Which statement best describes life expectancy in developing countries?

Which statement best describes life expectancy in developing countries?

• A. About 50 to 60 years.
• B. About 70 to 80 years.
• C. About 85 years.
• D. About 40 to 45 years.

Answer: (A)

Life expectancy is the average number of years a newborn is expected to live given current mortality rates in a country. In developing countries, higher death rates from infectious diseases, malnutrition, limited access to healthcare, and higher infant mortality pull the average down, so it’s common to see life expectancy around fifty to sixty years. Think of it this way: healthier conditions and better medical care in wealthier, developed nations push the average higher, often into the seventy-to-eighty range, with some areas reaching around eighty-five. A figure around forty to forty-five years would indicate an especially harsh mortality pattern, far lower than typical for most developing regions.

Life expectancy is the average number of years a newborn is expected to live given current mortality rates in a country. In developing countries, higher death rates from infectious diseases, malnutrition, limited access to healthcare, and higher infant mortality pull the average down, so it’s common to see life expectancy around fifty to sixty years.

Think of it this way: healthier conditions and better medical care in wealthier, developed nations push the average higher, often into the seventy-to-eighty range, with some areas reaching around eighty-five. A figure around forty to forty-five years would indicate an especially harsh mortality pattern, far lower than typical for most developing regions.