The unemployment rate is a measure of the unutilized labor supply of a country. If employment is viewed as the desired portion of the economically active population (labor force), unemployment can be seen as, for the most part, the undesirable portion (although some short-term unemployment can be both desirable and necessary). Unemployment rates by specific groups (such as age, sex, occupation or industry) are also useful statistics in identifying groups of workers and sectors most vulnerable to joblessness.

Unemployment is useful and relevant to measuring sustainable development, especially if uniformly measured over time and considered with other socioeconomic indicators. It is one of the main reasons for poverty in rich and medium income areas and among persons with high education in low income areas (no work, no income but compensation from insurance schemes or other welfare state systems whenever they exist). It should be noted, however, that it is common to find people working full-time but remaining poor due to the particular social conditions and type of industrial relations prevalent in their area, industry or occupation. Source: United Nations

This indicator is a basic economic growth indicator and measures the level and extent of total economic output. It reflects changes in total production of goods and services. Growth in the production of goods and services is a basic determinant of how the economy fares. By allocating total production to each unit of population, the extent to which the rate of individual output contributes to the development process can be measured. It indicates the pace of per capita income growth and also the rate that resources are used up. As a single composite indicator of economic growth, it is a most powerful summary indicator of the economic state of development in its many aspects. It does not directly measure for the economic and developmental aspects of sustainable development, including people’s consumption patterns and the use of renewable resources. Source: United Nations

Retail sales are counted on an establishment basis. Mail-order sales are counted at the point from which the merchandise is sent and not at the point at which it is received. Retail sales are classified by kind of business according to the principle lines of commodities sold (e.g., groceries or hardware) or the usual trade designation (e.g., drug store or cigar store). In some cases, an establishment sells goods in several different business groups, such as a convenience store with gasoline pumps. In these cases, all the establishment’s sales are classified in the business group that is the primary activity of the establishment; therefore, the retail sales data by kind of business does not reflect sales by merchandise line.

Building Materials and Hardware
Includes retail establishments primarily engaged in selling lumber and other building materials; paint, glass and wallpaper; hardware; nursery stock; lawn and garden supplies; and mobile homes. It includes lumber and other building materials dealers and paint, glass and wallpaper stores selling to the general public, even if sales to contractors account for a larger proportion of total sales.

General Merchandise Stores
Includes department stores, general discount stores, variety stores and miscellaneous general merchandise stores. These stores all sell a number of lines of merchandise such as dry goods, apparel and accessories, furniture, small wares, hardware and food in one establishment.

Food Stores
Includes establishments primarily engaged in selling for home preparation and consumption. Food stores include grocery stores, including supermarkets and convenience stores; meat and fish markets; fruit and vegetables markets; candy, nut and confectionary stores; dairy product stores, retail bakers and miscellaneous stores such as health food stores and coffee and tea stores.

Automobile Dealers
Includes establishments selling new and used cars, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, utility trailers, aircraft, snowmobiles, motorcycles and mopeds. It also includes dealers selling new automobile parts and accessories as well as automobile repair shops maintained by establishments engaged in the sale of new automobiles.

Gasoline Service Stations
Includes establishments primarily selling gasoline and automotive lubricants. These establishments frequently sell other merchandise such as tires, batteries, accessories and other automotive parts or perform minor repair work. Establishments called garages but deriving more than half their receipts from the sale of gasoline and automotive lubricants are included. Gasoline stations combined with other activities such as convenience stores or car washes are classified by their primary activity as determined by sales.

Apparel and Accessories
Includes retail stores primarily engaged in selling clothing of all kinds and related articles for personal wear and adornment. These establishments include men’s’, boys’, women’s and girls’ clothing stores; shoe stores; specialty stores such as lingerie and handbags; and miscellaneous stores such as uniforms, sports apparel and custom tailors. Establishments that meet the diversity criterion for department stores are not included.

Furniture and Home Furnishing Stores
Includes establishments primarily selling furniture; floor coverings; draperies; glass and china; household appliances such as stoves, refrigerators and other household gas and electric appliances, radios, televisions and electronics; computers and software; records, tapes and compact discs; and musical instruments.

Eating and Drinking Places
Includes establishments selling prepared food and drinks for consumption on the premises; it also includes lunch counters and refreshment stands selling prepared foods and drinks for immediate consumption. These establishments include restaurants and lunchrooms, social caterers, cafeterias, refreshment places such as take-out hamburger and chicken stands; contract feeding such as institutional food service, ice cream and frozen yogurt stands; and drinking places such as bars and lounges.

Drug Stores
These are establishments engaged in the retail sale of prescription drugs. They may carry a number of related lines such as cosmetics, toiletries, tobacco and novelty merchandise and may operate a soda fountain or lunch counter. These stores are classified on the basis of their usual trade designation rather than on the stricter interpretation of commodities handled. Also included are proprietary stores that are establishments generally selling the same merchandise as drug stores, except that prescriptions are not filled and sold.

Miscellaneous Retail Sales
Includes liquor stores, thrift stores, sporting goods stores, bookstores, stationary stores, jewelry stores, toy stores, camera stores, gift shops, luggage stores, fabric stores, catalog and mail-order houses, florists, tobacco stands, newsstands and fuel and oil dealers.

Source: Woods & Poole Economics, Inc