Compare and contrast the eastern scarplands and western highlands under the following headings; (a) Relief (b) people and population (c) settlement pattern ...
Question 1 Report
Compare and contrast the eastern scarplands and western highlands under the following headings;
(a) Relief (b) people and population (c) settlement pattern (d) Agriculture
Answer Details
Comparison of the Eastern Scarplands and the Western Highlands (Nigeria)
(a) Relief
| Eastern Scarplands | Western Highlands |
|---|---|
| A series of cuestas and scarps of sedimentary rock (e.g. Udi/Enugu and Nsukka escarpments, Obudu and Mambilla plateaux). Steep scarp faces with gentler dip slopes. | An upland of hard, ancient crystalline (Basement Complex) rock with rounded hills, inselbergs and dissected plateaux (Yoruba/Western uplands). |
| Prone to severe gully erosion on the soft sedimentary rocks. | More resistant rocks; erosion is less severe, giving bold rocky outcrops. |
(b) People and population
| Eastern Scarplands | Western Highlands |
|---|---|
| Densely populated, inhabited mainly by the Igbo and related groups; very high rural population pressure. | Also well populated, inhabited mainly by the Yoruba; among the most urbanised areas of Nigeria. |
(c) Settlement pattern
| Eastern Scarplands | Western Highlands |
|---|---|
| Mainly dispersed/scattered rural settlements of small compounds spread over the land, with towns such as Enugu, Nsukka and Abakaliki. | Mainly nucleated/clustered settlements forming large traditional towns such as Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ife and Oyo. |
(d) Agriculture
| Eastern Scarplands | Western Highlands |
|---|---|
| Intensive small-scale farming of yam, cassava, oil palm, rice and vegetables on fragmented plots, hampered by erosion. | Farming of cocoa (chief cash crop), kola, oil palm, food crops (yam, maize, cassava), often on larger, more commercial holdings. |
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning