IGCSE Geography Structured Questions - Cambridge (CIE)
IGCSE Geography: Structured Questions
This section provides 20 structured questions covering various aspects of the IGCSE Geography syllabus. Attempt all questions and then review your answers using the provided key.
Population and Migration
(a) Define 'population density'. [2]
(b) Explain two push factors that may lead to rural-urban migration. [4](a) Outline one social consequence of an ageing population. [2]
(b) Describe two methods a government might use to manage rapid population growth. [4](a) What is meant by the term 'net migration'? [2]
(b) Explain how international migration can create both opportunities and challenges for the host country. [4]Settlements and Urbanisation
(a) Differentiate between a hamlet and a village. [2]
(b) Describe the functions of a city in a developed country. [4](a) State two problems associated with the growth of shanty towns in LEDCs. [2]
(b) Explain how urban planning strategies can help to reduce traffic congestion in cities. [4](a) Identify two advantages of living in a greenfield site compared to a brownfield site. [2]
(b) Describe the concept of a 'sphere of influence' for a settlement. [4]Plate Tectonics and Hazards
(a) Name the three types of plate boundaries. [3]
(b) Explain how the movement of tectonic plates leads to the formation of fold mountains. [4](a) Describe the immediate impacts of a major earthquake. [3]
(b) Outline two ways in which people can prepare for a volcanic eruption. [4](a) What is a tsunami? [2]
(b) Explain why some parts of the world experience more frequent and severe tropical storms. [4]Weather, Climate and Ecosystems
(a) Define 'dew point'. [2]
(b) Explain how relief rainfall occurs. [4](a) Name two greenhouse gases. [2]
(b) Describe the potential impacts of global warming on coastal areas. [4](a) What is meant by 'biodiversity'? [2]
(b) Explain how human activities can lead to deforestation and its consequences. [4]Rivers and Coasts
(a) Identify two features formed by river erosion. [2]
(b) Describe the formation of a waterfall. [4](a) State two types of coastal erosion. [2]
(b) Explain two hard engineering strategies used to protect coastlines from erosion. [4](a) Outline the process of longshore drift. [3]
(b) Describe the characteristics of a discordant coastline. [4]Economic Activities and Development
(a) Differentiate between primary and secondary economic activities. [2]
(b) Explain why some LEDCs rely heavily on primary sector employment. [4](a) What is 'sustainable development'? [2]
(b) Describe how tourism can contribute to the economic development of an area. [4](a) Give two reasons why industrial decline might occur in an MEDC. [2]
(b) Explain two challenges faced by industries in rural areas. [4]Globalisation and Environmental Issues
(a) Define 'transnational corporation' (TNC). [2]
(b) Explain two ways in which globalisation can benefit developing countries. [4](a) What is 'desertification'? [2]
(b) Describe two strategies used to manage the problem of water scarcity. [4]
Answer Key
Population and Migration
(a) The number of people living in a specified area (e.g., per square kilometre).
(b) Push factors: Lack of jobs/economic opportunities in rural areas; poor services/facilities (education, healthcare); land degradation/natural disasters (droughts); political instability/conflict in rural regions.(a) Increased pressure on healthcare services (e.g., for geriatric care) or higher dependency ratio/smaller workforce to support retirees.
(b) Pro-natalist policies (e.g., financial incentives for having children); anti-natalist policies (e.g., one-child policy, family planning programmes); improved education for women leading to delayed marriage/smaller families; easier access to contraception.(a) The difference between the number of immigrants (in-migrants) and emigrants (out-migrants) over a period, indicating overall population change due to migration.
(b) Opportunities: Provision of cheap labour; cultural enrichment/diversity; filling skills gaps; remittances sent to home country. Challenges: Strain on public services (housing, healthcare, education); potential social tension; brain drain from home country; illegal immigration issues.Settlements and Urbanisation
(a) A hamlet is a very small settlement, often lacking services, whereas a village is larger with some basic services (e.g., a shop, school, place of worship).
(b) Functions: Administrative/political (capital city); commercial/retail (major shopping centres); industrial (manufacturing hub); cultural/educational (universities, museums); transport hub.(a) Lack of basic services (sanitation, clean water, electricity); poor housing quality (unstable, vulnerable to hazards); overcrowding; high crime rates.
(b) Integrated public transport systems (buses, trams, trains); congestion charging; park-and-ride schemes; cycle lanes/pedestrian zones; strict parking regulations.(a) Undisturbed natural environment (wildlife, landscapes); lower land cost (historically); less contamination; easier to build on (less demolition/clearing required).
(b) The area from which a settlement draws its customers, residents, or influence for its services and functions. It varies depending on the size and specialization of the settlement.Plate Tectonics and Hazards
(a) Divergent (constructive), Convergent (destructive), Transform (conservative).
(b) When two continental plates (or an oceanic and continental plate) collide at a convergent boundary, the immense pressure causes the crustal rocks to buckle and fold upwards, forming mountain ranges.(a) Ground shaking/tremors; collapse of buildings/infrastructure; landslides/rockfalls; tsunamis (if underwater); fires (due to ruptured gas lines).
(b) Monitoring volcano activity (seismographs, gas emissions); establishing exclusion zones; evacuation plans/drills; constructing shelters; educating the public on emergency procedures.(a) A series of ocean waves caused by large-scale disturbances, most commonly underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides.
(b) They form over warm ocean waters (above 27°C) and require low wind shear, high humidity, and sufficient Coriolis effect to spin. Regions near the equator within the tropics provide these conditions.Weather, Climate and Ecosystems
(a) The temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapour and condensation begins to form (e.g., fog, dew).
(b) Moist air is forced to rise over mountains; as it rises, it cools, condenses, forms clouds, and precipitates on the windward side of the mountain. The leeward side experiences a 'rain shadow'.(a) Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Water vapour (H2O). (Any two)
(b) Sea level rise leading to coastal flooding, erosion of beaches/cliffs, salinization of freshwater sources, increased storm surges, displacement of coastal populations.(a) The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
(b) Activities: Logging for timber/paper; cattle ranching; agricultural expansion (e.g., palm oil plantations); mining; road construction. Consequences: Habitat loss; loss of biodiversity; increased greenhouse gases (less CO2 absorption); soil erosion; disruption of hydrological cycles.Rivers and Coasts
(a) V-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, potholes, waterfalls, gorges, rapids. (Any two)
(b) A waterfall forms where a river flows over a resistant rock layer followed by a softer rock layer. The softer rock is eroded more quickly, creating a 'step'. Continued erosion undercuts the resistant rock, forming a plunge pool, until the resistant rock collapses, and the waterfall retreats upstream.(a) Hydraulic action, abrasion/corrasion, attrition, solution/corrosion. (Any two)
(b) Sea walls (concrete barriers to absorb wave energy); gabions (wire cages filled with rocks); rock armour/rip-rap (large boulders at the base of cliffs); groynes (structures built perpendicular to the coast to trap sediment).(a) Waves approach the coast at an angle, pushing sediment up the beach. The backwash carries sediment directly down the beach due to gravity. This zig-zag movement transports sediment along the coastline.
(b) A coastline where layers of different rock types are perpendicular to the coast. This results in the formation of headlands (from resistant rock) and bays (from less resistant rock) in an alternating pattern, often with prominent features like arches, stacks, and stumps.Economic Activities and Development
(a) Primary activities involve extracting raw materials from the natural environment (e.g., farming, fishing, mining), while secondary activities involve processing raw materials into finished goods (manufacturing).
(b) Lack of capital for industrial development; limited access to technology; large agricultural workforce; dependency on natural resources; lower levels of education and skills for industrial sectors.(a) Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
(b) Job creation (hotels, guides, services); foreign exchange earnings; infrastructure development (airports, roads); preservation of natural/cultural sites (due to their appeal); increased local income.(a) Automation/mechanisation reducing need for labour; global shift of manufacturing to lower-cost countries; reduced demand for traditional products; environmental regulations leading to factory closures.
(b) Poor transport infrastructure (poor roads, distance from markets); limited access to skilled labour; lack of access to raw materials; lower population density limiting local markets; less access to advanced technology/broadband.Globalisation and Environmental Issues
(a) A company that operates and owns assets (factories, offices) in at least two countries, conducting business activities across national borders.
(b) Increased foreign direct investment (FDI) leading to job creation and technology transfer; access to larger export markets for their products; increased competition can lead to better goods/services; sharing of cultural ideas/technologies.(a) The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.
(b) Water conservation (e.g., drip irrigation, efficient household use); desalination plants (converting seawater to fresh water); dam construction/reservoirs (storing water); rainwater harvesting; wastewater treatment and recycling.