Bureau of Labor Statistics > International Labor Comparisons > Data

International Comparisons of Annual Labor Force Statistics

Adjusted to U.S. Concepts, 10 Countries, 1970-2008

APPENDIX A. UNADJUSTED LABOR FORCE STATISTICS

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Introduction

Unadjusted statistics in this appendix are those that are published by the originating country; that is, they are not adjusted to U.S. concepts by BLS. Unlike the adjusted data presented in the remainder of this report, some of these unadjusted data may be from administrative records and establishment surveys rather than household surveys.

In the past, there were large differences between the unadjusted and adjusted unemployment rates for almost all countries due to differences in data sources—the unadjusted series often incorporated administrative data, whereas the adjusted series have been based on labor force survey data. In recent years, many countries have revised their historical data to be similarly based on labor force surveys, thus reducing differences between the two series. Major differences remain for three countries: Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Tables

Table A-1 Unadjusted unemployment (in thousands)
Year	United States	Canada	Australia	Japan	France	Germany	Italy	Nether- lands	Sweden	United Kingdom
1970	4093	476	91	590	543	149	1111	31	59	(na)
1971	5016	535	107	640	589	185	1109	43	101	1023
1972	4882	553	150	730	610	246	1296	73	107	1155
1973	4365	515	136	680	592	273	1303	77	98	977
1974	5156	514	162	730	649	582	1111	95	80	933
1975	7929	690	303	1000	(b) 791	1074	1226	139	67	1089
1976	7406	(b) 744	298	1080	891	1060	1420	153	66	1405
1977	6991	868	358	1100	1012	1030	1538	152	75	1441
1978	6202	934	405	1240	1060	993	1560	159	94	1466
1979	6137	868	408	1170	1209	876	1686	166	88	1405
1980	7637	895	409	1140	1303	889	1684	194	86	1648
1981	8273	931	394	1260	1542	1272	1895	307	108	2544
1982	10678	1358	495	1360	(b) 1687	1833	1923	437	137	2824
1983	10717	1506	697	1560	1761	2258	2140	533	151	3023
1984	8539	1446	641	1610	2068	2265	2304	534	136	3278
1985	8312	1385	603	1560	2204	2304	2381	482	124	3156
1986	8237	1286	(b) 601	1670	2228	2228	(b) 2611	475	(b) 117	3154
1987	7425	1193	612	1730	2267	2229	2832	486	(b) 92	3061
1988	6701	1070	558	1550	2189	2242	2885	490	78	2526
1989	6528	1061	490	1420	2048	2038	2865	452	67	2106
1990	(b) 7047	1158	563	1340	(b) 1991	1883	2621	419	75	2004
1991	8628	1479	788	1360	2043	(b) 2602	(b) 2653	400	133	2442
1992	9613	1605	897	1420	2278	2979	2799	411	233	2821
1993	8940	1642	914	1660	2554	3419	(b) 2227	481	356	2928
1994	(b) 7996	1515	829	1920	2721	3698	2421	547	340	2675
1995	7404	1394	739	2100	2580	3612	2544	533	332	2435
1996	7236	1432	751	2250	2738	3965	2555	(b) 501	347	2296
1997	(b) 6739	1373	759	2300	2779	4384	2584	448	342	1988
1998	(b) 6210	1270	721	2790	2680	4281	2634	354	276	1789
1999	(b) 5880	1182	652	3170	2625	4100	2559	301	241	1728
2000	(b) 5692	1083	602	3200	2262	3890	2388	270	203	1588
2001	6801	1164	(b) 658	3400	2071	3853	2164	252	175	1490
2002	8378	1269	630	3590	2132	4061	2062	302	176	1529
2003	(b) 8774	1286	599	3500	(b) 2299	4377	2048	399	217	1489
2004	(b) 8149	1235	551	3130	2412	4381	1960	479	246	1424
2005	7591	1173	531	2940	2429	(b) 4861	1889	483	(b) 367	1465
2006	7001	1108	516	2750	2432	4487	1673	413	336	1669
2007	7078	1079	482	2570	2217	3776	1506	344	298	1653
2008	8924	1119	477	2650	2067	3268	1692	304	305	1776
Footnotes: (b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information. (na) Not available.
NOTE: Unemployment from labor force surveys for the United States, Canada, Australia, France for 1975 onward, Japan, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands for 1987 onward, and the United Kingdom for 1984 onward; national estimates based on a combination of registered unemployed and unemployment from labor force surveys for the Netherlands prior to 1987 and the United Kingdom prior to 1984; annual estimates based on seasonally adjusted unemployment for France prior to 1975; registered unemployed for Germany. Unadjusted data (as published by the originating country) are identical to data adjusted to U.S. concepts shown in Table 1-1 for the United States, Canada prior to 1976, Australia, Japan, France for 1975 onward, Italy for 1993 onward, and Sweden prior to 1985.

Table A-2 Unadjusted unemployment rates (in percent)
Year	United States	Canada	Australia	Japan	France	Germany	Italy	Nether- lands	Sweden	United Kingdom
1970	4.9	5.7	1.7	1.1	2.5	0.7	5.4	0.7	1.5	(na)
1971	5.9	6.2	1.9	1.2	2.7	0.8	5.4	0.9	2.5	4.0
1972	5.6	6.2	2.6	1.4	2.8	1.1	6.4	1.5	2.7	4.5
1973	4.9	5.6	2.3	1.3	2.7	1.2	6.4	1.6	2.5	3.8
1974	5.6	5.3	2.7	1.4	2.9	2.6	5.4	2.0	2.0	3.6
1975	8.5	6.9	4.9	1.9	(b) 3.5	4.7	5.9	2.8	1.6	4.2
1976	7.7	(b) 7.1	4.8	2.0	3.9	4.6	6.7	3.1	1.6	5.4
1977	7.1	8.0	5.6	2.0	4.3	4.5	7.2	3.1	1.8	5.5
1978	6.1	8.4	6.3	2.2	4.5	4.3	7.2	3.2	2.2	5.6
1979	5.8	7.5	6.3	2.1	5.1	3.8	7.7	3.3	2.1	5.3
1980	7.1	7.5	6.1	2.0	5.4	3.8	7.6	3.8	2.0	6.1
1981	7.6	7.6	5.8	2.2	6.4	5.5	8.4	6.0	2.5	9.4
1982	9.7	11.0	7.2	2.4	(b) 6.9	7.5	8.6	8.4	3.1	10.5
1983	9.6	12.0	10.0	2.6	7.2	9.1	9.4	10.2	3.5	11.3
1984	7.5	11.3	9.0	2.7	8.4	9.1	10.0	10.2	3.1	11.9
1985	7.2	10.6	8.3	2.6	8.9	9.3	10.3	9.1	2.8	11.4
1986	7.0	9.7	(b) 7.9	2.8	8.9	9.0	(b) 11.1	8.6	(b) 2.7	11.3
1987	6.2	8.8	7.9	2.8	9.1	8.9	12.0	8.5	(b) 2.1	10.9
1988	5.5	7.8	7.0	2.5	8.8	8.7	12.0	8.4	1.8	8.9
1989	5.3	7.5	6.0	2.3	8.2	7.9	12.0	7.6	1.5	7.3
1990	(b) 5.6	8.1	6.7	2.1	(b) 7.9	7.2	11.0	6.9	1.7	6.9
1991	6.8	10.3	9.3	2.1	8.1	(b) 6.4	(b) 10.9	6.5	3.0	8.5
1992	7.5	11.2	10.5	2.2	9.0	7.7	11.5	6.5	5.3	9.9
1993	6.9	11.4	10.6	2.5	10.1	8.9	(b) 9.7	7.5	8.2	10.4
1994	(b) 6.1	10.4	9.4	2.9	10.7	9.6	10.6	8.5	8.0	9.5
1995	5.6	9.5	8.2	3.2	10.1	9.4	11.2	8.1	7.7	8.6
1996	5.4	9.6	8.2	3.4	10.6	10.4	11.2	(b) 7.5	8.1	8.1
1997	4.9	9.1	8.3	3.4	10.8	11.4	11.3	6.6	8.0	6.9
1998	4.5	8.3	7.7	4.1	10.3	11.1	11.3	5.1	6.5	6.3
1999	4.2	7.6	6.9	4.7	10.0	10.5	10.9	4.3	5.6	6.0
2000	4.0	6.8	6.3	4.7	8.6	9.6	10.1	3.8	4.7	5.4
2001	4.7	7.2	(b) 6.8	5.0	7.8	9.4	9.1	3.5	4.0	5.1
2002	5.8	7.7	6.4	5.4	7.9	9.8	8.6	4.1	4.0	5.2
2003	6.0	7.6	5.9	5.3	(b) 8.5	10.5	8.4	5.4	4.9	5.1
2004	5.5	7.2	5.4	4.7	8.9	10.5	8.0	6.5	5.5	4.8
2005	5.1	6.8	5.0	4.4	8.9	(b) 11.7	7.7	6.5	(b) 7.8	4.9
2006	4.6	6.3	4.8	4.1	8.8	10.8	6.8	5.5	7.1	5.4
2007	4.6	6.0	4.4	3.9	8.0	9.0	6.1	4.5	6.1	5.3
2008	5.8	6.1	4.2	4.0	7.4	7.8	6.7	3.9	6.2	5.7
Footnotes: (b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information. (na) Not available.
NOTE: Unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force for the United States, Canada, and Australia; unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force plus career military personnel for Japan, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom; registered unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force for Germany prior to 1991 and as a percent of civilian employed wage and salary workers plus the unemployed for 1991 onward. Published unemployment rates cannot be derived by dividing published unemployment by published labor force for Germany. Unadjusted data (as published by the originating country) are identical to data adjusted to U.S. concepts shown in Table 1-2 for the United States, Canada prior to 1976, and Australia.

Table A-3 Unadjusted employment (in thousands)
Year	United States	Canada	Australia	Japan	France	Germany	Italy	Nether- lands	Sweden	United Kingdom
1970	78678	7919	5388	50940	20949	26668	19325	4681	3854	(na)
1971	79367	8104	5517	51210	21008	26772	19295	4706	3860	24559
1972	(b) 82153	8344	5601	51260	21382	26875	18976	4736	3862	24539
1973	85064	8761	5765	52590	21532	27160	19145	4769	3879	24986
1974	86794	9125	5891	52370	21722	26829	19539	4771	3962	24985
1975	85846	9284	5866	52230	(b) 22077	26110	19635	4744	4062	24965
1976	88752	(b) 9748	5946	52710	22241	25974	19757	4762	4088	24788
1977	92017	9917	6000	53420	22406	26008	19938	4792	4099	24799
1978	(b) 96048	10220	6038	54080	22415	26219	20017	4790	4115	24886
1979	98824	10669	6111	54790	22663	26657	20212	4800	4180	25136
1980	99303	10984	6284	55360	22826	27059	20487	4881	4232	25215
1981	100397	11305	6416	55810	22693	27033	20544	4848	4225	24549
1982	99526	10944	6415	56380	(b) 22670	26725	20493	4752	4219	24067
1983	100834	11022	6300	57330	22639	26347	20557	4699	4224	23630
1984	105005	11302	6494	57660	22435	26393	20629	4720	4255	24208
1985	107150	11627	6697	58070	22464	26593	20735	4811	4299	24554
1986	(b) 109597	11987	(b) 6984	58530	22673	26960	(b) 20857	5040	(b) 4269	24683
1987	112440	12333	7142	59110	22675	27157	20837	5257	(b) 4281	25031
1988	114968	12710	7413	60110	22755	27364	21103	5378	4342	25913
1989	117342	12996	7734	61280	23076	27761	21004	5477	4408	26709
1990	(b) 118793	13086	7877	62490	(b) 23146	28486	21304	5644	4449	26922
1991	117718	12857	7698	63690	23037	(b) 38621	(b) 21592	5790	4373	26365
1992	118492	12731	7660	64360	22996	38059	21459	5885	4195	25540
1993	120259	12793	7699	64500	22852	37555	(b) 20765	5925	3964	25304
1994	(b) 123060	13059	7942	64530	22768	37516	20393	5920	3926	25505
1995	124900	13295	8256	64570	23038	37601	20240	6063	3988	25819
1996	126708	13421	8364	64860	23158	37498	20328	(b) 6185	3963	26060
1997	(b) 129558	13706	8444	65570	23067	37463	20384	6384	3922	26526
1998	(b) 131463	14046	8618	65140	23316	37911	20591	6587	3979	26795
1999	(b) 133488	14407	8762	64620	23569	38424	20847	6768	4068	27167
2000	(b) 136891	14764	8989	64460	24183	39144	21210	6917	4159	27483
2001	136933	14946	9088	64120	24571	39316	21604	7020	4239	27710
2002	136485	15310	9271	63300	24801	39096	21913	7035	4244	27921
2003	(b) 137736	15672	9485	63160	(b) 24738	38726	22241	7001	4234	28186
2004	(b) 139252	15947	9662	63290	24829	38880	22404	6919	4213	28485
2005	141730	16170	9998	63560	25014	38851	22563	6918	(b) 4348	28774
2006	144427	16484	10255	63820	25174	39097	22988	7074	4429	29030
2007	146047	16866	10539	64120	25580	39768	23222	7259	4541	29222
2008	145362	17126	10777	63850	25951	40330	23405	7410	4593	29443
Footnotes: (b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information. (na) Not available.
NOTE: Includes military personnel for all countries except the United States, Canada, and Australia. Unadjusted data (as published by the originating country) are identical to data adjusted to U.S. concepts shown in Table 2-1 for the United States, Canada prior to 1976, and Australia.

Table A-4 Unadjusted labor force (in thousands)
Year	United States	Canada	Australia	Japan	France	Germany	Italy	Nether- lands	Sweden	United Kingdom
1970	82771	8395	5478	51530	21491	26817	20436	4711	3913	(na)
1971	84382	8639	5624	51860	21596	26957	20404	4749	3961	25582
1972	(b) 87034	8897	5752	51990	21992	27121	20272	4809	3969	25694
1973	89429	9276	5901	53260	22124	27433	20448	4846	3977	25963
1974	91949	9639	6053	53100	22371	27411	20650	4867	4042	25919
1975	93775	9974	6169	53230	(b) 22868	27184	20861	4883	4129	26054
1976	96158	(b) 10491	6244	53780	23132	27034	21177	4915	4154	26193
1977	99009	10785	6358	54520	23418	27038	21476	4944	4174	26240
1978	(b) 102251	11155	6443	55320	23475	27212	21577	4949	4209	26352
1979	104962	11537	6519	55960	23872	27528	21898	4967	4268	26541
1980	106940	11879	6693	56500	24129	27948	22171	5075	4318	26863
1981	108670	12236	6810	57070	24235	28305	22439	5154	4333	27093
1982	110204	12302	6910	57740	(b) 24357	28558	22416	5189	4356	26892
1983	111550	12528	6997	58890	24400	28605	22697	5232	4375	26653
1984	113544	12748	7135	59270	24503	28659	22933	5253	4391	27485
1985	115461	13012	7300	59630	24668	28897	23117	5293	4423	27710
1986	(b) 117834	13272	(b) 7585	60200	24900	29188	(b) 23467	5515	(b) 4386	27837
1987	119865	13526	7754	60840	24942	29386	23669	5743	(b) 4373	28092
1988	121669	13779	7970	61660	24945	29607	23988	5867	4420	28439
1989	123869	14057	8224	62700	25123	29799	23870	5929	4475	28815
1990	(b) 125840	14245	8440	63840	(b) 25137	30369	23925	6063	4524	28925
1991	126346	14336	8486	65050	25080	(b) 41223	(b) 24245	6189	4506	28807
1992	128105	14336	8557	65780	25274	41038	24257	6296	4428	28361
1993	129200	14435	8613	66150	25406	40974	(b) 22992	6406	4320	28232
1994	(b) 131056	14574	8770	66450	25488	41214	22814	6466	4266	28180
1995	132304	14689	8995	66660	25618	41213	22784	6596	4320	28254
1996	133943	14854	9115	67110	25895	41463	22883	(b) 6686	4310	28356
1997	(b) 136297	15079	9204	67870	25846	41847	22968	6832	4264	28513
1998	(b) 137673	15316	9339	67930	25996	42192	23225	6941	4255	28583
1999	(b) 139368	15588	9414	67790	26194	42524	23406	7069	4309	28895
2000	(b) 142583	15847	9590	67660	26445	43034	23598	7187	4362	29070
2001	143734	16110	9746	67520	26641	43169	23769	7272	4414	29200
2002	144863	16579	9901	66890	26933	43157	23975	7337	4420	29450
2003	(b) 146510	16959	10085	66660	(b) 27038	43103	24289	7401	4451	29675
2004	(b) 147401	17182	10213	66420	27241	43261	24365	7398	4459	29909
2005	149320	17343	10529	66500	27443	43712	24451	7401	(b) 4714	30239
2006	151428	17593	10771	66570	27607	43584	24662	7486	4766	30698
2007	153124	17946	11021	66690	27797	43544	24728	7603	4838	30875
2008	154287	18245	11254	66500	28018	43598	25097	7714	4898	31220
Footnotes: (b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information. (na) Not available.
NOTE: Includes military personnel for all countries except the United States, Canada, and Australia. Unadjusted data (as published by the originating country) are identical to data adjusted to U.S. concepts shown in Table 3-1 for the United States, Canada prior to 1976, and Australia.

Last Modified Date: October 2, 2009