Date producing countries in 2001

Top 10 date-producing countries

The bar graph shows date production in tonnes for the world's top producers in 2001. Ten countries in the Gulf region and North Africa are featured.

First, Egypt was responsible for the lion's share of production, with over a million tonnes, but Iran was a close second, with almost 0.9 million. Following them came the UAE and Saudi Arabia, rivalling each other with about 740,000 tonnes each. Pakistan and Iraq, with outputs of approximately 630,000, were not far behind. The rest of the nations, however, were far less productive. Algeria supplied the world with nearly 400,000 tonnes and Oman around quarter of a million. In contrast, the harvests in Libya and Sudan were far less plentiful, yielding under 0.2 million each.

In summary, date production was most abundant in Egypt and Iran. In contrast, the countries with the smallest output were Libya and Sudan.

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Valentine's Day

Two pie charts

These two pie charts show the types of gifts that man and women in the USA buy for each other on 14th February, Valentine’s day.

The most popular gifts bought by both men and women are cards, flowers and candy. Cards are the most popular gift for both genders. More men than women buy flowers, 16% compared to 11%, while more women, 27%, buy cards than men, 18%. Rather surprisingly, more women, around a fifth, buy candy for men than vice versa. Around 10% of both men and women purchase jewelry/jewellery. Over twice as many women than men buy perfume or cologne. Men spend more than women on both lingerie and spa/personal care, which is probably what you’d expect.

In conclusion, the types of gifts bought for each other by men and women in the USA are more or less what you’d expect. The actual percentages, however, are rather more surprising; for example, the fact that a greater percentage of women buy candy and perfume/cologne.

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buy: simple present
bought: simple present passive
ways of comparing/contrasting

UK Budget 1996

The total budget of the UK government in 1996 was £315 billion. This pie chart shows what the government spent the money on. There are ten separate categories shown on the chart.

The biggest item by far was social security. At £100 billion, this was almost twice as much as the next category, health and personal services. Next came education with £38 billion and defence with £22 billion. There was less than £20 billion spent on the next three categories, which were: first, law and order; next, industry, agriculture and employment; then, housing, heritage and environment. Transport had the smallest budget, with £9 billion. Debt interest was £25 billion and other expenditure was £23 billion.

The outstanding feature of the pie chart is that expenditure on social security, £100 billion, was almost as much as the total for the next three categories: health, education and defence, £113 billion.

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P.S. It is worth noting that, according to figures for 2009-10 (HM Treasury Pre-Budget report), the total budget had more than doubled, with education at £88bn, health £119bn & social protection £190bn: eye-watering indeed.