Chart 2.1 Size of the labor force, 2006

Millions

U.S.

151.4

Canada

17.4

Mexico

43.2

Australia

10.7

Japan

66.0

Republic of Korea

24.0

New Zealand

2.2

Singapore

2.2

EU-15

182.0

Austria

4.1

Denmark

2.9

France

27.2

Germany

41.3

Ireland

2.1

Italy

24.4

Netherlands

8.4

Norway

2.4

Portugal

5.6

Spain

21.5

Sweden

4.7

U.K.

30.5

Chart 2.2 Average annual growth rates for the labor force, 1996-2006

Percent

U.S.

1.2%

Canada

1.7%

Mexico

2.0%

Australia

1.6%

Japan

minus 0.1%

Republic of Korea

1.2%

New Zealand

1.7%

Singapore

2.5%

EU-15

0.9%

Austria

0.7%

Denmark

0.3%

France

0.9%

Germany

0.5%

Ireland

3.4%

Italy

0.7%

Netherlands

1.2%

Norway

0.9%

Portugal

1.6%

Spain

2.7%

Sweden

0.6%

U.K.

0.8%

Chart 2.3 Labor force participation rates by sex, 2006

Blue equals percentage of men
Yellow equals percentage of women

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 73.5%

yellow equals 59.4%

Canada

blue equals 72.8%

yellow equals 62.1%

Mexico

blue equals 77.0%

yellow equals 42.9%

Australia

blue equals 73.0%

yellow equals 58.4%

Japan

blue equals 73.0%

yellow equals 47.9%

Republic of Korea

blue equals 71.5%

yellow equals 50.6%

New Zealand

blue equals 74.9%

yellow equals 60.7%

Singapore

blue equals 76.2%

yellow equals 54.9%

EU-15

blue equals 64.6%

yellow equals 48.7%

Austria

blue equals 66.7%

yellow equals 51.9%

Denmark

blue equals 70.4%

yellow equals 60.8%

France

blue equals 62.4%

yellow equals 50.9%

Germany

blue equals 65.7%

yellow equals 51.2%

Ireland

blue equals 72.7%

yellow equals 52.5%

Italy

blue equals 60.6%

yellow equals 38.1%

Netherlands

blue equals 71.1%

yellow equals 56.4%

Norway

blue equals 69.5%

yellow equals 60.3%

Portugal

blue equals 69.5%

yellow equals 55.8%

Spain

blue equals 67.8%

yellow equals 47.0%

Sweden

blue equals 69.3%

yellow equals 60.8%

U.K.

blue equals 70.9%

yellow equals 56.7%

Chart 2.4 Labor force participation rates for youth, 2006

Percent - Persons ages 15 or 16 to 19

U.S.

43.7%

Canada

53.7%

Mexico

36.5%

Australia

59.9%

Japan

16.5%

Republic of Korea

7.5%

New Zealand

54.8%

EU-15

28.7%

Austria

43.3%

Denmark

59.8%

France

12.4%

Germany

30.4%

Ireland

26.6%

Italy

11.8%

Netherlands

58.6%

Norway

43.2%

Portugal

17.7%

Spain

29.3%

Sweden

39.1%

U.K.

55.3%

Percent - Persons ages 20 to 24

U.S.

74.6%

Canada

78.6%

Mexico

61.3%

Australia

82.1%

Japan

69.6%

Republic of Korea

54.6%

New Zealand

76.1%

EU-15

65.5%

Austria

74.5%

Denmark

79.4%

France

54.4%

Germany

70.8%

Ireland

74.4%

Italy

51.6%

Netherlands

80.1%

Norway

74.6%

Portugal

63.1%

Spain

67.9%

Sweden

71.2%

U.K.

76.0%

Chart 2.5 Labor force participation rates for older workers, 2006

Percent - Persons ages 55 to 64

U.S.

63.7%

Canada

58.7%

Mexico

55.9%

Australia

57.5%

Japan

67.3%

Republic of Korea

60.7%

New Zealand

71.8%

EU-15

48.8%

Austria

36.8%

Denmark

63.2%

France

43.6%

Germany

55.3%

Ireland

54.7%

Italy

33.4%

Netherlands

49.1%

Norway

68.2%

Portugal

53.4%

Spain

46.8%

Sweden

73.0%

U.K.

59.1%

Percent - Persons ages 65 and over

U.S.

15.4%

Canada

8.2%

Mexico

29.0%

Australia

7.9%

Japan

19.8%

Republic of Korea

30.5%

New Zealand

12.7%

EU-15

4.0%

Austria

3.6%

Denmark

5.2%

France

1.1%

Germany

3.5%

Ireland

8.7%

Italy

3.3%

Netherlands

4.6%

Norway

14.0%

Portugal

18.0%

Spain

2.1%

Sweden

10.3%

U.K.

6.9%

Chart 2.6 Employment as a percent of the working-age population, 2006

Percent

U.S.

63.1%

Canada

63.6%

Mexico

57.5%

Australia

62.5%

Japan

57.5%

Republic of Korea

58.9%

New Zealand

65.0%

Singapore

61.8%

EU-15

51.7%

Austria

56.2%

Denmark

62.8%

France

50.9%

Germany

52.2%

Ireland

59.8%

Italy

45.5%

Netherlands

61.0%

Norway

62.6%

Portugal

57.5%

Spain

52.3%

Sweden

60.4%

U.K.

60.0%

Chart 2.7 Average annual growth rates for employment, 1996-2006

Percent

U.S.

1.3%

Canada

2.1%

Mexico

2.3%

Australia

2.0%

Japan

minus 0.2%

Republic of Korea

1.1%

New Zealand

1.9%

Singapore

2.2%

EU-15

1.3%

Austria

0.6%

Denmark

0.6%

France

1.1%

Germany

0.4%

Ireland

4.3%

Italy

1.2%

Netherlands

1.4%

Norway

1.1%

Portugal

1.5%

Spain

4.4%

Sweden

1.0%

U.K.

1.1%

Chart 2.8 Average annual growth rates for full-time and part-time employment, 1996 - 2006

Blue equals Full-time
Yellow Part-time

Percent

U.S.

blue equals 1.5%

yellow equals 0.3%

Canada

blue equals 2.2%

yellow equals 1.5%

Mexico

blue equals 2.4%

yellow equals 2.5%

Australia

blue equals 1.7%

yellow equals 2.7%

Japan

blue equals minus 0.6%

yellow equals 0.9%

Republic of Korea

blue equals 0.5%

yellow equals 8.4%

New Zealand

blue equals 1.9%

yellow equals 1.6%

EU-15

blue equals 0.7%

yellow equals 2.9%

Austria

blue equals minus 0.4%

yellow equals 5.1%

Denmark

blue equals 0.4%

yellow equals 1.4%

France

blue equals 1.0%

yellow equals 0.4%

Germany

blue equals minus 0.5%

yellow equals 4.4%

Ireland

blue equals 2.5%

yellow equals 6.7%

Italy

blue equals 0.6%

yellow equals 4.7%

Netherlands

blue equals 0.9%

yellow equals 3.8%

Norway

blue equals 1.1%

yellow equals 0.8%

Portugal

blue equals 1.5%

yellow equals 1.5%

Spain

blue equals 3.5%

yellow equals 8.1%

Sweden

blue equals 1.1%

yellow equals  0.0%

U.K.

blue equals 0.4%

yellow equals 0.7%

Chart 2.9 Annual hours worked per employed person, 1996 and 2006
Blue equals 1996
Yellow equals 2006

Hours

U.S. blue equals 1840yellow equals 1804
Canada blue equals 1784yellow equals 1738
Mexico blue equals 1902yellow equals 1883
Australia blue equals 1777yellow equals 1714
Japan blue equals 1892yellow equals 1784
Republic of Korea blue equals 2648yellow equals 2305
New Zealand blue equals 1833yellow equals 1787
Austria blue equals 1664yellow equals 1655
Denmark blue equals 1495yellow equals 1577
France blue equals 1655yellow equals 1564
Germany blue equals 1518yellow equals 1436
Ireland blue equals 1882yellow equals 1640
Italy blue equals 1873yellow equals 1800
Netherlands blue equals 1421yellow equals 1391
Norway blue equals 1483yellow equals 1407
Portugal blue equals 1848yellow equals 1758
Spain blue equals 1811yellow equals 1764
Sweden blue equals 1635yellow equals 1583
U.K. blue equals 1742yellow equals 1669

Chart 2.10 Unemployment rates, 2006

Percent

U.S.

4.6%

Canada

5.5%

Mexico

3.6%

Australia

4.8%

Japan

4.2%

Republic of Korea

3.5%

New Zealand

3.8%

Singapore

4.8%

EU-15

7.4%

Austria

4.7%

Denmark

3.9%

France

9.7%

Germany

10.4%

Ireland

4.4%

Italy

6.9%

Netherlands

4.4%

Norway

3.5%

Portugal

7.7%

Spain

8.5%

Sweden

7.0%

U.K.

5.5%

Chart 2.11 Unemployment rates for youth, 2006

Blue equals persons ages 15 or 16 to 19
Yellow equals persons ages 20 - 24

Percent

U.S. blue equals 15.4%yellow equals 8.2%
Canada blue equals 14.8%yellow equals 8.2%
Mexico blue equals 6.8%yellow equals 5.7%
Australia blue equals 14.7%yellow equals 6.7%
Japan blue equals 9.6%yellow equals 7.8%
Republic of Korea blue equals 10.7%yellow equals 9.9%
New Zealand blue equals 13.7%yellow equals 6.4%
Singapore blue equals 20.0%yellow equals 6.3%
EU-15 blue equals 19.7%yellow equals 14.6%
Austria blue equals 11.9%yellow equals 7.5%
Denmark blue equals 10.4%yellow equals 5.3%
France blue equals 30.9%yellow equals 22.1%
Germany blue equals 14.2%yellow equals 13.7%
Ireland blue equals 11.8%yellow equals 7.3%
Italy blue equals 33.2%yellow equals 19.6%
Netherlands blue equals 10.1%yellow equals 5.2%
Norway blue equals 11.6%yellow equals 6.8%
Portugal blue equals 25.5%yellow equals 14.1%
Spain blue equals 29.0%yellow equals 14.8%
Sweden blue equals 31.1%yellow equals 16.8%
U.K. blue equals 20.3%yellow equals 10.5%

Chart 2.12 Ratio of youth to adult unemployment rates, 2006

Ratio

U.S.

2.9

Canada

2.3

Mexico

2.6

Australia

2.8

Japan

2.1

Republic of Korea

3.5

New Zealand

3.9

Singapore

2.0

EU-15

2.4

Austria

2.2

Denmark

2.3

France

3.0

Germany

1.4

Ireland

2.3

Italy

3.9

Netherlands

1.9

Norway

3.3

Portugal

2.4

Spain

2.5

Sweden

4.3

U.K.

3.7

Chart 2.13 Persons unemployed one year or longer, 2006
as a percent of total unemployment

Percent

U.S.

10.0%

Canada

8.7%

Mexico

2.5%

Australia

17.8%

Japan

33.0%

Republic of Korea

1.1%

New Zealand

7.1%

EU-15

44.2%

Austria

27.3%

Denmark

20.4%

France

44.0%

Germany

57.2%

Ireland

34.3%

Italy

52.9%

Netherlands

45.2%

Norway

14.1%

Portugal

51.8%

Spain

29.5%

Sweden

14.2%

U.K.

22.1%

Chart 2.14 Ratio of unemployment rate of persons without high school degrees to that of persons with college or university degrees, 2005

Blue equals men
Yellow equals women

Ratio

U.S. blue equals 3.2yellow equals 5.0
Canada blue equals 2.0yellow equals 2.3
Mexico blue equals 0.6yellow equals 0.7
Australia blue equals 2.6yellow equals 2.7
Japan blue equals 2.6yellow equals 1.4
Republic of Korea blue equals 1.5yellow equals 0.8
New Zealand blue equals 1.7yellow equals 2.1
Austria blue equals 3.2yellow equals 1.6
Denmark blue equals 1.6yellow equals 2.2
France blue equals 1.8yellow equals 2.1
Germany blue equals 4.6yellow equals 3.1
Ireland blue equals 3.3yellow equals 3.2
Italy blue equals 1.4yellow equals 1.6
Netherlands blue equals 1.7yellow equals 2.4
Norway blue equals 3.6yellow equals 2.8
Portugal blue equals 1.3yellow equals 1.6
Spain blue equals 1.2yellow equals 2.1
Sweden blue equals 1.7yellow equals 2.2
U.K. blue equals 3.3yellow equals 3.2

Chart 2.15 Educational attainment of the adult population, 2005
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 49% red equals 12%
Canada blue equals 46%yellow equals 39% red equals 15%
Mexico blue equals 15%yellow equals 6% red equals 79%
Australia blue equals 32%yellow equals 33% red equals 35%
Japan blue equals 40%yellow equals 44% red equals 16%
Republic of Korea blue equals 32%yellow equals 44% red equals 24%
New Zealand blue equals 27%yellow equals 52% red equals 21%
Austria blue equals 18%yellow equals 63% red equals 19%
Denmark blue equals 34%yellow equals 49% red equals 17%
France blue equals 25%yellow equals 41% red equals 34%
Germany blue equals 25%yellow equals 58% red equals 17%
Ireland blue equals 29%yellow equals 36% red equals 35%
Italy blue equals 12%yellow equals 39% red equals 49%
Netherlands blue equals 30%yellow equals 42% red equals 28%
Norway blue equals 33%yellow equals 45% red equals 22%
Portugal blue equals 13%yellow equals 13% red equals 74%
Spain blue equals 28%yellow equals 21% red equals 51%
Sweden blue equals 30%yellow equals 54% red equals 16%
U.K. blue equals 30%yellow equals 56% red equals 14%