WAEC SSCE - Geography - 2006 (Essay)
Question 1 Report
Write a geographical account of Tropical Grasslands under the following headings:
(a) Location;
(b) Climatic factors affecting the distribution;
(c) Vegetation characteristics
A Geographical Account of Tropical Grasslands (Savanna)
(a) Location
Tropical grasslands, also called the Savanna, lie between latitudes 5° and 20° North and South of the Equator, forming a broad belt on either side of the equatorial forest. The main regions are:
- Central America and the Llanos of northern (north-western) South America.
- The interior of Brazil (the Campos).
- The interior of West Africa (the Sudan belt, e.g. northern Nigeria).
- Parts of East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania).
- South-East Asia and Northern Australia.
(b) Climatic factors affecting the distribution
The distribution of the Savanna is controlled by the seasonal migration of the rain-bearing winds, which gives a hot climate with one wet season and one dry season. Its main features are:
- High mean monthly temperatures of about 27°C throughout the year.
- A fairly high annual temperature range of up to about 11°C.
- Moderate annual rainfall of about 600 mm to 1500 mm.
- Rainfall is seasonal with a single maximum, concentrated in the high-sun (summer) months.
- Summer rainfall and pronounced winter (low-sun season) drought.
- Relative humidity is high (above 60%) during the rains and lower (about 40%) in the dry season.
These figures are best shown on a climate graph of a typical Savanna station. The temperature curve stays high all year while the rainfall bars rise sharply to a single peak in the wet season, confirming the wet-and-dry rhythm of the region:
From the graph, total annual rainfall is about 867 mm (within the 600 to 1500 mm range), the wettest month is August (250 mm) while November to February are almost rainless. Temperature ranges from about 22°C in the coolest month to 32°C in the hottest, a range of about 10°C, and the mean is roughly 27°C. The single rainfall maximum and the constantly high temperatures are the two climatic controls that separate the Savanna from the equatorial forest to the south and the desert to the north.
(c) Vegetation characteristics
- The dominant vegetation cover is grass.
- Tall grasses with fibrous roots, such as elephant grass, dominate the wetter margins.
- Short, scattered trees grow among the grasses, giving a park-like appearance.
- The trees are largely deciduous, shedding their leaves in the dry season to reduce water loss.
- Many trees have large trunks that store water for the long dry period.
- Common trees include the Baobab and Acacia.
- Most trees have rough, thick and thorny bark as protection against drought and fire.
- Grasses are often succulent during the rains but wither and turn brown in the dry season.
- A typical grass of the region is the elephant grass.
Answer Details
A Geographical Account of Tropical Grasslands (Savanna)
(a) Location
Tropical grasslands, also called the Savanna, lie between latitudes 5° and 20° North and South of the Equator, forming a broad belt on either side of the equatorial forest. The main regions are:
- Central America and the Llanos of northern (north-western) South America.
- The interior of Brazil (the Campos).
- The interior of West Africa (the Sudan belt, e.g. northern Nigeria).
- Parts of East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania).
- South-East Asia and Northern Australia.
(b) Climatic factors affecting the distribution
The distribution of the Savanna is controlled by the seasonal migration of the rain-bearing winds, which gives a hot climate with one wet season and one dry season. Its main features are:
- High mean monthly temperatures of about 27°C throughout the year.
- A fairly high annual temperature range of up to about 11°C.
- Moderate annual rainfall of about 600 mm to 1500 mm.
- Rainfall is seasonal with a single maximum, concentrated in the high-sun (summer) months.
- Summer rainfall and pronounced winter (low-sun season) drought.
- Relative humidity is high (above 60%) during the rains and lower (about 40%) in the dry season.
These figures are best shown on a climate graph of a typical Savanna station. The temperature curve stays high all year while the rainfall bars rise sharply to a single peak in the wet season, confirming the wet-and-dry rhythm of the region:
From the graph, total annual rainfall is about 867 mm (within the 600 to 1500 mm range), the wettest month is August (250 mm) while November to February are almost rainless. Temperature ranges from about 22°C in the coolest month to 32°C in the hottest, a range of about 10°C, and the mean is roughly 27°C. The single rainfall maximum and the constantly high temperatures are the two climatic controls that separate the Savanna from the equatorial forest to the south and the desert to the north.
(c) Vegetation characteristics
- The dominant vegetation cover is grass.
- Tall grasses with fibrous roots, such as elephant grass, dominate the wetter margins.
- Short, scattered trees grow among the grasses, giving a park-like appearance.
- The trees are largely deciduous, shedding their leaves in the dry season to reduce water loss.
- Many trees have large trunks that store water for the long dry period.
- Common trees include the Baobab and Acacia.
- Most trees have rough, thick and thorny bark as protection against drought and fire.
- Grasses are often succulent during the rains but wither and turn brown in the dry season.
- A typical grass of the region is the elephant grass.
Question 2 Report
(a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, show and name:
(i) one area important for oil palm production;
(ii) one area important for cattle rearing;
(iii) one town in the oil palm producing area;
(iv) two towns in the cattle rearing area
(b) Outline any three factors that favour cattle rearing in the area shown in (a) (ii) above.
(c) Highlight any three ways in which cattle rearing is cf importance to Nigeria
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing oil palm and cattle rearing areas
On the outline map below, the oil palm production area is shaded in the south-east (the Niger Delta / South-Eastern belt), the cattle rearing area is shaded in the far north (the Sudan / Sahel savanna belt), and the required towns are marked with dots and named.
- (i) Oil palm production area: the South-East / Niger Delta belt (Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers area), shaded green.
- (ii) Cattle rearing area: the far northern Sudan / Sahel savanna belt (Sokoto, Kano, Katsina and Borno area), shaded brown.
- (iii) One town in the oil palm area: Aba.
- (iv) Two towns in the cattle rearing area: Kano and Sokoto.
(b) Three factors that favour cattle rearing in the northern area
- Abundant pasture and savanna vegetation: the extensive grassland of the Sudan and Sahel savanna provides plentiful natural grass for the cattle to graze on.
- Absence of the tsetse fly: the dry northern climate is largely free of the tsetse fly, so the cattle are not attacked by trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).
- Favourable climate and wide grazing land: the moderate rainfall of about 50 - 125 cm per year with low relative humidity encourages grass growth, while the vast, flat open plains allow the herds to move and graze freely.
(c) Three ways in which cattle rearing is of importance to Nigeria
- Source of food: cattle supply meat, milk and other dairy products, providing protein for the population.
- Source of income and employment: the rearing, sale and processing of cattle provide a livelihood for herders, traders and butchers, and yield revenue to government through cattle tax (Jangali).
- Source of raw materials: hides and skins from cattle are used in the leather and allied industries, while the dung provides organic manure for farming.
Answer Details
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing oil palm and cattle rearing areas
On the outline map below, the oil palm production area is shaded in the south-east (the Niger Delta / South-Eastern belt), the cattle rearing area is shaded in the far north (the Sudan / Sahel savanna belt), and the required towns are marked with dots and named.
- (i) Oil palm production area: the South-East / Niger Delta belt (Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers area), shaded green.
- (ii) Cattle rearing area: the far northern Sudan / Sahel savanna belt (Sokoto, Kano, Katsina and Borno area), shaded brown.
- (iii) One town in the oil palm area: Aba.
- (iv) Two towns in the cattle rearing area: Kano and Sokoto.
(b) Three factors that favour cattle rearing in the northern area
- Abundant pasture and savanna vegetation: the extensive grassland of the Sudan and Sahel savanna provides plentiful natural grass for the cattle to graze on.
- Absence of the tsetse fly: the dry northern climate is largely free of the tsetse fly, so the cattle are not attacked by trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).
- Favourable climate and wide grazing land: the moderate rainfall of about 50 - 125 cm per year with low relative humidity encourages grass growth, while the vast, flat open plains allow the herds to move and graze freely.
(c) Three ways in which cattle rearing is of importance to Nigeria
- Source of food: cattle supply meat, milk and other dairy products, providing protein for the population.
- Source of income and employment: the rearing, sale and processing of cattle provide a livelihood for herders, traders and butchers, and yield revenue to government through cattle tax (Jangali).
- Source of raw materials: hides and skins from cattle are used in the leather and allied industries, while the dung provides organic manure for farming.
Question 3 Report
(a) Give five reasons why your country has more trading partners outside Africa.
(b) Outline any five ways by which the trade between your country and other African countries could be improved
(a) Five reasons why my country (Nigeria) has more trading partners outside Africa
- Similar products within Africa: most African countries produce the same primary goods (cash crops, minerals), so they have little to exchange with one another.
- Demand for manufactured goods: Nigeria imports machinery, vehicles, and technology which are produced mainly in Europe, America and Asia, not in Africa.
- Colonial ties and established links: long-standing trade relations built during the colonial era orient trade toward former colonial powers overseas.
- Ready market for raw materials/oil: industrialised countries outside Africa provide a large market for Nigeria's crude oil and raw materials.
- Poor intra-African transport and communication: weak road, rail and shipping links between African countries make trade with them difficult and costly.
Other reasons: differences in currency and trade barriers within Africa, and the higher purchasing power of countries outside Africa.
(b) Five ways trade between my country and other African countries could be improved
- Improve transport links (roads, railways, shipping and air routes) connecting African countries.
- Remove or reduce trade barriers such as high tariffs and border restrictions, and strengthen bodies like ECOWAS and the AfCFTA.
- Diversify production so that countries produce different goods that can be exchanged.
- Introduce a common currency or better currency-exchange arrangements to ease payment.
- Promote regional cooperation, joint industries and common markets, and improve communication and information about available goods.
Answer Details
(a) Five reasons why my country (Nigeria) has more trading partners outside Africa
- Similar products within Africa: most African countries produce the same primary goods (cash crops, minerals), so they have little to exchange with one another.
- Demand for manufactured goods: Nigeria imports machinery, vehicles, and technology which are produced mainly in Europe, America and Asia, not in Africa.
- Colonial ties and established links: long-standing trade relations built during the colonial era orient trade toward former colonial powers overseas.
- Ready market for raw materials/oil: industrialised countries outside Africa provide a large market for Nigeria's crude oil and raw materials.
- Poor intra-African transport and communication: weak road, rail and shipping links between African countries make trade with them difficult and costly.
Other reasons: differences in currency and trade barriers within Africa, and the higher purchasing power of countries outside Africa.
(b) Five ways trade between my country and other African countries could be improved
- Improve transport links (roads, railways, shipping and air routes) connecting African countries.
- Remove or reduce trade barriers such as high tariffs and border restrictions, and strengthen bodies like ECOWAS and the AfCFTA.
- Diversify production so that countries produce different goods that can be exchanged.
- Introduce a common currency or better currency-exchange arrangements to ease payment.
- Promote regional cooperation, joint industries and common markets, and improve communication and information about available goods.
Question 4 Report
(a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, show and name:
(i) Lake Kainji;
(ii) one area with extinct volcano;
(iii) the Udi hills;
(iv) the River Hadeija
(b) Highlight any four problems of development in the Eastern Borderland
(c) Outline two solutions to any of the problems highlighted in (b) above
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing the required features
The sketch below is an outline of Nigeria with the four features correctly located: Lake Kainji on the River Niger in the west-central area (Niger State), an area of extinct volcanoes on the Biu Plateau in the north-east, the Udi Hills near Enugu in the south-east, and the River Hadeija flowing eastward across the far north toward the Chad Basin.
(b) Four problems of development in the Eastern Borderland
- Rugged relief: the highlands and dissected slopes of the Eastern Borderland (Obudu, Mambilla, Oban hills) make road building, mechanised farming and settlement expansion very difficult and costly.
- Severe soil erosion: the steep slopes and heavy rainfall combine with continuous cropping to produce gully erosion that destroys farmland, roads and buildings.
- Poor transportation network: the broken terrain leaves the area with few good roads and almost no rail links, so movement of people and evacuation of farm produce is slow and expensive.
- Remoteness and inaccessibility: the borderland is far from the main urban and industrial centres, which limits access to markets, social amenities and government services and encourages rural-urban migration.
(c) Two solutions to the problems highlighted in (b)
- Construction of better roads: building and tarring well-engineered roads (with bridges and culverts across the rugged relief) opens up the borderland, reduces remoteness, links farms to markets and gives access to social services.
- Re-afforestation and terrace/strip farming: planting trees on the bare slopes and cultivating along terraces or contour strips binds the soil, breaks the flow of run-off and checks the gully erosion that is destroying the land.
Answer Details
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing the required features
The sketch below is an outline of Nigeria with the four features correctly located: Lake Kainji on the River Niger in the west-central area (Niger State), an area of extinct volcanoes on the Biu Plateau in the north-east, the Udi Hills near Enugu in the south-east, and the River Hadeija flowing eastward across the far north toward the Chad Basin.
(b) Four problems of development in the Eastern Borderland
- Rugged relief: the highlands and dissected slopes of the Eastern Borderland (Obudu, Mambilla, Oban hills) make road building, mechanised farming and settlement expansion very difficult and costly.
- Severe soil erosion: the steep slopes and heavy rainfall combine with continuous cropping to produce gully erosion that destroys farmland, roads and buildings.
- Poor transportation network: the broken terrain leaves the area with few good roads and almost no rail links, so movement of people and evacuation of farm produce is slow and expensive.
- Remoteness and inaccessibility: the borderland is far from the main urban and industrial centres, which limits access to markets, social amenities and government services and encourages rural-urban migration.
(c) Two solutions to the problems highlighted in (b)
- Construction of better roads: building and tarring well-engineered roads (with bridges and culverts across the rugged relief) opens up the borderland, reduces remoteness, links farms to markets and gives access to social services.
- Re-afforestation and terrace/strip farming: planting trees on the bare slopes and cultivating along terraces or contour strips binds the soil, breaks the flow of run-off and checks the gully erosion that is destroying the land.
Question 5 Report
(a) Draw an outline map of Africa. On the map, show and name
(i) one area that receives rainfall in winter;
(ii) the dominant air masses over Africa in July;
(iii) the position of the ITCZ in July
(b) Explain the effects of altitude on the climate of Africa.
(a) Outline map of Africa
The sketch map below shows an outline of Africa with the three required features clearly marked and named: the two belts that receive rainfall in winter (Mediterranean north coast and the south-western Cape), the dominant maritime tropical (mT) South-West Monsoon air mass drawn northwards across the Equator in July, and the northernmost July position of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over the Sahel.
Key to the map
- (i) Winter-rainfall areas (shaded): the Mediterranean coastlands of the extreme north (Atlas region of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and the south-western Cape of South Africa. Both have a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
- (ii) Dominant air mass in July: the moist maritime tropical (mT) South-West Monsoon (equatorial maritime air) is drawn from the South Atlantic north-eastwards across the Equator into West and Central Africa, bringing the summer rains. The hot, dry continental tropical (cT) air dominates the Sahara to the north of the ITCZ.
- (iii) Position of the ITCZ in July: it lies in its northernmost position, well north of the Equator over the Sahel and southern Sahara (about 20°N).
(b) Effects of altitude on the climate of Africa
Altitude (height above sea level) strongly modifies the climate that latitude alone would produce, so that even places on the Equator can be cool. Its main effects are:
- Temperature falls with height. Temperature decreases at an average rate of about \(6.5^{\circ}\text{C}\) for every \(1000\ \text{m}\) of ascent (the environmental lapse rate). Highland areas such as the Ethiopian Highlands, the Jos Plateau and the Kenya Highlands are therefore markedly cooler than the surrounding lowlands even though they lie near the Equator.
- Cooler, temperate-like highland climates. Because of this cooling, equatorial highlands enjoy a pleasant, temperate-type climate that has attracted dense settlement and farming (for example the Kenya Highlands and the Jos Plateau).
- Snow and ice on high peaks. The temperature drop is so great on the highest mountains that Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya carry permanent snow and ice caps despite standing almost on the Equator.
- Thinner air causes rapid heat loss. At high altitude the air is thin and contains less dust and water vapour, so it holds little heat and allows the ground's heat to escape (radiate) rapidly, especially at night. This gives large diurnal temperature ranges and cool nights on plateaux such as Jos.
- Relief (orographic) rainfall. Highlands force moist air to rise, cool and condense, giving heavy relief rainfall on the windward slopes, while the leeward slopes lie in a dry rain-shadow with scanty rainfall.
- Illustrative comparison. Nairobi and Mombasa lie on almost the same latitude, yet Nairobi, standing high on the plateau at about \(1675\ \text{m}\), has a much lower mean annual temperature than the coastal city of Mombasa near sea level. Using the lapse rate, the altitude difference alone accounts for a cooling of roughly \(\frac{1675}{1000}\times 6.5 \approx 10.9^{\circ}\text{C}\), confirming that altitude, not latitude, explains the contrast.
Answer Details
(a) Outline map of Africa
The sketch map below shows an outline of Africa with the three required features clearly marked and named: the two belts that receive rainfall in winter (Mediterranean north coast and the south-western Cape), the dominant maritime tropical (mT) South-West Monsoon air mass drawn northwards across the Equator in July, and the northernmost July position of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over the Sahel.
Key to the map
- (i) Winter-rainfall areas (shaded): the Mediterranean coastlands of the extreme north (Atlas region of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and the south-western Cape of South Africa. Both have a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
- (ii) Dominant air mass in July: the moist maritime tropical (mT) South-West Monsoon (equatorial maritime air) is drawn from the South Atlantic north-eastwards across the Equator into West and Central Africa, bringing the summer rains. The hot, dry continental tropical (cT) air dominates the Sahara to the north of the ITCZ.
- (iii) Position of the ITCZ in July: it lies in its northernmost position, well north of the Equator over the Sahel and southern Sahara (about 20°N).
(b) Effects of altitude on the climate of Africa
Altitude (height above sea level) strongly modifies the climate that latitude alone would produce, so that even places on the Equator can be cool. Its main effects are:
- Temperature falls with height. Temperature decreases at an average rate of about \(6.5^{\circ}\text{C}\) for every \(1000\ \text{m}\) of ascent (the environmental lapse rate). Highland areas such as the Ethiopian Highlands, the Jos Plateau and the Kenya Highlands are therefore markedly cooler than the surrounding lowlands even though they lie near the Equator.
- Cooler, temperate-like highland climates. Because of this cooling, equatorial highlands enjoy a pleasant, temperate-type climate that has attracted dense settlement and farming (for example the Kenya Highlands and the Jos Plateau).
- Snow and ice on high peaks. The temperature drop is so great on the highest mountains that Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya carry permanent snow and ice caps despite standing almost on the Equator.
- Thinner air causes rapid heat loss. At high altitude the air is thin and contains less dust and water vapour, so it holds little heat and allows the ground's heat to escape (radiate) rapidly, especially at night. This gives large diurnal temperature ranges and cool nights on plateaux such as Jos.
- Relief (orographic) rainfall. Highlands force moist air to rise, cool and condense, giving heavy relief rainfall on the windward slopes, while the leeward slopes lie in a dry rain-shadow with scanty rainfall.
- Illustrative comparison. Nairobi and Mombasa lie on almost the same latitude, yet Nairobi, standing high on the plateau at about \(1675\ \text{m}\), has a much lower mean annual temperature than the coastal city of Mombasa near sea level. Using the lapse rate, the altitude difference alone accounts for a cooling of roughly \(\frac{1675}{1000}\times 6.5 \approx 10.9^{\circ}\text{C}\), confirming that altitude, not latitude, explains the contrast.
Question 6 Report
(a) What is Transportation?
(b) Highlight four advantages of air transportation
(c) Describe five contributions of transportation to economic development
(a) Transportation
Transportation is the movement of people, goods and services from one place to another using various means such as roads, railways, waterways, pipelines and air.
(b) Four advantages of air transportation
- It is the fastest means of transport, ideal for long distances.
- It can reach remote and difficult areas (mountains, deserts, islands) not served by roads or rail.
- It is not restricted by physical barriers on the ground such as rivers, hills or forests.
- It is suitable for carrying perishable, urgent and valuable goods and for emergency/relief services.
(c) Five contributions of transportation to economic development
- Promotes trade and commerce by moving goods from areas of production to markets and consumers.
- Opens up remote areas for farming, mining and settlement, aiding regional development.
- Creates employment for drivers, pilots, mechanics, loaders and transport workers.
- Aids industrialisation by moving raw materials to factories and finished goods to markets.
- Encourages tourism and links, generating revenue, and speeds the movement of labour and information, boosting overall growth.
Answer Details
(a) Transportation
Transportation is the movement of people, goods and services from one place to another using various means such as roads, railways, waterways, pipelines and air.
(b) Four advantages of air transportation
- It is the fastest means of transport, ideal for long distances.
- It can reach remote and difficult areas (mountains, deserts, islands) not served by roads or rail.
- It is not restricted by physical barriers on the ground such as rivers, hills or forests.
- It is suitable for carrying perishable, urgent and valuable goods and for emergency/relief services.
(c) Five contributions of transportation to economic development
- Promotes trade and commerce by moving goods from areas of production to markets and consumers.
- Opens up remote areas for farming, mining and settlement, aiding regional development.
- Creates employment for drivers, pilots, mechanics, loaders and transport workers.
- Aids industrialisation by moving raw materials to factories and finished goods to markets.
- Encourages tourism and links, generating revenue, and speeds the movement of labour and information, boosting overall growth.
Question 7 Report
(a) Describe the solar system.
(b) Outline four characteristics each of the following planets:
(i) Pluto; (ii) Mercury
(a) The Solar System
The solar system consists of the Sun and all the heavenly bodies held by its gravitational pull and revolving round it. The Sun is at the centre of the system and is the main source of light and heat.
It consists of eight major planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—which move round the Sun in elliptical orbits. The planets do not produce their own light; they shine by reflecting light from the Sun.
The solar system also contains natural satellites (moons), asteroids, comets, meteoroids and dwarf planets. Pluto, formerly regarded as the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, while Venus is the hottest planet. Jupiter is the largest planet.
(b) Characteristics of Planets
(i) Pluto
- It is a dwarf planet located in the outer region of the solar system.
- It is very far from the Sun and is therefore extremely cold.
- It takes about 248 Earth years to complete one revolution round the Sun.
- It has a highly elliptical and inclined orbit, and it has moons, the largest of which is Charon.
(ii) Mercury
- It is the closest planet to the Sun, at about 58 million kilometres away.
- It is the smallest of the eight major planets.
- It takes about 88 days to complete one revolution round the Sun.
- It has no natural satellite and has very high daytime and very low night-time temperatures. Venus, not Mercury, is the hottest planet.
Answer Details
(a) The Solar System
The solar system consists of the Sun and all the heavenly bodies held by its gravitational pull and revolving round it. The Sun is at the centre of the system and is the main source of light and heat.
It consists of eight major planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—which move round the Sun in elliptical orbits. The planets do not produce their own light; they shine by reflecting light from the Sun.
The solar system also contains natural satellites (moons), asteroids, comets, meteoroids and dwarf planets. Pluto, formerly regarded as the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, while Venus is the hottest planet. Jupiter is the largest planet.
(b) Characteristics of Planets
(i) Pluto
- It is a dwarf planet located in the outer region of the solar system.
- It is very far from the Sun and is therefore extremely cold.
- It takes about 248 Earth years to complete one revolution round the Sun.
- It has a highly elliptical and inclined orbit, and it has moons, the largest of which is Charon.
(ii) Mercury
- It is the closest planet to the Sun, at about 58 million kilometres away.
- It is the smallest of the eight major planets.
- It takes about 88 days to complete one revolution round the Sun.
- It has no natural satellite and has very high daytime and very low night-time temperatures. Venus, not Mercury, is the hottest planet.
Question 8 Report
(a) Describe the formation of (i) Erosional plains, (ii) Dissected plateau
(b) Highlight two advantages and two disadvantages of plains.
(a)(i) Formation of erosional plains
Erosional (denudation) plains are formed by the long-continued wearing down of a former highland by agents of denudation. Rivers, ice, wind and weathering slowly strip away the raised land over a very long period until the surface is reduced almost to a low, gently undulating plain (a peneplain). Continuous weathering, erosion and transport of the loosened material lowers the land close to base level, leaving occasional resistant remnants (monadnocks) standing above the plain.
(a)(ii) Formation of a dissected plateau
A dissected plateau is formed when an upland or plateau is cut into (dissected) by rivers. After uplift, active rivers flowing across the plateau erode deep, steep-sided valleys and gorges into it. Continued vertical (down-cutting) erosion by many streams divides the once continuous upland surface into separate blocks, ridges, spurs and flat-topped hills, giving a rugged, broken plateau surface.
(b) Advantages and disadvantages of plains
Advantages
- The flat, gentle land encourages agriculture, since it is easy to cultivate and often has deep, fertile alluvial soils.
- They favour settlement and construction of roads, railways and towns because building is easy and cheap.
Disadvantages
- Low, flat plains near rivers are liable to flooding and may become waterlogged/swampy.
- They may suffer poor drainage and, in dry areas, can be exposed and monotonous, encouraging soil erosion by wind or sheet wash.
Answer Details
(a)(i) Formation of erosional plains
Erosional (denudation) plains are formed by the long-continued wearing down of a former highland by agents of denudation. Rivers, ice, wind and weathering slowly strip away the raised land over a very long period until the surface is reduced almost to a low, gently undulating plain (a peneplain). Continuous weathering, erosion and transport of the loosened material lowers the land close to base level, leaving occasional resistant remnants (monadnocks) standing above the plain.
(a)(ii) Formation of a dissected plateau
A dissected plateau is formed when an upland or plateau is cut into (dissected) by rivers. After uplift, active rivers flowing across the plateau erode deep, steep-sided valleys and gorges into it. Continued vertical (down-cutting) erosion by many streams divides the once continuous upland surface into separate blocks, ridges, spurs and flat-topped hills, giving a rugged, broken plateau surface.
(b) Advantages and disadvantages of plains
Advantages
- The flat, gentle land encourages agriculture, since it is easy to cultivate and often has deep, fertile alluvial soils.
- They favour settlement and construction of roads, railways and towns because building is easy and cheap.
Disadvantages
- Low, flat plains near rivers are liable to flooding and may become waterlogged/swampy.
- They may suffer poor drainage and, in dry areas, can be exposed and monotonous, encouraging soil erosion by wind or sheet wash.
Question 9 Report
Use TABLE ll below and the attached map A for Nigeria to answer the questions that follow TABLE II: Volume of Rail Passenger Traffic Generated by Five Nigerian cities, 1973
| CITIES | RAIL PASSENGER TRAFFIC |
| IBADAN | 5,000,000 |
| ENUGU | 3,000,000 |
| MAIDUGURI | 2,500,000 |
| POTR HARCOURT | 1,500,000 |
| MINNA | 1,000,000 |
(a) Represent the statistics with proportional circle,
(b) Outline two advantages of representing data wits proportional symbols
Answer Details
None
Question 10 Report
Write notes on flooding under the following:
(a) definition;
(b) causes;
(c) effects;
(d) solution.
(a) Definition of flooding
Flooding is the overflowing of water beyond its normal channel so that it covers land which is usually dry. It occurs when the volume of water in a river, lake or coastal area exceeds the capacity of its channel or basin and spills onto the surrounding land (the flood plain).
(b) Causes of flooding
- Heavy and prolonged rainfall that supplies more water than the river channel can hold.
- Poor or blocked drainage, for example gutters and channels clogged with refuse.
- Overflowing of rivers and release of water from dams/reservoirs.
- Deforestation and removal of vegetation, which increases surface run-off.
- Building on flood plains and water channels, and rising sea level/storm surges along coasts.
(c) Effects of flooding
- Loss of lives and outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera.
- Destruction of property, houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
- Destruction of farmlands and crops, leading to food shortage and hunger.
- Displacement of people (homelessness) and disruption of movement and business.
- Some deposition of fertile silt on flood plains (a positive effect).
(d) Solutions to flooding
- Construct and maintain good drainage channels, dams and embankments.
- Clear blocked drains and stop dumping of refuse in channels.
- Afforestation and protection of vegetation to reduce run-off.
- Prohibit building on flood plains and enforce proper physical planning.
- Public education and an early-warning system for heavy rains.
Answer Details
(a) Definition of flooding
Flooding is the overflowing of water beyond its normal channel so that it covers land which is usually dry. It occurs when the volume of water in a river, lake or coastal area exceeds the capacity of its channel or basin and spills onto the surrounding land (the flood plain).
(b) Causes of flooding
- Heavy and prolonged rainfall that supplies more water than the river channel can hold.
- Poor or blocked drainage, for example gutters and channels clogged with refuse.
- Overflowing of rivers and release of water from dams/reservoirs.
- Deforestation and removal of vegetation, which increases surface run-off.
- Building on flood plains and water channels, and rising sea level/storm surges along coasts.
(c) Effects of flooding
- Loss of lives and outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera.
- Destruction of property, houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
- Destruction of farmlands and crops, leading to food shortage and hunger.
- Displacement of people (homelessness) and disruption of movement and business.
- Some deposition of fertile silt on flood plains (a positive effect).
(d) Solutions to flooding
- Construct and maintain good drainage channels, dams and embankments.
- Clear blocked drains and stop dumping of refuse in channels.
- Afforestation and protection of vegetation to reduce run-off.
- Prohibit building on flood plains and enforce proper physical planning.
- Public education and an early-warning system for heavy rains.
Question 11 Report
(a) Define soil
(b) Outline three characteristics of the following soil types: (i) Sandy soil; (ii) Clay
(c) Highlight four ways in which soil is important
Answer Details
None
Question 12 Report
(a) What is Environmental Intervention?
(b) List two types each of (I) natural intervention; (ii) human intervention
(c) Highlight any five effects of natural and human interventions on the environment
(a) Environmental intervention
Environmental intervention refers to the actions, forces or processes (natural or human) that interfere with, alter or modify the natural environment. It is any deliberate or natural interference that changes the condition of the land, water, air or ecosystems.
(b) Types
(i) Natural intervention (two):
- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- Flooding, drought, erosion or storms.
(ii) Human intervention (two):
- Deforestation and bush burning.
- Mining, dam construction, farming and industrialisation.
(c) Five effects of natural and human interventions on the environment
- Soil erosion and land degradation, for example gully erosion from deforestation and heavy rain.
- Loss of vegetation and wildlife (loss of biodiversity) through clearing, burning and habitat destruction.
- Pollution of air, water and land from industries, mining and waste.
- Flooding and displacement of settlements from heavy rain, dam failure or blocked drainage.
- Desertification and climate change (drought, global warming), plus destruction of property and loss of lives from disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Answer Details
(a) Environmental intervention
Environmental intervention refers to the actions, forces or processes (natural or human) that interfere with, alter or modify the natural environment. It is any deliberate or natural interference that changes the condition of the land, water, air or ecosystems.
(b) Types
(i) Natural intervention (two):
- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- Flooding, drought, erosion or storms.
(ii) Human intervention (two):
- Deforestation and bush burning.
- Mining, dam construction, farming and industrialisation.
(c) Five effects of natural and human interventions on the environment
- Soil erosion and land degradation, for example gully erosion from deforestation and heavy rain.
- Loss of vegetation and wildlife (loss of biodiversity) through clearing, burning and habitat destruction.
- Pollution of air, water and land from industries, mining and waste.
- Flooding and displacement of settlements from heavy rain, dam failure or blocked drainage.
- Desertification and climate change (drought, global warming), plus destruction of property and loss of lives from disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Question 13 Report
(a) Draw a sketch map of Africa. On the map, show and name the
(i) River Nile; (ii) River Niger; (iii) River Orange (iv) River Zambezi
(b) Describe four characteristics of African rivers
(c) Highlight three uses of African rivers
(a) Sketch map of Africa showing the named rivers
(b) Characteristics of African rivers
- Most African rivers have rapids, cataracts and waterfalls, especially where they cross plateaux and escarpments.
- Many rivers show seasonal fluctuation in volume: they have more water and may flood during the rainy season, but their volume falls greatly in the dry season.
- Many African rivers are shallow and fast-flowing, and their courses are often interrupted by rapids and falls; this limits navigation.
- They carry much silt, mud and other debris, particularly in the rainy season, and may deposit this material to form flood plains and deltas.
(c) Uses of African rivers
- They provide water for domestic use, irrigation and industries.
- They are used for the generation of hydro-electric power at dams, rapids and waterfalls.
- They support fishing, transport and tourism, and their alluvial deposits provide fertile soils for farming.
Answer Details
(a) Sketch map of Africa showing the named rivers
(b) Characteristics of African rivers
- Most African rivers have rapids, cataracts and waterfalls, especially where they cross plateaux and escarpments.
- Many rivers show seasonal fluctuation in volume: they have more water and may flood during the rainy season, but their volume falls greatly in the dry season.
- Many African rivers are shallow and fast-flowing, and their courses are often interrupted by rapids and falls; this limits navigation.
- They carry much silt, mud and other debris, particularly in the rainy season, and may deposit this material to form flood plains and deltas.
(c) Uses of African rivers
- They provide water for domestic use, irrigation and industries.
- They are used for the generation of hydro-electric power at dams, rapids and waterfalls.
- They support fishing, transport and tourism, and their alluvial deposits provide fertile soils for farming.
Question 14 Report
(a) Outline any four advantages of concentration of industries in urban areas.
(b) Highlight any three disadvantages of concentration of industries in urban areas.
(c) Describe three factors responsible for the dominance of light industries in the developing countries
(a) Four advantages of concentrating industries in urban areas
- Availability of labour: large urban population supplies both skilled and unskilled workers.
- Good infrastructure: ready supply of electricity, water, roads, railways and ports serves the industries.
- Large market: the dense urban population and high purchasing power provide a ready market for goods.
- Availability of capital and services: banks, insurance and other financial and repair services are concentrated in towns, and firms benefit from linkages with one another (economies of agglomeration).
(b) Three disadvantages of concentrating industries in urban areas
- Pollution of air, water and land, and noise, harming health.
- Overcrowding, traffic congestion and pressure on housing and services (slums, high rents).
- Regional imbalance: rural areas are neglected and their people migrate to the towns; land and labour costs also rise.
(c) Three factors for the dominance of light industries in developing countries
- Low capital requirement: light industries (food processing, textiles, soap) need little capital, which suits countries short of investment funds.
- Use of local raw materials and simple technology: they process locally available agricultural raw materials and do not need advanced machinery or highly skilled labour.
- Ready local market and small scale: they produce consumer goods for the immediate local population and can operate on a small scale, matching low demand and limited power/energy supply.
Answer Details
(a) Four advantages of concentrating industries in urban areas
- Availability of labour: large urban population supplies both skilled and unskilled workers.
- Good infrastructure: ready supply of electricity, water, roads, railways and ports serves the industries.
- Large market: the dense urban population and high purchasing power provide a ready market for goods.
- Availability of capital and services: banks, insurance and other financial and repair services are concentrated in towns, and firms benefit from linkages with one another (economies of agglomeration).
(b) Three disadvantages of concentrating industries in urban areas
- Pollution of air, water and land, and noise, harming health.
- Overcrowding, traffic congestion and pressure on housing and services (slums, high rents).
- Regional imbalance: rural areas are neglected and their people migrate to the towns; land and labour costs also rise.
(c) Three factors for the dominance of light industries in developing countries
- Low capital requirement: light industries (food processing, textiles, soap) need little capital, which suits countries short of investment funds.
- Use of local raw materials and simple technology: they process locally available agricultural raw materials and do not need advanced machinery or highly skilled labour.
- Ready local market and small scale: they produce consumer goods for the immediate local population and can operate on a small scale, matching low demand and limited power/energy supply.
Question 15 Report
(a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, show and name;
(i) one area of sparse population;
(ii) one area of moderate population;
(iii) one area of dense population;
(iv) one town in (a)(i) above
(b) Outline three factors responsible for the dense population in the area shown in (a) (iii) above.
(c) Highlight three problems of dense populatiion in (a)(iii) above.
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing areas of population density
(b) Three factors responsible for the dense population of the South-East
- Fertile soils and favourable climate: the region has fertile land and a reliable rainfall that support intensive farming and a dependable food supply, so it can carry a large number of people.
- Commercial and industrial activity: busy trading and manufacturing centres such as Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi offer wide employment and business opportunities that attract and hold people.
- Good social amenities and long settlement: the availability of schools, hospitals, water, electricity and a dense network of roads, together with the long history of settled Igbo communities, has encouraged a heavy concentration of people.
(c) Three problems of the dense population of the South-East
- Overcrowding and housing shortage: too many people compete for limited housing, leading to high rents, congestion and the growth of slums with poor sanitation.
- Pressure on land and social amenities: farmland becomes fragmented and scarce, and schools, hospitals, water and other services are overstretched, while unemployment rises as jobs cannot match the number of people.
- Environmental and social strains: heavy population brings traffic congestion, pollution, poor waste disposal, soil erosion from over-use of land, and a higher crime rate.
Answer Details
(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing areas of population density
(b) Three factors responsible for the dense population of the South-East
- Fertile soils and favourable climate: the region has fertile land and a reliable rainfall that support intensive farming and a dependable food supply, so it can carry a large number of people.
- Commercial and industrial activity: busy trading and manufacturing centres such as Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi offer wide employment and business opportunities that attract and hold people.
- Good social amenities and long settlement: the availability of schools, hospitals, water, electricity and a dense network of roads, together with the long history of settled Igbo communities, has encouraged a heavy concentration of people.
(c) Three problems of the dense population of the South-East
- Overcrowding and housing shortage: too many people compete for limited housing, leading to high rents, congestion and the growth of slums with poor sanitation.
- Pressure on land and social amenities: farmland becomes fragmented and scarce, and schools, hospitals, water and other services are overstretched, while unemployment rises as jobs cannot match the number of people.
- Environmental and social strains: heavy population brings traffic congestion, pollution, poor waste disposal, soil erosion from over-use of land, and a higher crime rate.
Question 16 Report
Study the map extract on a scale of 1:100,000 and answer the following questions:
(a) Draw an outline of the map using a scale of 1:300,000 On your outline, mark:
(i) an area liable to flooding;
(ii) the full length of River Rafin Bela and its direction of flow;
(iii) the settlement of TILL! and ZOGIRMA; and
(iv) shade completely the area above 800ft around ZANUA HILL
(b) Identify any four distinct drainage features on the map
(c) If you are travelling along the minor road from Rafin Tsaka to Nageda, name any six features, physical and human, you will come across on your way.
(a) Reducing the map to a scale of 1:300,000
The original extract is drawn to a scale of \(1:100{,}000\) and measures 37.5 cm long by 36.6 cm broad. To redraw the outline at \(1:300{,}000\) every distance must be reduced to one-third, because the new denominator is three times larger:
\[ \text{New length} = \frac{37.5}{3} = 12.5\ \text{cm}, \qquad \text{New breadth} = \frac{36.6}{3} = 12.2\ \text{cm}. \]The representative fraction of the reduced outline is therefore
\[ 1:100{,}000 \times 3 = 1:300{,}000. \]The outline is drawn as a rectangle 12.5 cm long by 12.2 cm wide. On it the four required features are marked: (i) the low, flat land bordering the river channel is outlined and shaded as the area liable to flooding; (ii) the full course of River Rafin Bela is drawn from its source to its mouth with an arrowhead pointing downstream to show the direction of flow; (iii) the settlements of TILLI and ZOGIRMA are each shown by a small circle and named; and (iv) the 800 ft contour enclosing ZANUA HILL is drawn and the ground above it shaded completely.
(b) Four distinct drainage features on the map
- Meanders - pronounced looping bends along the course of River Rafin Bela.
- Watersheds - the high ground (including Zanua Hill) separating one drainage basin from the next.
- Floodable (flood) plains - the wide, flat, low-lying land bordering the river channel.
- Braiding - the division of the river into several interlacing channels around bars of deposited sediment.
River valleys and a dendritic (tree-like) drainage pattern are also clearly present on the extract.
(c) Six features along the minor road from Rafin Tsaka to Nageda
Human features:
- Settlements (small nucleated villages along the route).
- Bench marks (survey height points beside the road).
- Areas of scattered cultivation (farm plots).
Physical features:
- Scrub vegetation.
- An open plain (flat lowland).
- A hill and the adjoining river valley.
Answer Details
(a) Reducing the map to a scale of 1:300,000
The original extract is drawn to a scale of \(1:100{,}000\) and measures 37.5 cm long by 36.6 cm broad. To redraw the outline at \(1:300{,}000\) every distance must be reduced to one-third, because the new denominator is three times larger:
\[ \text{New length} = \frac{37.5}{3} = 12.5\ \text{cm}, \qquad \text{New breadth} = \frac{36.6}{3} = 12.2\ \text{cm}. \]The representative fraction of the reduced outline is therefore
\[ 1:100{,}000 \times 3 = 1:300{,}000. \]The outline is drawn as a rectangle 12.5 cm long by 12.2 cm wide. On it the four required features are marked: (i) the low, flat land bordering the river channel is outlined and shaded as the area liable to flooding; (ii) the full course of River Rafin Bela is drawn from its source to its mouth with an arrowhead pointing downstream to show the direction of flow; (iii) the settlements of TILLI and ZOGIRMA are each shown by a small circle and named; and (iv) the 800 ft contour enclosing ZANUA HILL is drawn and the ground above it shaded completely.
(b) Four distinct drainage features on the map
- Meanders - pronounced looping bends along the course of River Rafin Bela.
- Watersheds - the high ground (including Zanua Hill) separating one drainage basin from the next.
- Floodable (flood) plains - the wide, flat, low-lying land bordering the river channel.
- Braiding - the division of the river into several interlacing channels around bars of deposited sediment.
River valleys and a dendritic (tree-like) drainage pattern are also clearly present on the extract.
(c) Six features along the minor road from Rafin Tsaka to Nageda
Human features:
- Settlements (small nucleated villages along the route).
- Bench marks (survey height points beside the road).
- Areas of scattered cultivation (farm plots).
Physical features:
- Scrub vegetation.
- An open plain (flat lowland).
- A hill and the adjoining river valley.
