The graph below shows the number of shops that closed and the number of news shops that opened in one country between 2011 and 2018.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Closures:
Almost 6400 in 2011
Decreased to 6000 in 2012
Increased to above 7000 in 2013
Decreased to 6500 in 2014
Fell sharply to 500 in 2015
Increased sharply to above 5000 in 2016 and remained steady until 2018
Openings:
Started at 8500 in 2011
Fell sharply to below 4000 in 2012
Increased to above 6000 after 2014
Fell to 4000 in 2015 and remained steady until 2017
Decreased to 3000 in 2018
The graph provides an overview of shop closures and new shop openings in a specific country from 2011 to 2018. In 2011, approximately 6,400 shops closed. This number declined to 6,000 in 2012 but surged to over 7,000 in 2013. A subsequent decrease occurred in 2014, with 6,500 closures. However, a significant drop was observed in 2015, plummeting to merely 500 closures. From 2016 onwards, closures experienced fluctuations, settling around 5,000 until 2018.
Conversely, new shop openings commenced at 8,500 in 2011 but dramatically declined to less than 4,000 in 2012. After 2014, there was an upward trend, surpassing 6,000. Subsequently, there was a decline to 4,000 in 2015, which then remained stable until 2017. The year 2018 witnessed a further decline to 3,000 openings.
Notably, closures generally followed an inconsistent pattern, with substantial fluctuations, while openings displayed a more distinct trend. In the earlier years, closures were higher than openings, but from 2014 onwards, openings tended to surpass closures. Overall, however, the number of both decreased significantly over the seven year period.
In conclusion, the graph illustrates varying trends in shop closures and openings within the specified country. While closures experienced significant fluctuations throughout the period, openings displayed a clearer trajectory, showcasing the changing retail environment over the years.