63 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. The feature marked G on the map represents a
Answer: D (saddle.)
G is a low dip on the high ground between two hill tops (both ringed by the 350 m contour): a saddle.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. The feature marked Y – Z is known as
Answer: C (convex slope)
From Y to Z the contours are close together near the bottom and wider apart near the top, so the slope is steep below and gentle above: convex.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. The highest point on the map is a little above
Answer: C (400 m)
The hill in the south-east has closed contours inside the 350 m line (interval 50 m), so its top is a little above 400 m.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. River Lep flows from
Answer: A (West to South East)
River Lep enters from the western edge and flows south-eastwards towards the flood plain near Sera.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. SERA may be described as a
Answer: C (nodal town)
Several roads and the railway meet at Sera, making it a nodal town.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. Which of the following towns are not intervisible?
Answer: C (Sera and Pita)
The high ground (over 350 m) in the north lies between Sera and Pita and blocks the view.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. What is the approximate bearing of Labe from Mongo?
Answer: D (270°)
Labe lies almost due west of Mongo, so its bearing is about 270°.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. The feature marked Q is a
Answer: D (spur.)
At Q the contours form a tongue pointing down towards the river: a spur.
Study the map of SERA DISTRICT to answer this question. The relief feature marked P is a
Answer: A (meander)
At P the river swings in a series of loops: a meander.
Which of the following does not prove that the earth is spherical in shape?
Answer: A (Tilting of the earth on its axis)
The tilt of the axis causes seasons; it is not evidence of the earth's round shape.
During the equinoxes
Answer: D (days and nights are equal in length for all places throughout the world.)
At the equinoxes the overhead sun is at the equator, so every place has 12 hours of day and 12 of night.
The movement of the earth round the sun is termed the earth's
Answer: B (revolution)
Moving round the sun is revolution; spinning on the axis is rotation.
Seasonal changes in weather and climate are caused by
Answer: D (revolution of the earth round the sun.)
As the tilted earth revolves round the sun, the overhead sun shifts between the tropics, bringing the seasons.
What is the distance between Accra, Latitude 5°30 N and London, Latitude 51°30 N?
Answer: D (5,106 km.)
Both are north of the equator (roughly on the same meridian): 51°30′ − 5°30′ = 46°; 46 × 111 km ≈ 5,106 km.
The annual rainfall data of a particular station can best be represented with a
Answer: B (simple bar graph)
Monthly rainfall totals are separate amounts, so each month is shown as a bar.
Density maps are most appropriate for showing
Answer: A (the distribution of people in a place)
Density maps show how many people (or things) there are per unit area.
The area of low pressure around the Equator is the
Answer: A (Doldrums)
The equatorial low pressure belt of calm air is called the doldrums.
Rocks of the core of the earth are rich in
Answer: A (iron and nickel)
The core (nife) is made mainly of nickel and iron.
Which of the following is an intrusive igneous rock?
Answer: B (Granite)
Granite cools slowly deep underground; shale and sandstone are sedimentary, marble metamorphic.
Which of the following is not a metamorphic rock?
Answer: C (Loess)
Loess is a wind-blown deposit, not a metamorphic rock.
Chemical weathering takes place most effectively where it is
Answer: D (hot and wet.)
Heat speeds up chemical reactions and water is needed for them, so hot wet climates have the most chemical weathering.
Use Figure 1 (a cross-section of folded rock layers with a line marked F–F) to answer this question. The Figure 1 represents
Answer: A (an overthrust fold)
The fold has been pushed over so far that it has broken and moved along a thrust plane (F–F): an overthrust fold.
Use Figure 1 (a cross-section of folded rock layers with a line marked F–F) to answer this question. The line FF is called
Answer: B (a line of fracture)
F–F is the fault (fracture) plane along which the fold has been thrust.
Which of the following is a feature of river deposition?
Answer: A (Levée)
Levées are raised banks built by floods depositing silt beside the river.
The swash of a wave is more powerful than the backwash because it
Answer: B (has the force of the breaking wave behind it)
The swash is driven up the beach by the energy of the breaking wave, while the backwash only drains back by gravity.
A fog is most likely to develop when a
Answer: B (warm moist wind blows over a cold current)
Warm moist air is chilled to dew point over cold water, so its vapour condenses as fog.
The instrument used for measuring atmospheric pressure is
Answer: C (barometer)
A barometer measures air pressure.
Humidity is the amount of
Answer: B (water vapour in the atmosphere)
Humidity is the water vapour content of the air.
Convectional rains are most common in
Answer: A (Equatorial regions and Tropical Monsoon climates)
Strong heating of moist air in hot wet regions produces convectional rain.
The instrument used for measuring relative humidity is called
Answer: A (hygrometer)
A hygrometer (wet- and dry-bulb thermometers) measures relative humidity.
Equal degree of cloudiness is represented by
Answer: A (isoneph)
Isonephs join places with equal cloud cover.
Which of the following is not a problem of overpopulation?
Answer: B (Inadequate workforce)
Overpopulation gives too many workers, not too few; an inadequate workforce is a problem of underpopulation.
The largest man-made lake in Africa is
Answer: A (Volta)
Lake Volta behind the Akosombo dam is the largest man-made lake by area; Tana and Malawi are natural.
Africa's exploitation of solar energy will result in the following except
Answer: A (less amount of solar energy received by plants for photosynthesis)
Using some sunlight for power does not reduce the sunlight reaching plants.
Which of the following mountains is not in Africa?
Answer: C (Andes)
The Andes are in South America.
All the following are associated with rainfall in Africa except
Answer: D (on-shore movement of cold air.)
Cold air moving onshore (e.g. over the Benguela current) is dry and stable and brings little rain.
Which of the following is a landlocked country?
Answer: C (Burundi)
Burundi has no coastline; the others border the sea.
Which of the following countries is a major producer of copper?
Answer: B (Zambia)
Zambia's Copperbelt is one of the world's major copper areas.
The dominant climatic elements that control soil development are
Answer: C (temperature and precipitation)
Temperature and rainfall control weathering, leaching and the decay of organic matter.
Figure 2 shows a feeding relationship in an ecosystem: Grass — Grasshopper — Lizard — Snake — Hawk. The feeding relationship above shows a
Answer: C (food chain)
A single line of who-eats-whom from grass to hawk is a food chain.
Figure 2 shows a feeding relationship in an ecosystem: Grass — Grasshopper — Lizard — Snake — Hawk. Which of the following is a primary producer?
Answer: C (Grass)
Green plants such as grass make food by photosynthesis, so they are the producers.
The relationship between the elements of an ecosystem is best described as
Answer: D (interdependent.)
All living and non-living parts of an ecosystem depend on one another.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of warm currents?
Answer: B (They flow from the polar region to the equatorial region)
Warm currents flow from the equator towards the poles; currents from polar regions are cold.
TheSahel savanna vegetation is predominantly found in
Answer: B (Mauritania)
The Sahel lies along the southern edge of the Sahara, covering much of Mauritania.
Which of the following is not a problem of timber exploitation in Tropical Africa?
Answer: D (Heavy rainfall.)
Heavy rainfall helps the forest grow; the other options make logging difficult.
The largest off-shore island in Africa is the
Answer: A (Island of Madagascar)
Madagascar is by far the largest island off Africa.
Which of the following is not a capital city of an ECOWAS state?
Answer: A (Nairobi)
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya in East Africa.
(a) Explain four ways in which water transport is important in international trade (b) Outline four limitations of water transportation (c) Suggest solutions to any two of the problems outlined in 1(b) above
(a) Links continents and countries for trade; cheapest way to carry bulky goods (oil, ores, grain) over long distances; carries very large volumes; natural routes need little construction; carries a wide variety of goods including refrigerated cargo; relatively safe.
(b) Slow; not flexible (no door-to-door service); only countries with coasts or navigable rivers can use it; affected by storms, fog and ice; seasonal rivers, rapids and waterfalls; silting of ports; high cost of ships and ports; water weeds.
(c) Build faster and refrigerated ships; dredge ports and channels; canals and locks around rapids; ice-breakers; clear weeds; use navigational aids and weather forecasting; transit agreements for landlocked countries.
Match each solution to a limitation.
(a) Explain four factors which are responsible for the sparse population of the West Coast of South Africa. (b) Highlight three disadvantages of the low population density of the West Coast of South Africa. (c) Suggest three ways by which the population in the West Coast of South Africa can be increased.
(a) Desert climate (Namib, Kalahari edge) with very low rainfall caused by the cold Benguela current; few rivers for water and irrigation; poor sandy soils discourage farming; high temperatures and harsh conditions; lies in the rain shadow of the interior highlands; poor transport and few industries; limited jobs.
(b) Shortage of labour; resources left unused; small market for goods; low government revenue; high cost of providing services to few people; slow development.
(c) Irrigation schemes for farming; develop mining and fishing industries; build roads and new towns; provide social amenities; create jobs and incentives for settlers; desalination for water supply.
Explain how the cold current makes the coast dry.
(a) Describe four factors that favour the location of brewery industry. (b) Outline three contributions of manufacturing industries to the economic development of Tropical Africa. (c) Highlight three problems facing manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa.
(a) Large market nearby (beer is bulky and breakable, so breweries are close to consumers in towns); raw materials (barley/sorghum/maize, hops) and plentiful clean water; regular power supply; capital; good transport; skilled labour and technical know-how; government policy.
(b) Employment; foreign exchange savings and earnings; government revenue; diversification of the economy; development of infrastructure; transfer of technology; provision of goods; growth of towns.
(c) Shortage of capital; erratic power supply; poor transport; shortage of skilled labour; low purchasing power; competition from imports; political instability; shortage of raw materials and spare parts.
For breweries, stress market and water supply.
For candidates in Nigeria: (a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, locate and name: (i) one area of cocoa production (ii) one area of cotton production (iii) one area of rubber production (iv) one town in each of the areas in 4(a)(i) – (iii) above. (b) Highlight three physical conditions necessary for the production of any of the named crops in 4(a)(i) – (iii) above (c) Outline any two ways in which cash crops are important to the economy of Nigeria.
(a) Cocoa: south-west (Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun), town Akure, Ibadan, Ondo; cotton: north (Zaria, Funtua, Gusau, Katsina); rubber: Edo, Delta, Cross River (Benin City, Sapele, Calabar).
(b) Cocoa: high temperatures (21-32°C); rainfall 1,250-2,000 mm well distributed; deep well-drained fertile loamy soils; shade from taller trees; shelter from strong winds; gentle slopes. Cotton: warm temperatures; moderate rainfall (500-1,250 mm) with a dry period for ripening and picking; well-drained loamy soils; plenty of sunshine. Rubber: hot humid climate; heavy rainfall (over 2,000 mm); deep well-drained soils; lowland.
(c) Foreign exchange from exports; raw materials for local industries (textiles, tyres, chocolate); employment and income for farmers; government revenue; growth of towns and transport.
Give the three conditions for one crop only.
For candidates in Nigeria: (a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, show and name: (i) three vegetation belts; (ii) one important town in each belt. (b) Highlight three effects of rainfall on vegetation in Nigeria. (c) State two uses of vegetation resources in Nigeria
(a) Mangrove swamp forest (Port Harcourt, Warri); tropical rain forest (Benin City, Ibadan, Enugu); Guinea savanna (Ilorin, Makurdi, Abuja); Sudan savanna (Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna); Sahel savanna (Maiduguri, Nguru); montane vegetation (Jos, Obudu).
(b) Heavy rainfall in the south gives evergreen forest with tall trees; rainfall decreases northward so vegetation changes to savanna and grasses get shorter; low rainfall in the far north gives short grass and thorny shrubs (Sahel); seasonal rainfall makes savanna trees deciduous; length of the rainy season decides how dense the vegetation is.
(c) Timber and fuelwood; pasture for livestock; food, fruits and medicinal herbs; raw materials for industries; protect soils; tourism and wildlife habitat.
Draw the belts from the coast northward in the correct order.
For candidates in Nigeria: (a) Draw a sketch map of Nigeria. On the map, locate and name (i) one highland area in the North East; (ii) one highland area in the West; (iii) two rivers that take their sources from these highland areas; (iv) one man-made lake; (v) the lake Chad (b) Explain four ways in which highlands of Nigeria are important.
(a) North-east highland: Mandara Mountains, Biu Plateau, Adamawa highlands; western highland: Western (Yoruba) uplands around Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo; rivers: Gongola, Hawal (from the north-east), Ogun, Osun, Owena (from the west); man-made lake: Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro, Tiga, Bakolori; Lake Chad in the north-east corner.
(b) Sources of rivers used for water and HEP; cool climate good for settlement, tourism and livestock (Jos, Obudu, Mambilla); rich in minerals (tin, columbite on the Jos Plateau); farming of temperate crops (Irish potatoes, tea); influence climate by causing relief rain; forests and wildlife; historical defence sites.
Mark the rivers starting in the named highlands.
(a) Explain three conditions that favour fruit farming in the Mediterranean Regions of Africa. (b) Outline four problems facing fruit farming in the Mediterranean Regions of Africa. (c) Highlight three ways in which fruit farming is of economic importance to the Mediterranean Regions.
(a) Hot sunny dry summers ripen and sweeten fruits; mild wet winters supply moisture; fertile soils in valleys and coastal plains; irrigation water from rivers and wells; nearness to European markets and good ports; skilled labour and research; cheap labour.
(b) Summer drought requiring costly irrigation; pests and diseases; hilly terrain and soil erosion; shortage of capital; poor storage and processing facilities; competition in world markets and price changes; frost in some winters.
(c) Foreign exchange from exports (citrus, grapes, olives, dates); employment; raw materials for canning, wine and olive oil industries; income for farmers; government revenue; food supply.
Link each condition to the Mediterranean climate.
(a) Draw a sketch map of the Nile Valley. On the map, show and name (i) two farming areas; (ii) two products from each area in 8(a)(i) above. (b) In what five ways in the River Nile of economic importance to Egypt and the Sudan?
(a) Nile from Lake Victoria through Sudan and Egypt to the delta; farming areas: Nile delta (cotton, rice, wheat, maize) and Nile valley of Egypt (sugarcane, wheat, cotton); Gezira plain between the White and Blue Nile in Sudan (cotton, groundnuts, wheat, sorghum).
(b) Water for irrigation of cotton and food crops; fertile alluvial soils from floods; hydro-electric power (Aswan High Dam, Sennar, Roseires); transport of people and goods; fishing (Lake Nasser); domestic and industrial water supply; tourism (cruises, monuments); flood control.
Name the dams that give power and irrigation water.
(a) Draw a sketch map of Africa. On the map, locate and name (i) Rivers Niger and Zambezi; (ii) Lake Victoria; (iii) Latitudes 23½°N and 23½°S; (iv) The Atlas Mountains (v) Two mining areas — one for petroleum in West Africa and one for gold in South Africa. (b) Highlight five ways in which either petroleum or gold is of economic importance to the area in 9(a)(v) above.
(a) Niger from Guinea through Mali, Niger and Nigeria to the Gulf of Guinea; Zambezi from Zambia/Angola east to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique; Lake Victoria in East Africa astride the equator; Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn; Atlas Mountains in north-west Africa (Morocco, Algeria); petroleum: Niger Delta (Nigeria); gold: Witwatersrand (Johannesburg).
(b) Petroleum (Niger Delta) or gold (Witwatersrand): foreign exchange; government revenue; employment; raw materials for industries (petrochemicals, jewellery); growth of towns (Port Harcourt, Johannesburg); infrastructure (roads, railways); attracts foreign investment; manpower development.
Choose either petroleum or gold for (b) and stay with it.
The Table 1 below shows the volume of air passenger traffic between Lagos and four other cities in Nigeria in 1985. Study the table and use the data in it to answer the questions that follow:
Table 1 – Volume of air passenger traffic between Lagos and four other cities in Nigeria, 1985
1. Lagos – Abuja: 500,000
2. Lagos – Enugu: 200,000
3. Lagos – Port Harcourt: 400,000
4. Lagos – Sokoto: 300,000
(a) Using the attached map of Nigeria — Map B, construct a flow map/chart to represent the data in Table 1. (b) State two advantages of representing data with flow maps.
(a) Choose a scale for band width, e.g. 1 mm = 50,000 passengers (or 1 cm = 200,000): Abuja 10 mm (2.5 cm), Port Harcourt 8 mm (2.0 cm), Sokoto 6 mm (1.5 cm), Enugu 4 mm (1.0 cm); draw a band from Lagos to each city along the route, its width proportional to the passengers; add title, key/width scale, north arrow.
(b) Shows both the direction (route) and volume of movement at a glance; makes comparison of routes easy; gives a clear visual impression; shows the location of places linked.
Make band width proportional to the number of passengers and give the width scale.
Write a geographical account of Hot Desert Climate under the following: (a) Location (b) Characteristic features, (c) Vegetation, (d) Human activities.
(a) Between about 15° and 30° N and S, on the western sides of continents: Sahara, Kalahari and Namib (Africa), Arabian, Thar, Atacama, Mojave/Arizona, Great Australian Desert.
(b) Very high day temperatures (over 38°C) and cold nights, large diurnal range (up to 20°C); rainfall very low (under 250 mm) and unreliable; very low humidity and high evaporation; clear skies and intense sunshine; dry trade winds and dust storms; occasional flash floods.
(c) Scanty xerophytic plants: cacti, thorny bushes, acacia, date palms at oases; plants with long roots, thick waxy or spiny leaves, water-storing stems; short-lived plants that bloom after rain; large areas bare.
(d) Nomadic herding of camels, goats and sheep; oasis farming (dates, millet, vegetables) with irrigation; mining (oil, gas, phosphate, salt, diamonds); trading by caravans; tourism.
Write notes under each of the four headings.
(a)(i) Define the term Environmental Resources. (ii) List two types of Environmental Resources other than water. (b) Highlight four ways in which water is important as an environmental resource. (c) Outline two problems that might arise from the degradation of water resources.
(a)(i) Environmental resources are the useful materials and conditions in the natural environment that man uses to satisfy his needs.
(ii) Land/soil resources; mineral resources; vegetation (forest) resources; atmospheric resources (wind, sunshine); wildlife; human resources.
(b) Drinking and domestic use; irrigation and agriculture; hydro-electric power; transport; fishing; industrial use (cooling, processing); recreation and tourism; habitat for aquatic life.
(c) Shortage of safe drinking water; spread of water-borne diseases; death of fish and aquatic life; reduced farm output; loss of income for fishermen; conflicts over water.
Give a use and an example for each point.
(a) Draw a diagram to show the relief features of an ocean floor. (b) Highlight three main characteristics of the continental shelf. (c) In what three ways is the continental shelf of importance to man?
(a) Cross-section from the coast: continental shelf (gentle slope to about 180-200 m), continental slope (steep), continental rise, deep-sea (abyssal) plain with oceanic ridges, seamounts/volcanic islands and ocean deeps/trenches; label each.
(b) Gently sloping margin of the continent; shallow water, usually less than 200 m deep; width varies from a few km to hundreds of km; covered with sediments from the land; sunlight reaches the bottom.
(c) Rich fishing grounds (plankton growth); source of petroleum, gas and other minerals; good for harbours and ports; recreation and tourism; sand and gravel for construction.
Label shelf, slope, plain, ridge and trench on the diagram.
(a) Outline the characteristics of sedimentary rocks. (b) Describe two ways in which sedimentary rocks can be formed
(a) Laid down in layers (strata) separated by bedding planes; usually contain fossils; non-crystalline; often porous and permeable; relatively soft and easily eroded; may be folded or tilted; formed mostly under water; varied particle sizes.
(b) Mechanically formed: particles from weathered rock are carried by rivers, wind, ice or waves, deposited in layers and compressed and cemented (sandstone, shale, clay, conglomerate). Organically formed: remains of plants (coal) or of shells and skeletons of animals (limestone, chalk, coral) pile up and are compressed. Chemically formed: minerals precipitate from solution when water evaporates (rock salt, gypsum, potash).
For each mode give the process and examples.
(a) What is a plateau? (b) Describe the mode of formation of: (i) Tectonic plateaux (ii) Dissected plateaux. (c) Outline three ways in which plateaux are important to man.
(a) A plateau is an extensive area of upland with a fairly flat or gently undulating top and at least one steep side, rising well above the surrounding land.
(b)(i) Tectonic plateaux: formed by earth movements; land is uplifted by compressional or vertical forces, or is enclosed by fold mountains (intermont plateaux such as Tibet), or rises between faults; e.g. East African plateau, Deccan (uplift), Tibet.
(ii) Dissected plateaux: an old plateau is cut up by rivers and glaciers through vertical erosion and weathering; deep valleys separate flat-topped remnants, giving a rugged surface, e.g. Jos Plateau edges, Scottish Highlands.
(c) Rich in minerals (tin on Jos Plateau, gold in South Africa); cool climate good for settlement, tourism and livestock (Jos, Mambilla); good grazing lands; sites for HEP from rivers falling off the edges; sources of rivers; farming of temperate crops.
Distinguish uplift (tectonic) from erosion (dissected).
(a) Highlight four differences between the Tropical Grassland and the Temperate Grassland. (b) Describe the climate associated with one of the vegetation belts in 8(a) above.
(a) Tropical grassland lies between about 5° and 20° N and S; temperate grassland in the interior of continents at about 30°-55°. Tropical grasses are tall (1-3 m) and coarse; temperate grasses are short, soft and nutritious. Tropical grassland has scattered trees (baobab, acacia, shea); temperate grassland is almost treeless (trees mainly along rivers, e.g. willows, poplars). Tropical grass grows in the wet season and dries in the dry season; temperate grass grows in spring and summer and dies back in the cold winter. Local names: savanna, llanos, campos (tropical); prairies, steppes, pampas, veld, downs (temperate).
(b) Tropical grassland (savanna): hot all year (about 21-32°C), annual range 5-11°C; distinct wet season (summer) and long dry season; rainfall 500-1,500 mm, convectional, single maximum; high humidity in the wet season, low in the dry season with harmattan dust. OR Temperate grassland: continental, hot summers (about 20-25°C) and very cold winters (below freezing), large annual range; low rainfall (250-750 mm) mainly in early summer; dry winters with snow.
Compare the two by location, grass, trees and seasons.