International Comparisons of Annual Labor Force Statistics, Adjusted to U.S. Concepts, 10 Countries, 1970-2010


SECTION 3.  LABOR FORCE


   

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Introduction

The labor force is comprised of persons who are in employment and unemployment. All members of the working-age population are eligible for inclusion in the labor force, and those 16 and over (in the United States; age limits vary by country) who have a job or are actively looking for one are so classified. All others—those who have no job and are not looking for one—are counted as "not in the labor force."

The labor force participation rate represents the proportion of the working-age population that is in the labor force.


Who is not in the labor force?

All persons in the civilian non-institutional working-age population who are neither employed nor unemployed are considered not in the labor force. Many who do not participate in the labor force are going to school or are retired. Family responsibilities keep others out of the labor force. Still others have a physical or mental disability which prevents them from participating in labor force activities.

In the United States, persons not in the labor force who want and are available for a job and who have looked for work sometime in the past 12 months (or since the end of their last job if they held one within the past 12 months), but who are not currently looking, are designated as "marginally attached to the labor force." The marginally attached are divided into those not currently looking because they believe their search would be futile—so-called "discouraged workers"—and those not currently looking for other reasons such as family responsibilities, ill health, or lack of transportation.

For discouraged workers, the reasons for not currently looking for work are that the individual believes that:

  • No work is available in his or her line of work or area;
  • He or she could not find any work;
  • He or she lacks necessary schooling, training, skills, or experience;
  • Employers would think he or she is too young or too old; or
  • He or she would encounter hiring discrimination.

This report does not provide international comparisons for discouraged workers but several relevant articles are cited in the Alternative measures of unemployment section.


Tables



Table 3-1 Labor force (in thousands)
Year   United  
States
  Canada   Australia    Japan      France   Germany     Italy       Nether- 
lands
 Sweden    United
Kingdom  

1970

82771 8395 5478 50740 20800 26247 19723 (na) 3909 (na)

1971

84382 8639 5624 51120 21000 26382 19656 (na) 3955 25373

1972

(b) 87034 8897 5752 51320 21150 26479 19450 (na) 3963 25501

1973

89429 9276 5901 52590 21430 26783 19594 5210 3971 25723

1974

91949 9639 6053 52440 21660 26667 19904 5290 4036 25798

1975

93775 9974 6169 52530 (b) 21662 26426 20085 5340 4123 25932

1976

96158 (b) 10368 6244 53100 21934 26286 20294 5390 4148 26024

1977

99009 10661 6358 53820 22250 26328 20508 5480 4168 26108

1978

(b) 102251 11022 6443 54610 22389 26517 20575 5540 4203 26227

1979

104962 11392 6519 55210 22604 26854 20852 5640 4262 26463

1980

106940 11725 6693 55740 22749 27256 21115 5870 4312 26750

1981

108670 12080 6810 56320 22892 27543 21319 6090 4327 26864

1982

110204 12145 6910 56980 (b) 24088 27709 21406 6150 4350 26657

1983

111550 12372 6997 58110 24131 27665 21590 (b) 6120 4369 26688

1984

113544 12588 7135 58480 24235 (b) 27796 21672 6200 4385 27356

1985

115461 12850 7300 (b) 58720 24399 28028 21802 6250 4417 27574

1986

(b) 117834 13100 (b) 7585 59370 24632 28243 (b) 22294 6380 4443 27738

1987

119865 13345 7754 59880 24672 28384 22351 (b) 6378 (b) 4440 28013

1988

121669 13590 7970 60740 24675 28609 22658 6526 4496 28350

1989

123869 13857 8224 61830 24853 28841 22533 6606 4554 28670

1990

(b) 125840 14047 8440 62990 24867 29412 22670 6767 4597 28766

1991

126346 14140 8486 64190 24810 (b) 39075 (b) 22944 6917 4594 28537

1992

128105 14150 8557 64980 25004 39005 22913 (b) 7037 4526 28210

1993

129200 14238 8613 65430 25095 39102 (b) 22776 6992 4444 28090

1994

(b) 131056 14347 8770 65580 25187 39074 22597 7107 4416 28049

1995

132304 14456 8995 65820 25319 38980 22578 7344 4457 28135

1996

133943 14619 9115 66240 25601 39142 22679 7455 4454 28242

1997

(b) 136297 14886 9204 67010 25567 39415 22753 7612 4419 28403

1998

(b) 137673 15134 9339 66990 25675 39752 23004 7744 4403 28474

1999

(b) 139368 15398 9414 66730 25915 (b) 39375 23176 7881 4429 28786

2000

(b) 142583 15632 9590 66710 26193 39302 23361 (b) 8008 4490 28962

2001

143734 15886 9746 66480 26339 39459 23524 8155 4530 29092

2002

144863 16356 9901 65866 26658 39413 23728 8288 4545 29343

2003

(b) 146510 16722 10085 65495 26692 39276 24020 (b) 8330 4565 29565

2004

(b) 147401 16925 10213 65366 26872 39711 24084 8379 4579 29802

2005

149320 17056 10529 65386 27061 (b) 40696 24179 8400 (b) 4693 30137

2006

151428 17266 10773 65556 27260 41206 24395 8462 4746 30599

2007

153124 17626 11060 65909 27466 41364 24459 8595 4822 30780

2008

154287 17936 11356 65660 27683 41481 24836 8679 4875 31126

2009

154142 18058 11602 65362 27972 41507 24705 8716 4888 31274

2010

153889 18263 11868 65100 28067 41189 24741 8654 4942 31421

Footnotes:
(b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information.
(na) Not available.


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Table 3-2 Women's share of the labor force (in percent)
Year   United  
States
  Canada   Australia    Japan      France   Germany     Italy       Nether- 
lands
 Sweden    United
Kingdom  

1970

38.1 33.6 32.8 38.9 36.6 36.5 28.2 (na) 39.6 (na)

1971

38.2 34.4 33.2 38.4 37.0 36.8 28.3 (na) 40.3 37.4

1972

38.5 34.9 33.4 37.9 37.4 37.3 28.1 (na) 40.8 37.6

1973

38.9 35.6 34.1 38.2 37.7 37.7 28.7 27.1 41.1 38.2

1974

39.4 36.1 34.8 37.4 38.0 38.0 29.1 27.2 41.9 38.7

1975

40.0 36.9 35.5 37.0 (b) 38.2 38.5 29.4 27.5 42.7 38.8

1976

40.5 (b) 37.4 35.6 37.1 38.8 38.8 30.2 28.0 43.1 38.9

1977

41.0 37.9 36.1 37.7 39.3 39.0 31.4 28.6 43.8 39.2

1978

41.7 38.6 36.3 38.1 39.8 39.2 31.5 29.2 44.4 39.7

1979

42.1 39.2 36.4 38.3 40.2 39.3 32.2 30.1 44.8 40.1

1980

42.5 39.8 37.1 38.4 40.6 39.5 32.7 31.5 45.3 40.4

1981

43.0 40.5 37.2 38.4 41.0 39.7 33.0 33.0 46.1 40.6

1982

43.3 40.9 37.3 38.7 (b) 41.9 39.8 33.2 34.1 46.4 40.7

1983

43.5 41.4 37.5 39.2 42.1 39.8 33.5 (b) 34.0 46.7 41.1

1984

43.8 41.9 38.0 39.3 42.6 (b) 39.9 33.7 34.8 47.0 41.8

1985

44.2 42.4 38.6 (b) 39.6 42.8 40.1 34.0 34.9 47.2 42.2

1986

44.5 42.7 (b) 39.6 39.6 43.2 40.2 (b) 34.9 36.7 47.3 42.7

1987

44.8 43.1 40.0 39.8 43.5 40.3 35.3 (b) 37.9 (b) 47.7 43.0

1988

45.0 43.6 40.5 40.0 43.7 40.7 35.6 38.7 47.8 43.2

1989

45.2 43.9 41.1 40.3 44.0 41.0 35.9 38.7 47.8 43.5

1990

(b) 45.2 44.2 41.6 40.5 44.2 41.5 36.2 39.5 47.8 43.7

1991

45.3 44.6 41.8 40.6 44.5 (b) 42.8 (b) 36.3 40.0 47.7 43.8

1992

45.4 44.7 41.9 40.6 44.8 42.8 36.7 (b) 40.2 47.7 44.0

1993

45.5 44.9 42.0 40.5 45.3 42.8 (b) 37.4 41.1 47.7 44.4

1994

(b) 46.0 44.9 42.4 40.5 45.5 42.9 37.6 41.3 47.6 44.5

1995

46.1 45.1 42.9 40.5 45.8 43.1 38.0 41.5 47.6 44.7

1996

46.2 45.2 43.0 40.5 45.9 43.3 38.4 41.8 47.7 44.9

1997

46.2 45.3 43.1 40.7 45.8 43.4 38.6 42.3 47.5 45.1

1998

46.3 45.5 43.3 40.7 46.2 43.5 39.1 42.4 47.2 45.3

1999

46.5 45.7 43.5 40.6 46.3 (b) 44.0 39.5 43.0 47.4 45.4

2000

46.5 45.9 44.0 40.8 46.4 44.3 39.8 (b) 43.4 47.5 45.6

2001

46.5 46.0 44.3 40.9 46.6 44.4 40.3 43.8 47.7 45.6

2002

46.5 46.2 44.4 40.9 46.7 44.7 40.5 44.1 47.8 45.7

2003

46.6 46.5 44.8 41.1 47.0 45.0 40.7 (b) 44.4 47.8 45.7

2004

46.4 46.6 44.6 41.3 47.3 45.1 40.7 44.6 47.8 45.8

2005

46.4 46.5 45.0 41.4 47.5 (b) 45.2 40.5 45.2 (b) 47.5 45.9

2006

46.3 46.8 45.2 41.6 47.6 45.5 40.6 45.5 47.5 46.0

2007

46.4 47.0 45.3 41.6 47.8 45.7 40.6 45.8 47.6 45.8

2008

46.5 47.0 45.4 41.7 47.9 45.7 41.0 46.0 47.5 45.8

2009

46.7 47.2 45.5 42.1 48.0 45.9 41.1 46.3 47.4 46.1

2010

46.7 47.2 45.4 42.2 48.1 45.6 41.3 46.5 47.2 46.1

Footnotes:
(b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information.
(na) Not available.


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Table 3-3 Labor force participation rates (in percent)
Year   United  
States
  Canada   Australia    Japan      France   Germany     Italy       Nether- 
lands
 Sweden    United
Kingdom  

1970

60.4 57.8 62.1 64.5 57.5 56.9 49.0 (na) 64.0 (na)

1971

60.2 58.1 62.2 64.3 57.4 56.5 48.7 (na) 64.2 62.8

1972

60.4 58.6 62.3 63.8 57.2 56.2 47.7 (na) 64.1 62.9

1973

60.8 59.7 62.6 64.0 57.4 56.3 47.6 53.4 64.1 63.1

1974

61.3 60.5 63.0 63.1 57.4 55.7 47.7 53.5 64.8 63.1

1975

61.2 61.1 63.2 62.4 (b) 57.0 55.0 47.7 54.5 65.9 63.1

1976

61.6 (b) 62.5 62.7 62.4 57.2 54.6 48.0 54.1 66.0 63.0

1977

62.3 62.8 62.7 62.5 57.5 54.4 48.2 54.2 65.9 62.7

1978

63.2 63.7 61.9 62.8 57.4 54.4 47.8 54.0 66.1 62.6

1979

63.7 64.5 61.6 62.7 57.4 54.5 48.0 54.2 66.6 62.7

1980

63.8 65.0 62.1 62.6 57.2 54.7 48.1 55.4 66.9 62.8

1981

63.9 65.6 61.9 62.6 57.1 54.7 48.3 56.7 66.8 62.7

1982

64.0 64.9 61.7 62.7 (b) 59.5 54.6 47.7 56.6 66.8 61.9

1983

64.0 65.2 61.4 63.1 59.1 54.3 47.5 (b) 55.7 66.7 61.6

1984

64.4 65.5 61.5 62.7 58.9 (b) 54.4 47.3 55.7 66.6 62.7

1985

64.8 66.0 61.7 (b) 62.2 58.8 54.7 47.2 55.5 66.9 62.9

1986

65.3 66.4 (b) 62.8 62.1 58.9 54.9 (b) 47.8 56.0 67.0 62.9

1987

65.6 66.8 62.9 61.8 58.4 55.0 47.6 (b) 55.2 (b) 66.5 63.2

1988

65.9 67.1 63.3 61.8 57.9 55.1 47.4 55.9 67.0 63.8

1989

66.5 67.5 64.1 62.1 57.8 55.2 47.3 56.1 67.3 64.3

1990

(b) 66.5 67.4 64.7 62.6 57.4 55.0 47.2 57.0 67.4 64.3

1991

66.2 66.8 64.2 63.1 56.9 (b) 58.8 (b) 47.8 57.7 67.0 63.7

1992

66.4 65.9 63.9 63.3 57.0 58.1 47.5 (b) 58.3 65.8 62.9

1993

66.3 65.5 63.5 63.2 56.9 57.8 (b) 48.3 57.5 64.5 62.6

1994

(b) 66.6 65.2 63.9 62.9 56.8 57.4 47.6 58.0 63.7 62.4

1995

66.6 64.9 64.5 62.8 56.8 57.1 47.3 59.6 64.0 62.4

1996

66.8 64.8 64.6 62.8 57.1 57.1 47.3 60.2 63.9 62.4

1997

67.1 65.1 64.3 63.0 56.6 57.3 47.3 61.1 63.2 62.5

1998

67.1 65.4 64.3 62.6 56.5 57.7 47.7 61.8 62.8 62.4

1999

67.1 65.8 64.0 62.0 56.6 (b) 56.9 47.9 62.5 62.7 62.8

2000

67.1 66.0 64.4 61.7 56.8 56.7 48.1 (b) 63.0 63.7 62.8

2001

66.8 66.1 64.4 61.2 56.6 56.7 48.3 63.7 63.7 62.7

2002

66.6 67.1 64.3 60.4 56.8 56.4 48.5 64.3 63.9 62.9

2003

66.2 67.7 64.6 59.9 56.4 56.0 49.1 (b) 64.3 63.9 62.9

2004

66.0 67.6 64.6 59.6 56.3 56.4 49.1 64.4 63.6 63.0

2005

66.0 67.3 65.4 59.5 56.2 (b) 57.5 48.7 64.2 (b) 64.8 63.1

2006

66.2 67.2 65.8 59.6 56.2 58.1 48.9 64.5 64.9 63.5

2007

66.0 67.5 66.2 59.8 56.3 58.3 48.6 65.2 65.3 63.3

2008

66.0 67.7 66.7 59.5 56.4 58.4 49.0 65.4 65.3 63.5

2009

65.4 67.2 66.7 59.3 56.6 58.5 48.4 65.2 64.8 63.3

2010

64.7 67.0 66.5 59.0 56.5 58.1 48.2 64.3 64.7 63.1

Footnotes:
(b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information.
(na) Not available.


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Table 3-4 Labor force participation rates for men (in percent)
Year   United  
States
  Canada   Australia    Japan      France   Germany     Italy       Nether- 
lands
 Sweden    United
Kingdom  

1970

79.7 77.8 84.1 81.5 77.5 78.8 73.7 (na) 78.5 (na)

1971

79.1 77.3 83.8 81.9 76.6 77.5 73.4 (na) 78.0 83.1

1972

78.9 77.5 83.6 81.9 75.8 76.4 72.0 (na) 77.3 82.8

1973

78.8 78.2 83.1 81.9 75.5 75.8 71.2 79.4 76.8 82.3

1974

78.7 78.7 82.7 81.6 75.3 74.6 71.0 79.3 76.9 81.5

1975

77.9 78.4 82.2 81.2 (b) 74.4 73.3 70.6 80.0 77.0 81.2

1976

77.5 (b) 79.2 81.5 81.0 74.0 72.5 70.4 79.2 76.5 80.9

1977

77.7 79.0 81.0 80.4 73.8 71.9 69.5 78.7 75.6 80.2

1978

77.9 79.3 79.8 80.1 73.2 71.6 68.7 77.8 75.1 79.3

1979

77.8 79.6 79.5 79.9 72.6 71.5 68.3 77.0 75.1 78.8

1980

77.4 79.5 79.1 79.6 72.0 71.2 67.9 77.4 74.9 78.5

1981

77.0 79.4 78.8 79.6 71.2 70.9 67.8 77.5 73.8 78.1

1982

76.6 77.9 78.4 79.3 (b) 73.3 70.6 66.9 76.1 73.5 77.0

1983

76.4 77.7 77.6 79.2 72.4 70.1 66.2 (b) 75.2 72.9 76.1

1984

76.4 77.5 77.3 78.5 71.5 (b) 70.0 65.6 74.3 72.4 76.4

1985

76.3 77.5 76.7 (b) 77.6 71.2 70.1 65.3 73.8 72.5 76.1

1986

76.3 77.6 (b) 76.6 77.3 70.7 70.2 (b) 65.2 72.4 72.5 75.5

1987

76.2 77.4 76.2 76.6 69.9 69.9 64.5 (b) 69.9 (b) 71.3 75.4

1988

76.2 77.2 76.0 76.5 69.0 69.6 63.9 70.1 71.6 75.7

1989

76.4 77.2 76.3 76.4 68.5 69.1 63.4 70.2 72.1 75.9

1990

(b) 76.4 76.6 76.4 76.7 67.7 68.5 63.0 70.4 72.0 75.7

1991

75.8 75.5 75.6 77.1 66.7 (b) 71.1 (b) 63.7 70.7 71.7 74.7

1992

75.8 74.4 75.0 77.5 66.5 70.1 63.1 (b) 71.0 70.5 73.5

1993

75.4 73.7 74.4 77.6 65.7 69.3 (b) 63.5 69.1 69.2 72.7

1994

(b) 75.1 73.4 74.4 77.2 65.4 68.8 62.4 69.4 68.5 72.3

1995

75.0 72.8 74.6 77.0 65.1 68.1 61.6 70.9 68.8 72.0

1996

74.9 72.5 74.4 77.1 65.4 67.8 61.2 71.2 68.6 71.7

1997

75.0 72.7 74.0 77.1 64.9 67.6 60.9 71.7 68.1 71.5

1998

74.9 72.7 73.7 76.6 64.2 67.9 60.9 72.3 68.0 71.2

1999

74.7 72.9 73.4 76.1 64.2 (b) 66.1 60.7 72.4 67.5 71.4

2000

74.8 72.8 73.1 75.5 64.3 65.6 60.7 (b) 72.6 68.5 71.1

2001

74.4 72.7 72.7 74.8 63.8 65.3 60.3 72.8 68.0 70.9

2002

74.1 73.4 72.5 73.8 64.0 64.6 60.4 73.0 68.1 70.8

2003

73.5 73.7 72.4 73.0 63.1 63.7 60.9 (b) 72.7 68.0 70.8

2004

73.3 73.5 72.6 72.4 62.8 64.1 60.9 72.5 67.7 70.6

2005

73.3 73.2 73.0 72.3 62.4 (b) 65.2 60.6 71.6 (b) 69.3 70.5

2006

73.5 72.6 73.2 72.2 62.3 65.5 60.6 71.6 69.3 70.8

2007

73.2 72.8 73.3 72.4 62.1 65.4 60.3 71.9 69.5 70.7

2008

73.0 73.0 73.6 71.9 62.1 65.4 60.2 71.9 69.6 70.8

2009

72.0 72.0 73.3 71.2 62.2 65.3 59.4 71.2 69.0 70.3

2010

71.2 71.8 73.2 70.8 61.9 65.1 59.1 69.9 69.1 69.9

Footnotes:
(b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information.
(na) Not available.


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Table 3-5 Labor force participation rates for women (in percent)
Year   United  
States
  Canada   Australia    Japan      France   Germany     Italy       Nether- 
lands
 Sweden    United
Kingdom  

1970

43.3 38.3 40.4 48.7 39.8 38.4 26.4 (na) 50.0 (na)

1971

43.4 39.4 41.0 47.7 40.2 38.5 26.3 (na) 50.9 44.6

1972

43.9 40.2 41.2 46.8 40.6 39.0 25.6 (na) 51.5 44.9

1973

44.7 41.9 42.4 47.3 41.1 39.5 26.1 28.5 51.7 45.8

1974

45.7 43.0 43.5 45.7 41.4 39.4 26.5 28.7 53.3 46.4

1975

46.3 44.4 44.5 44.8 (b) 41.3 39.3 26.8 29.5 55.2 46.6

1976

47.3 (b) 46.2 44.3 44.9 42.2 39.3 27.6 29.9 55.9 46.7

1977

48.4 47.0 44.8 45.7 42.9 39.3 28.9 30.6 56.7 46.9

1978

50.0 48.5 44.5 46.4 43.3 39.6 28.8 31.1 57.5 47.4

1979

50.9 49.8 44.3 46.6 43.8 39.9 29.5 32.1 58.5 48.0

1980

51.5 51.0 45.5 46.6 44.1 40.3 30.1 34.3 59.3 48.6

1981

52.1 52.3 45.5 46.7 44.4 40.7 30.4 36.7 60.1 48.6

1982

52.6 52.2 45.4 47.0 (b) 47.2 40.7 30.3 37.9 60.5 48.1

1983

52.9 53.0 45.5 48.0 47.2 40.5 30.5 (b) 37.1 60.8 48.4

1984

53.6 53.9 46.1 47.8 47.6 (b) 40.7 30.5 38.0 61.1 50.2

1985

54.5 55.0 47.1 (b) 47.8 47.7 41.2 30.7 37.9 61.5 50.7

1986

55.3 55.7 (b) 49.3 47.8 48.2 41.4 (b) 31.9 40.2 61.7 51.4

1987

56.0 56.5 49.9 47.8 48.2 41.7 32.1 (b) 41.0 (b) 61.9 52.1

1988

56.6 57.4 50.8 48.0 48.0 42.3 32.3 42.4 62.4 52.9

1989

57.4 58.1 52.2 48.7 48.2 42.7 32.5 42.6 62.8 53.6

1990

57.5 58.5 53.2 49.3 48.1 43.1 32.7 44.2 63.0 54.0

1991

57.4 58.4 53.0 49.9 48.0 (b) 47.7 (b) 33.2 45.3 62.4 53.6

1992

57.8 57.8 53.0 50.0 48.4 47.4 33.3 (b) 46.0 61.3 53.2

1993

57.9 57.6 52.8 49.7 48.9 47.2 (b) 34.5 46.3 60.1 53.3

1994

(b) 58.8 57.4 53.6 49.5 49.0 47.1 34.2 47.1 59.2 53.3

1995

58.9 57.3 54.7 49.3 49.3 47.1 34.4 48.7 59.5 53.5

1996

59.3 57.3 54.9 49.4 49.6 47.4 34.7 49.5 59.4 53.8

1997

59.8 57.8 54.8 49.8 49.2 47.8 34.9 50.9 58.6 54.2

1998

59.8 58.5 55.0 49.4 49.5 48.2 35.6 51.5 58.0 54.3

1999

60.0 59.1 55.0 48.8 49.8 (b) 48.3 36.2 52.9 58.1 54.9

2000

59.9 59.5 55.8 48.7 50.1 48.4 36.6 (b) 53.8 59.2 55.2

2001

59.8 59.8 56.2 48.5 50.2 48.6 37.2 54.9 59.5 55.1

2002

59.6 60.9 56.3 47.9 50.4 48.7 37.6 55.9 59.9 55.5

2003

59.5 61.9 57.1 47.6 50.4 48.8 38.4 (b) 56.1 59.9 55.6

2004

59.2 61.9 56.9 47.7 50.6 49.2 38.3 56.5 59.8 55.9

2005

59.3 61.6 58.0 47.6 50.6 (b) 50.3 37.9 57.1 (b) 60.6 56.1

2006

59.4 61.8 58.6 47.9 50.7 51.2 38.1 57.6 60.8 56.6

2007

59.3 62.5 59.3 48.1 51.0 51.6 37.9 58.7 61.3 56.4

2008

59.5 62.6 60.0 48.0 51.2 51.8 38.6 59.2 61.2 56.6

2009

59.2 62.5 60.1 48.2 51.6 52.1 38.2 59.4 60.8 56.8

2010

58.6 62.4 59.8 48.1 51.7 51.6 38.3 58.8 60.4 56.8

Footnotes:
(b) Break in series; see Country notes for more information.
(na) Not available.


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Last Modified Date: March 30, 2011