Economic activity concerned with the sale and use of economic goods and services; service industry. Economically advanced countries have a high proportion of employment in services: USA 75.3%; Britain 72.6%, France 72.4%, Germany 69.2%, Japan 68.1%. See Daniels, O’Connor, and Hutton (1991) Growth and Change 22, 4 on the planning response to service-sector growth in urban areas.
China’s employment statistics indicate that industrialization in developing countries may also be accompanied by a percentage rise in services.
The corresponding decline of primary and secondary industries in advanced economies has ushered in the post-industrial era.
| 1978 | 1989 | 1997 | 2002 |
|---|
% employed in primary industry | 70.5 | 60.1 | 49.9 | 50.1 |
% employed in secondary industry | 17.3 | 21.6 | 23.7 | 21.4 |
% employed in tertiary industry | 12.3 | 18.3 | 26.4 | 28.6 |
Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China, China Statistics Yearbook (2003).