Two countries have the same proportion of working-age population, but country X has a higher share of children while country Y has a higher share of elderly people. What will be the main difference in their development priorities?

Correct answer: X must focus more on schools and child health, while Y must focus more on pensions and elderly care

Age structure shows how a population is divided among children, working-age people, and older people. A high child share creates immediate needs for primary schools, teachers, vaccination, nutrition, child health, and later adolescent and skill services. In contrast, a high elderly share increases the need for pensions, accessible health care, long-term care, social support, and age-friendly infrastructure. Although both countries have the same working-age share, their dependent groups are different, so their public spending and planning priorities cannot be identical. Therefore, choice A is correct.

Choice B ignores the effect of age composition on policy. Choice C is incorrect because each country needs a range of services, not only one facility, and the stated needs are reversed. Choice D is also wrong: age structure directly affects dependency, labour supply, education demand, health expenditure, and social security. The comparison concerns the dominant dependent group. Country X must prepare children to become healthy and skilled adults, whereas country Y must support people who have already reached older ages.