Step 1: Understanding HDI.
- The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index measuring a country's achievements in health, education, and income.
Step 2: Identifying the top-ranking country.
- As per UNDP reports, Norway has consistently ranked among the top countries in HDI.
- Norway is located in Europe.
Step 3: Elimination of options.
- (A) Asia → No Asian country is at the very top, though countries like Singapore and Japan score high.
- (C) North America → USA and Canada are high but not at the top.
- (D) Australia → Australia also scores very high but not rank 1.
Thus, the correct continent is Europe.
\[
\boxed{\text{The country with the highest HDI (Norway) is in Europe.}}
\]
| List-I (Bronfenbrenner's Environmental Systems) | List-II (Descriptions) |
|---|---|
| A. Chronosystem | I. Consists of the setting in which the individual lives, including the person's family, peers, school, and neighborhood |
| B. Exosystem | II. Consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course |
| C. Macrosystem | III. Consists of links between a social setting in which the individual does not have an active role and the individual's immediate context |
| D. Microsystem | IV. Consists of the culture in which individuals live |
| Column I (Pillars of Human Development) | Column II (Characteristics) |
|---|---|
| a. Equity | iv. Equal access of opportunities for everyone |
| b. Sustainability | iii. Each generation must ensure the availability of choices and opportunities to its future generations |
| c. Productivity | i. Providing better health facilities to everyone |
| d. Empowerment | ii. Good governance and people-oriented policies |