Which of the following is a characteristic of least developed countries?

The option that highlights a characteristic of least developed countries describes a situation where there are increasing death rates while birth rates remain high. In least developed countries, it is common to see high birth rates due to factors such as limited access to family planning, cultural norms favoring large families, and a lack of education regarding reproductive health.

However, high birth rates are often coupled with increasing death rates due to inadequate healthcare systems, malnutrition, exposure to infectious diseases, and poor living conditions. This combination results in population challenges, where populations may grow slowly or even decline due to high mortality despite high fertility rates. This demographic situation is distinctly characteristic of least developed countries, where conditions tend to hinder advancements that would otherwise improve health and longevity, leading to a critical situation in public health and economic development.

The other choices present characteristics that are not typically seen in least developed countries. High life expectancy is more common in developed nations, extensive technological advancements usually denote a more industrialized or developed society, and a highly educated workforce tends to exist in environments with better access to education and resources, which are generally lacking in least developed countries.