AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Total income does not account for a country's population size. A country may have high total income but a large population, meaning individuals may still be poor. Therefore, per capita income (total income ÷ total population) is used, as it tells us what an average person is likely to earn and enables meaningful comparison.
Source: How to Compare Different Countries or States?, Chapter 1
The key point examiners look for is: total income ignores population differences between countries. The textbook directly states "countries have different populations, comparing total income will not tell us what an average person is likely to earn." Always mention per capita income as the correct alternative. Two marks = two clear points: (1) why total income fails, (2) what is used instead.