Graphs 2: pie charts

Pie charts are used for showing how something breaks down into its constituent parts.

• Pie charts are usually drawn so the biggest piece of pie comes first (starting at 12 o'clock).
• The 'others' section usually goes last (coming up to 12 o'clock).
• If each piece of pie has its percentage written in, it's easier for the reader to work out the exact proportions.

The pie charts below show differences in the split between primary, secondary and tertiary employment in USA, Brazil and Nepal.

Pie charts showing employment types in a given country.

In this example the circles are the same size. It would also have been possible to make the size of the circle proportional to the size of each country's labour market. Pie charts like this are sometimes called proportional circles.