Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution
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Correct Answer: Option (B) — India < China < USA < UK
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference VerifiedMedian age reflects the demographic transition and age structure:
- India: Youngest among the four with high fertility history and a large youth bulge (median age ~25 in 2008).
- China: Accelerated aging due to the long-standing One-Child Policy (median age ~34 in 2008).
- USA: Higher life expectancy, though immigration keeps it slightly younger than Western Europe (median age ~36 in 2008).
- UK: Mature aging industrialized country with low fertility and high proportion of elderly (median age ~39-40 in 2008).
Thus, the correct ascending order is: India < China < USA < UK.
India is the youngest developing nation (lowest median age), and the UK is an older European nation (highest median age), leading uniquely to (b).
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