7.6%

Spain

9.2%

Sweden

7.7%

U.K.

4.8%

Chart 2.11 Unemployment rates for youth, 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 8.9%
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%
Rep. of Korea blue equals 12.5%yellow equals 9.9%
New Zealand blue equals 12.9%yellow equals 6.6%
Austria blue equals 13.5%yellow equals 8.7%
Denmark blue equals 7.6%yellow equals 8.1%
France blue equals 28.4%yellow equals 21.8%
Germany blue equals 14.8%yellow equals 15.9%
Ireland blue equals 11.0%yellow equals 7.4%
Italy blue equals 37.0%yellow equals 21.4%
Netherlands blue equals 11.5%yellow equals 7.2%
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 18.0%yellow equals 9.6%

Chart 2.12 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

Rep. of 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

3.8

Netherlands

2.0

Norway

3.4

Portugal

2.4

Spain

2.5

Sweden

3.9

U.K.

3.8

Chart 2.13 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%

Rep. of 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 2.14 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 3.1yellow equals 4.2
Canada blue equals 2.1yellow equals 2.0
Mexico blue equals 0.6yellow equals 0.6
Australia blue equals 2.5yellow equals 1.9
Japan blue equals 2.6yellow equals 1.4
Rep. of Korea blue equals 1.3yellow equals 0.8
New Zealand blue equals 1.5yellow equals 1.7
Austria blue equals 3.2yellow equals 1.6
Denmark blue equals 2.4yellow equals 2.4
France blue equals 1.7yellow equals 1.9
Germany blue equals 4.7yellow equals 2.9
Ireland blue equals 3.7yellow equals 2.8
Italy blue equals 1.7yellow equals 1.9
Netherlands blue equals 2.0yellow equals 2.2
Norway blue equals 1.5yellow equals 1.3
Portugal blue equals 1.2yellow equals 1.7
Spain blue equals 1.5yellow equals 1.9
Sweden blue equals 1.5yellow equals 1.9
U.K. blue equals 3.2yellow equals 2.6

Chart 2.15 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%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%
Rep. of 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%