Development assessed by key socioeconomic indicators

Steps:

• Identify main development metrics: GDP per capita, literacy rate, life expectancy, and infant mortality.
• Compare GDP per capita across countries to gauge economic strength.
• Evaluate social and health indicators for human well-being.
• Select the country with the highest overall scores on these metrics.

Why B is correct:

• Country B shows superior values in GDP per capita, literacy, and life expectancy, matching the Human Development Index (HDI) formula that weights income, education, and health equally.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Lowest GDP per capita and literacy rate indicate underdevelopment.
• C: High GDP but poor life expectancy and high infant mortality signal uneven progress.
• D: Moderate indicators across the board but consistently below B's levels.

Final answer: B