Line Graph-Unemployment Rate in Ireland

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

The line chart details the unemployment rate and number of people leaving Ireland from 1988 to 2008. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the figures followed a roughly complementary pattern except for an extended period in the 1990s. Both data sets declined overall though individuals leaving the country ended with an upwards trend.

In 1988, 17% of individuals were unemployed in Ireland and a slightly lower 15.5% decided to leave the country. Starting in 1990, the rates diverged with between 12% and 13% being unemployed up until 1996 and far fewer proportionally moving abroad (between 14% and 8%).

After 1996, a steep drop in terms of unemployment (down to a low of 5% by 2000) recreated a more symmetrical pattern. Individuals leaving the island nation was broadly stable around 7% before a sharp uptick over the final four years of the period to end at 13%. The rise for unemployment figures was more gradual and was finally registered at 6%.