62 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. If the map is enlarged to twice its size, the new scale will be
Answer: A (1 : 100,000)
Enlarging a map twice halves the denominator of the RF: 200,000 ÷ 2 = 100,000.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. The total area covered by the map is
Answer: B (1020km²)
Use the linear scale to measure the length and width of the map frame in kilometres (about 31 km by 33 km) and multiply them.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. The feature marked K in the south eastern part of the map is a
Answer: C (conical hill)
K is surrounded by roughly circular, closed contours that get smaller towards the top: a conical hill.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. Which of the following is a likely economic activity in the mapped area?
Answer: B (Animal rearing)
Grassland symbols cover much of the map and there are no forest or mine symbols, so animal rearing is likely.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. Akwu is an example of a
Answer: B (nodal settlement)
Akwu stands where several roads meet, which makes it a nodal settlement.
Study the map of AKWU DISTRICT to answer this question. Akwu is likely to be the most important settlement in the area because it is
Answer: A (both an administrative and a commercial centre.)
Akwu has a court (administration) and a market (commerce), which other settlements lack.
Temperature statistics can best be represented with
Answer: A (line graphs)
Temperature changes continuously through the year, so a line graph shows its rise and fall best.
The earth's movement from west to east on its own axis is known as
Answer: A (rotation)
Spinning on its own axis is rotation; moving round the sun is revolution.
The tilting of the earth's axis and the revolution of the earth cause
Answer: A (differences in the length of day and night)
Because the axis is tilted as the earth orbits the sun, the length of day and night (and the seasons) changes through the year.
Lines of longitude can best be described as
Answer: B (imaginary lines on the earth's surface running from the north pole to the south pole and at right angles to the parallels.)
Meridians (lines of longitude) are imaginary lines joining the two poles and crossing the parallels at right angles.
If it is 3pm GMT on Sunday at Accra, what will be the local time in town X located on longitude 165°E?
Answer: D (2.00am on Monday)
165° × 4 minutes = 660 minutes = 11 hours ahead of GMT (east gains time): 3 pm Sunday + 11 h = 2 am Monday.
The shortest flying route between any two points on the earth's surface lies along the
Answer: C (Great Circle)
The shortest route between two points on a sphere is an arc of a great circle.
Which of the following planets has a single satellite?
Answer: D (Earth)
The earth has only one natural satellite, the moon; the others have many.
When granite is subjected to intense heat or pressure, it forms
Answer: D (gneiss)
Metamorphism of granite produces gneiss; quartzite comes from sandstone, slate from shale.
Which of the following rocks is most likely to be weathered by the process of solution?
Answer: C (Limestone)
Limestone (calcium carbonate) dissolves in rainwater containing carbon dioxide.
When magma solidifies at the crest of an anticline or at the bottom of a syncline, the feature formed is called
Answer: C (phacolith)
A lens-shaped intrusion in the crest of an anticline or trough of a syncline is a phacolith.
Physical weathering is expected to be most active in the
Answer: B (hot desert region)
Hot deserts have a very large daily range of temperature and little moisture, so rocks break up mainly by expansion and contraction.
Which of the following is a feature of extrusive vulcanicity?
Answer: C (Composite cone)
A composite cone is built on the surface from layers of lava and ash; the others form underground.
The correct sequence in the process of denudation is
Answer: D (weathering—erosion—transportation—deposition.)
Rock is first broken down (weathering), then worn and removed (erosion), carried away (transportation) and finally laid down (deposition).
The movement and direction of ocean currents are affected by the
Answer: B (rotation of the earth)
The earth's rotation deflects currents to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern (Coriolis force).
Temperatures are high throughout the year in equatorial areas mainly because
Answer: A (insolation is constantly high)
The midday sun is almost overhead all year at the equator, so the heat received is always high.
The difference in the readings on the wet and dry-bulb thermometers is used to determine
Answer: D (relative humidity)
A hygrometer (wet- and dry-bulb thermometers) gives relative humidity from the difference between the two readings.
The instrument used for measuring atmospheric pressure is known as
Answer: C (barometer)
A barometer measures air pressure.
The variation in salinity of sea water depends on all the following factors except the
Answer: D (slope of the land.)
Salinity is controlled by evaporation, fresh-water inflow and mixing; the slope of the land has no effect.
Heavy rainfall is often associated with high temperatures because
Answer: D (warm air is capable of holding more moisture than cold air.)
Warm air can hold much more water vapour, so when it rises and cools it gives heavy rain.
Downward-growing pinnacles that hang from the roofs of caves in limestone regions are called
Answer: A (stalactites)
Stalactites hang down from the roof; stalagmites grow up from the floor.
Which of the following does not favour the formation of deltas?
Answer: D (The existence of large lakes in the middle and lower portions of a river.)
Large lakes along the river trap its sediment, so little load reaches the mouth to build a delta.
Environmental controls include all the following except
Answer: D (degradation)
Degradation is damage to the environment, not a way of controlling it.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the rain-forest?
Answer: D (Absence of epiphytes.)
Epiphytes (plants growing on other plants) are common in the rain forest, so their absence is not a feature.
The largest concentration of human population is in
Answer: D (South East Asia)
Monsoon Asia (China, India, South-East Asia) holds the largest concentration of people.
The population of India is mainly characterised by
Answer: D (high growth rate)
India's birth rate is far above its death rate, giving a high rate of population growth.
If the total population of a country is 25,000,000 and her total land area is 100,000 square kilometres, what is her population density?
Answer: D (250 persons per sq. km.)
Density = population ÷ area = 25,000,000 ÷ 100,000 = 250 persons per sq km.
Which of the following features promote the development of nucleated settlements?
Answer: A (Nodal centres and natural harbours)
Nodal centres and natural harbours draw people and buildings close together, so settlements there are compact (nucleated).
The main difference between towns and villages is that
Answer: C (towns perform more tertiary functions)
Towns provide many services (trade, banking, administration), while villages are mainly engaged in primary activities like farming.
Most of the industries located in rural areas are
Answer: C (raw material-oriented)
Rural industries (e.g. sawmills, oil mills, cement works) are sited near the bulky raw materials they process.
Which of the following is a service industry?
Answer: D (Banking)
Banking provides a service rather than producing goods, so it is a tertiary (service) industry.
One characteristic of intensive farming is that it is usually practised in urban centres with
Answer: B (large population)
Intensive farming uses small plots heavily, which happens where many people press on limited land.
The most important method of mining tin in Nigeria is the
Answer: B (open cast)
Tin ore on the Jos Plateau lies near the surface in alluvial deposits, so it is mined by open cast (and paddock) methods.
Trade among West African countries is low mainly because they
Answer: D (produce similar goods.)
Most West African countries export the same primary products (cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil), so they have little to sell to one another.
In which of the following order is copper produced?
Answer: C (Blasting-crushing-grinding-floting-smelting)
The ore is blasted out, crushed, ground to powder, concentrated by flotation and then smelted.
The major difference between the tropical rain-forest and the savanna is that savanna vegetation
Answer: D (has less species of plants while the rain-forest has diverse species of plants.)
The rain forest has a huge variety of tree species; savanna is mainly grass with fewer kinds of trees.
The vegetation type characterised by short grasses and stunted trees is the
Answer: B (Sudan savanna)
Sudan savanna has short grasses and scattered, stunted, drought-resistant trees; Guinea savanna has taller grass and trees.
Which of the following is not a cause of desertification in West Africa?
Answer: A (Constant high temperature)
Desertification is driven by human misuse of land such as cutting trees, overcultivation and overgrazing; high temperature alone does not cause it.
The most critical element in an ecosystem is the
Answer: B (energy flow within the system)
All life in an ecosystem depends on energy flowing from the sun through producers to consumers.
The most important cash crop grown in the Nile Basin is
Answer: B (cotton)
Long-staple cotton grown under irrigation (e.g. Gezira, Egypt) is the main cash crop of the Nile Basin.
The leading producer of diamond in Africa is
Answer: A (Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo))
The DR Congo (Zaire) produces the largest quantity of diamonds (mostly industrial) among the options.
Country X has five states, A, B, C, D and E with population statistics and land area as stated in the table below.
Table I Population/Land area statistics for the five states in Country X:
State A: total population 5.4 million, total land area 120,000 km²
State B: 4.2 million, 85,000 km²
State C: 6.5 million, 135,000 km²
State D: 3.2 million, 98,000 km²
State E: 7.4 million, 140,000 km²
Total: ?, ?
Use the table above to: (a) Calculate the (i) total population (ii) total land area (iii) population density. (b) Explain four factors responsible for the distribution of world population. (c) Highlight three factors that cause increase in world population.
(a)(i) 5.4 + 4.2 + 6.5 + 3.2 + 7.4 = 26.7 million (26,700,000).
(ii) 120,000 + 85,000 + 135,000 + 98,000 + 140,000 = 578,000 km².
(iii) 26,700,000 ÷ 578,000 = about 46 persons per km².
(b) Relief: lowlands and plains are densely settled, rugged mountains sparsely; climate: moderate climates attract people while very hot, cold or dry areas repel them; soils: fertile soils (river valleys, volcanic soils) support dense farming populations; water supply; minerals and industry create jobs and attract people; accessibility and transport; pests and diseases (tsetse fly) repel people; political stability and history.
(c) High birth rate; falling death rate through better medical care and sanitation; improved food supply; early marriage and religious/cultural attitudes against birth control; immigration.
Show the working for each calculation and give the unit.
(a) With specific examples, explain the terms: (i) light industry (ii) heavy industry. (b) Highlight four factors that limit industrial development in tropical Africa.
(a)(i) Light industry uses small quantities of light raw materials and produces light consumer goods, needs little capital and can be sited near markets, e.g. textiles, bakery, soft drinks, cosmetics, plastics.
(ii) Heavy industry uses large quantities of bulky raw materials and heavy machinery, needs huge capital and produces heavy goods often used by other industries, e.g. iron and steel (Ajaokuta), shipbuilding, petroleum refining, cement.
(b) Shortage of capital; inadequate and erratic power supply; poor transport and communication; shortage of skilled labour and technology; small home market due to low incomes; political instability; competition from imported goods; corruption and poor management; inadequate raw materials processing.
Give a named example for each term.
(a) Give any three reasons each for the (i) high volume of trade between Nigeria and the U.S.A. (ii) low volume of trade between Nigeria and Ghana. (b) Suggest any four ways of improving trade between Nigeria and other West African countries.
(a)(i) Nigeria and the USA produce different goods (complementary): Nigeria sells crude oil and cocoa, the USA sells machinery and manufactured goods; the USA is a large rich market; good shipping and air links; long-standing trade agreements and investment by US oil companies; Nigeria's demand for American technology.
(ii) Nigeria and Ghana produce similar goods (cocoa, palm produce, timber); different currencies and exchange problems; poor road and rail links; trade barriers, border closures and tariffs; colonial ties directed trade to Europe; political disagreements; smuggling.
(b) Remove tariffs and border barriers (ECOWAS free trade); build roads and railways linking the countries; common currency or easy exchange; diversify production so countries have different goods to sell; stable governments and good relations; trade fairs and information.
Contrast complementary production (high trade) with similar production (low trade).
(a) On an outline map of Nigeria, locate and name one area noted for each of the following: (i) tin mining; (ii) limestone mining; (iii) thermal power station; (iv) oil refinery; (v) hydro-electric power station. (b) Describe the method of mining tin in Nigeria. (c) State four ways in which minerals are of economic importance to Nigeria.
(a) Tin: Jos Plateau (Jos, Bukuru); limestone: Ewekoro, Nkalagu, Sokoto, Ukpilla, Calabar; thermal power: Egbin, Afam, Sapele, Ughelli, Ijora; oil refinery: Port Harcourt (Alesa-Eleme), Warri, Kaduna; HEP: Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro.
(b) Tin ore (cassiterite) occurs in alluvial deposits near the surface; overburden removed by bulldozers or draglines (open cast/paddock method); gravel dug and washed with water jets (hydraulicking) or in sluice boxes so heavy cassiterite settles; some small-scale miners pan by hand; concentrate is dried and smelted at Jos.
(c) Foreign exchange from exports; government revenue (royalties, taxes); employment; raw materials for industries (cement, refineries); energy (coal, oil, gas); growth of towns and infrastructure.
Place each item in its correct state on the map and add a key.
(a) On a sketch map of Nigeria, locate and name: (i) the Chad Basin and the Western Highlands; (ii) one important river in one of the regions; (iii) one important town in each region. (b) State three ways in which the relief and drainage of the Chad Basin differ from those of the Western Highlands. (c) Highlight three problems of development in the Chad Basin.
(a) Chad Basin: north-east (Borno, Yobe), around Lake Chad; rivers Komadugu-Yobe or Ngadda; town Maiduguri. Western Highlands: south-west uplands (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara); rivers Ogun, Osun, Oshun, Owena; town Ibadan, Ilorin, Akure, Ado-Ekiti.
(b) Chad Basin is a flat, low sedimentary plain (about 300-500 m); Western Highlands are an undulating crystalline upland with inselbergs (up to 600 m). Chad Basin has inland drainage into Lake Chad; Western Highlands drain outward to the Atlantic or the Niger. Chad Basin rivers are few and seasonal; Western Highlands have many rivers in a dendritic pattern, flowing most of the year.
(c) Low unreliable rainfall and drought; desertification and shrinking of Lake Chad; poor soils and sand dunes; long distance from the coast and poor transport; insecurity; shortage of water for industry; few industries and low investment.
Contrast the two regions point by point (height, rock, drainage pattern).
(a) On an outline map of Nigeria, show and name: (i) the mangrove swamp forest (ii) the Sahel savanna (iii) the Guinea savanna (iv) one major town in 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(iii) above. (b) Highlight three main characteristics of the Guinea Savanna vegetation. (c) Outline four ways in which the mangrove swamp forest is of economic importance.
(a) Mangrove swamp: coastal strip of the Niger Delta and Lagos/Calabar lagoons (town Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar); Sahel savanna: extreme north-east and north-west (around Lake Chad); Guinea savanna: middle belt (towns Ilorin, Makurdi, Minna, Abuja, Lokoja).
(b) Tall grasses (1.5-3 m) such as elephant grass; scattered deciduous trees (shea butter, locust bean, oil palm along rivers) that shed leaves in the dry season; gallery forests along rivers; trees have thick bark and long roots to resist fire and drought; grass dries and is burnt in the dry season.
(c) Wood for fuel and charcoal; poles for building; tannin from bark for dyeing and tanning; medicinal herbs; fishing and shellfish (oysters, crabs) among the roots; ropes and raffia; protection of the coast from erosion; tourism.
Shade each vegetation belt in the correct latitude and add a key.
(a) Draw an outline map of West Africa, and on it, locate and name (outside your country): (i) two areas with a population density of over 500 persons per square kilometre (ii) two areas with a population density of less than 50 persons per square kilometre (iii) one important town in one of the areas shown in 7(a)(i) above. (b) Highlight three factors that favour the high population density in one of the areas shown on your map. (c) In what four ways is high population concentration a problem to the area described in 7(b) above?
(a) Dense areas: coastal Ghana around Accra, Freetown peninsula, Dakar area, Abidjan area, Lomé, Cotonou; sparse areas: Sahel/Sahara of Mali, Niger and Mauritania (e.g. around Kayes, Bamako hinterland, northern Niger); town e.g. Accra or Dakar.
(b) Port and capital functions with jobs; industries; fertile soils and favourable climate; good transport and nodal location; social amenities (schools, hospitals); commercial activities; political stability.
(c) Overcrowding and slums; housing shortage and high rents; unemployment and crime; traffic congestion; pollution and poor sanitation; spread of diseases; pressure on water, power and other services; high cost of living.
Use a clear key for the two density classes.
(a) On a sketch map of Africa, locate and name: (i) two fold mountain areas (ii) two important rivers north of the equator (iii) two ocean currents: one warm; one cold (iv) the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. (b) Explain how one of the ocean currents in 8(a)(iii) above affect the climate and vegetation of the adjacent coastlands.
(a) Fold mountains: Atlas (north-west), Cape Ranges (south); rivers north of equator: Niger, Nile, Senegal, Volta, Benue; warm current: Guinea current or Mozambique/Agulhas current; cold current: Benguela (south-west) or Canaries (north-west); Tropic of Cancer 23½°N across the Sahara, Tropic of Capricorn 23½°S across southern Africa.
(b) Cold current (e.g. Benguela): cools the air above it so onshore winds are cool and dry; air is stable so little rain falls; fog and mist form along the coast; low temperatures and low rainfall give desert or semi-desert (Namib) with scanty, drought-resistant vegetation.
Warm current (e.g. Mozambique/Guinea): warms the air and adds moisture; onshore winds bring heavy rain; raises coastal temperatures; supports dense forest vegetation.
Show warm currents and cold currents with different arrows in the key.
Write a geographical account of irrigation agriculture in the Niger Basin under the following headings: (a) Areas (b) Methods (c) Crops (d) Problems (e) Solutions
(a) Inland delta of the Niger in Mali (Office du Niger, Ségou-Mopti); Sokoto-Rima valley; Bacita and Jebba (sugarcane); Kano river project; Hadejia valley; Niger valley in Niger Republic.
(b) Basin or flood irrigation using flood water; perennial irrigation from dams and barrages with canals; pump irrigation from rivers; shaduf and hand watering; sprinkler and drip methods.
(c) Rice, cotton, sugarcane, wheat, millet, sorghum, onions, vegetables, groundnuts, maize.
(d) High cost of dams and canals; silting of reservoirs; soil salinity from evaporation; seasonal flow of rivers; flooding of farms; water weeds; water-borne diseases (bilharzia, malaria); displacement of people.
(e) Better irrigation methods and drainage; dredging of channels; leaching and soil treatment against salinity; storing flood water; clearing weeds; medical care; resettlement and compensation; government funding and modern technology.
Write short notes under each of the five headings.
(a) Describe, with the aid of a suitable diagram, an open traverse. (b) A compass traverse round a school compound produced the following field record:
Line AB: length 370 m, bearing 260°
Line BC: length 450 m, bearing 198°
Line CD: length 265 m, bearing 110°
Line DE: length 560 m, bearing 35°
Line EA: length 140 m, bearing 330°
Use the data above to: (i) plot the area of the compound on a scale of 1cm to 50m; (ii) find the direct distance between D and A, in metres.
(a) An open traverse is a series of connected survey lines whose lengths and bearings are measured, starting at one point and ending at another without returning to the start (e.g. along a road or river). Diagram: a zig-zag line A-B-C-D-E with lengths and bearings marked, the end not joined to the start.
(b)(i) Convert lengths at 1 cm to 50 m: AB 7.4 cm, BC 9.0 cm, CD 5.3 cm, DE 11.2 cm, EA 2.8 cm; plot each line from the previous point on its bearing with a protractor from north lines; the traverse should close (almost) at A; give a title, scale and north arrow.
(ii) Measure DA on the plot (about 12.6-12.7 cm) and multiply by 50: about 630-635 m.
Convert each length to centimetres first, then plot bearings clockwise from north at each station.
(a) Draw a well-labelled diagram to show the internal structure of the earth. (b) Describe the main features of any two of the parts shown in 3(a) above.
(a) Concentric diagram labelled: crust (sial over sima), Mohorovicic discontinuity, mantle, Gutenberg discontinuity, outer core (liquid), inner core (solid).
(b) Crust: outermost thin layer, 5-10 km under oceans and up to 60-70 km under continents; sial (silica and aluminium, granitic, density about 2.7) forms continents; sima (silica and magnesium, basaltic, about 3.0) forms the ocean floor; supports life and soils.
Mantle: about 2,900 km thick; dense ultrabasic rocks rich in iron and magnesium (olivine); very hot; upper part partly molten (asthenosphere) where convection currents move plates.
Core: radius about 3,400-3,500 km; made of nickel and iron (nife); very dense and hottest; outer core liquid, inner core solid; gives the earth its magnetism.
Label the layers in order from outside in and give thickness and composition for each one you describe.
Write explanatory notes on the formation of any two of the following: (a) Waterfalls (b) Deltas (c) Inselbergs
(a) Waterfalls: form where a band of hard rock lies across a river over softer rock; the soft rock downstream is eroded faster, leaving a steep step; plunge pool formed by hydraulic action and abrasion at the foot; undercutting makes the lip collapse so the fall retreats upstream (gorge); also at fault scarps, plateau edges, hanging valleys (e.g. Kainji area, Victoria Falls).
(b) Deltas: where a river enters a sea or lake its speed falls and it deposits its load; deposition faster than waves and currents can remove it; sheltered coast, gentle offshore slope and large load favour them; the river splits into distributaries through the deposits; types arcuate (Niger, Nile), bird's foot (Mississippi), estuarine.
(c) Inselbergs: isolated steep-sided hills rising abruptly from a plain in tropical/semi-arid areas; made of resistant rock (often granite); surrounding weaker rock removed by deep chemical weathering and erosion, leaving the hard core standing; examples Idanre, Olumo Rock, Zuma Rock.
For each feature, name the process and say why that place is affected.
(a) Define the term mass wasting. (b) Describe two types of mass wasting. (c) State three effects of mass wasting.
(a) Mass wasting (mass movement) is the movement of weathered rock and soil down a slope under the force of gravity.
(b) Soil creep: very slow, hardly noticeable movement of soil down gentle slopes, caused by wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, rain splash; shown by tilted posts, trees and walls. Landslide: sudden rapid movement of large masses of rock and soil down steep slopes, often after heavy rain or earthquakes, when the material is lubricated. Others: mudflow, earthflow, slump, solifluction, rockfall.
(c) Loss of farmland and soil fertility; destruction of buildings and displacement of settlements; blocking of roads and railways and damage to power lines; damming of rivers and flooding; loss of life.
Define first, then give each type its speed, cause and evidence.
(a) Highlight the characteristics of the equatorial rain-forest. (b) Outline four ways in which climate influences the equatorial rain-forest.
(a) Tall trees (up to 60 m) with straight trunks and buttress roots; three layers of canopy; evergreen with broad leaves; great variety of species (mahogany, iroko, obeche, ebony); dense undergrowth where light reaches; climbers (lianas) and epiphytes; trees of one species scattered, not in pure stands; hardwoods.
(b) Heavy rainfall all year keeps the forest evergreen and dense; constant high temperature (about 27°C) allows continuous growth all year; high humidity favours epiphytes and luxuriant growth; heavy rain leaches soils so trees get nutrients from rapid decay of litter; strong sunlight makes trees compete upward, giving tall trees and layered canopy; no dry season so no leaf-shedding period.
Link each climatic element (rain, heat, humidity, light) to a forest feature.
(a) What is environmental pollution? (b) Describe four causes of environmental pollution. (c) Outline three ways in which environmental pollution can be controlled.
(a) Environmental pollution is the release of harmful substances or energy (noise, heat) into the air, water or land so that the environment becomes unsafe or unhealthy for living things.
(b) Industrial gases and effluents from factories; exhaust fumes from vehicles and generators; oil spillage and gas flaring in oil areas; poor disposal of refuse and sewage; burning of bush, firewood and coal; overuse of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides washed into water; noise from loudspeakers and machines; mining waste.
(c) Laws to limit emissions and dumping, with enforcement; anti-pollution devices on factories and vehicles; treating industrial waste and sewage before discharge; proper refuse collection and recycling; environmental impact assessment before projects; public education.
Name a source and its effect for each cause.
(a) Define Ecosystem. (b) Describe four ways in which man has interferred with the ecosystem. (c) Outline three consequences of man's interference with the ecosystem.
(a) An ecosystem is a community of living things (plants, animals, micro-organisms) interacting with one another and with their non-living environment (air, water, soil, climate).
(b) Deforestation for farming, lumbering and building; bush burning; overgrazing and intensive farming with chemicals; hunting and over-fishing; mining and quarrying; industrialisation and urbanisation; dams and land reclamation; pollution of air and water.
(c) Soil erosion and loss of fertility; destruction of habitats and extinction of species; desertification; pollution and damage to health; flooding; change of local climate (global warming, ozone depletion); reduced crop yield.
Show how each human action upsets the balance between living and non-living parts.