Country to Country Comparisons

I posted the other day on how Greek and French are not as hard working as say Germans. I have heard this but I wrote it without stats. I have now looked up some stats, and here they are from CNBC:

U.S.

Average hours per week: 33.8
Per capita income: $46,400
Average vacation days; 25
Tax range: 10-35%
Statutory retirement age: 65

Germany

Average hours per week: 35.5
Per capita income: $34, 200
Average vacation days: 30
Tax range: 0-45%
Statutory retirement age: 65

China

Average hours per week: 44
Per capita income: $6,500
Average vacation days: 21
Tax range: 5-45%
Statutory retirement age: men 60 women 50

UK

Average hours per week: 37
Per capita income: $35,400
Average vacation days: 36
Tax range: 20-40%
Statutory retirement age: men 60 women 55

Greece

Average hours per week: 42.4
Per capita income: $32,100
Average vacation days: 37
Tax range: 27-40%
Statutory retirement age: 65

France

Average hours per week: 38
Per capita income: $32,800
Average vacation days: 40
Tax range: 0-40%
Statutory retirement age: 60

There are a lot more countries covered at the site, which you can find here:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/36017324/Workers_Country_By_Country

So, if these stats are accurate, the U.S. work week is pretty short compared to most (I note it has grown shorter during the recession due to part time workers and cut back hours), but we get less vacation than most and are generally forced to retire later than most, though not all. Rumors of the Greek being lazy may not be accurate, though nothing here dispels information that tax cheating is rampant there. So much for rumor or word of mouth.

Disclosures: None