The bar chart below shows current health expenditure totals as percentages of GDP* for various European countries for the years 2002, 2007 and 2012. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should * GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of goods that are made and services that are provided in a country. European Health Expenditure as Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 2002, 2007 and 2012

The bar chart shows the percentage of GDP spent on healthcare in different European countries in 2002, 2007, and 2012.

Overall

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, some countries kept their healthcare spending steady throughout the

years

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,

while

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most showed inconsistent patterns. Estonia spent the least, with the percentage staying the same in all

years

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. Meanwhile, Switzerland had the highest spending without any changes.

However

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, France, which had high spending, reached its highest point in 2007 before dropping. Getting back into the details, Switzerland and Belgium had the highest healthcare spending, staying close to 11% and 10% of GDP in all

years

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. Meanwhile, France reached its peak in 2007 before dropping to 11.5%. The Netherlands,

on the other hand

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, had its lowest spending at 9% in the same year. Denmark and Norway spent 10% in 2012 but had lower spending of 9% in both 2002 and 2007.

In contrast

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, Luxembourg recorded its highest percentage at 8% in these

years

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.

On the other hand

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, Estonia spent the least, with nearly 3% in all

years

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.

Similarly

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, Spain’s spending stayed around 8% throughout.

However

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, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia had their highest spending in 2012 at 6%, 7%, and 6%,

while

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in 2002 and 2007, their spending was lower. Lithuania had the lowest at nearly 5%.