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International Labor Comparisons

International Comparisons of Annual Labor Force Statistics

 

APPENDIX A.  UNADJUSTED LABOR FORCE STATISTICS
 

 

More Options


 

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.


 

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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.


 

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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.


 

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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.
 


 

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Last Modified Date: October 2, 2009