Study the following table showing the world's most populous countries and their share of the world's population, then answer questions 15 to 17.
Country % of World Population India 17.5 China 17.2 United States of America 4.2 Indonesia 3.5 Pakistan 2.8 Brazil 2.68 Nigeria 2.6 Bangladesh 2.1 Mexico 1.6
Which of the following set of continents is not represented in the table? Choose the most appropriate option.
Study the following table showing the world's most populous countries and their share of the world's population, then answer questions 15 to 17.
| Country | % of World Population |
|---|---|
| India | 17.5 |
| China | 17.2 |
| United States of America | 4.2 |
| Indonesia | 3.5 |
| Pakistan | 2.8 |
| Brazil | 2.68 |
| Nigeria | 2.6 |
| Bangladesh | 2.1 |
| Mexico | 1.6 |
Which of the following set of continents is not represented in the table? Choose the most appropriate option.
Options
The correct option is D — Australia and Europe.
Why this is correct:
- The table's 9 countries cover Asia (India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh), North America (USA, Mexico), Africa (Nigeria) and South America (Brazil).
- Australia and Europe are the only two continents with no country represented in the table.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correct identification of Australia and Europe as the continents not represented in the table.
Hint
Tick off each continent against the 9 countries one at a time; the two continents left with no tick are the answer.
Quick Oral Answer
Australia and Europe are the two continents with no representative country in the given table of the world's most populous nations.
Analysis & Explanation
Classifying every country in the table by continent:
Continents represented:
- Asia: India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh
- North America: United States of America, Mexico
- Africa: Nigeria
- South America: Brazil
Continents NOT represented: Australia (Oceania) and Europe — no country from either continent appears among these 9 most populous nations.
Why the distractors fail:
- Option A (Australia and Africa) is wrong because Africa IS represented, through Nigeria.
- Option B (Africa and South America) is wrong because both Africa (Nigeria) and South America (Brazil) ARE represented in the table.
- Option C (Europe and South America) is wrong because South America IS represented, through Brazil — only Europe is genuinely absent, not South America.
Only Option D correctly identifies both continents that have zero representation in the table — Australia and Europe.
Common Mistakes
- 1Assuming Africa is absent from the table because only one African country (Nigeria) is listed, when even a single representative counts as 'represented'.
- 2Confusing South America (represented via Brazil) with Australia (genuinely absent), leading to selection of Option C instead of D.
Interesting Facts
Not a single European country features among the world's top 9 most populous nations today, despite Europe historically dominating global population share centuries ago.
Nigeria is projected by UN estimates to become one of the world's three most populous countries by 2050, reflecting Africa's fast-rising demographic share.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which continents are represented in the given population table?
Asia, North America, Africa and South America are represented — through India/China/Indonesia/Pakistan/Bangladesh, USA/Mexico, Nigeria, and Brazil respectively.
Why isn't South America a correct answer for 'not represented'?
South America is represented in the table through Brazil, so any option pairing South America as 'not represented' (like Option B or C) is incorrect.