GDP per capita varies greatly among OECD countries. In 2005 the GDP per capita in Luxemburg was more than six times higher than the one in Mexico (Figure 15.1).

In 2005 labour productivity, measured by GDP per person employed, was USD 59 000 on average in OECD countries, ranging from less than USD 21 000 in Turkey and Mexico to four times higher in the United States (Figure 16.1). Productivity growth in the years 1995-2005 was the highest in Poland, the Slovak Republic, Ireland, Hungary and Korea, at more than two times the OECD average. At the other extreme, GDP per worker was negative in Mexico, Italy and Spain (Figure 16.1).

Regional specialisation varies considerably among OECD countries. Specialisation is measured as the ratio between an industry’s weight in a region and its weight in the country overall. A region is specialised in an industry when the index is above 1 and it is not specialised when the index is below 1. Comparable regional data on employment by industry for 25 OECD countries on a detailed sector classification are available only for the real economy and market services (i.e. the financial sector and industries dominated by non market production such as public administration, education, health and defence are excluded).

Unemployment rates vary significantly within countries. In 2006, regional differences in unemployment rates within OECD countries were almost two times higher (19 percentage points) than differences among countries (11 percentage points). 

In 2006 the labour force participation rate, that is to say the ratio between labour force and the working age population, was equal to 70.6% in OECD countries. Turkey and Iceland recorded, respectively, the lowest and highest values 51% and 88%. Spain and Ireland were the countries where the labour force participation rate grew the most between 1999 and 2006, thanks to a marked increase in the employment and, in Spain, also to a strong reduction in unemployment (Figure 19.1).