WAEC SSCE - Geography - 2011 (Essay)

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(a) Four factors that favour lumbering in the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Extensive tropical rain forest - the vast Congo Basin forest supplies large quantities of valuable hardwoods such as mahogany, ebony and iroko.
• Hot, wet equatorial climate - heavy rainfall and high temperatures all year favour the rapid growth of the trees.
• Many navigable rivers - the River Congo and its tributaries provide cheap transport for floating logs to sawmills and ports.
• Availability of cheap labour for felling and moving the timber.
• Growing local and export demand for timber, which encourages the industry.

(b) Four problems of lumbering in the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Dense, mixed forest - the valuable trees are scattered among many worthless species, making selective felling difficult and costly.
• Poor transport inland - few roads and railways, and rapids on the rivers, make it hard to move logs from the interior.
• Thick undergrowth and swampy ground that hamper access and movement.
• Hard nature of tropical hardwoods and heavy logs that do not float easily, raising extraction costs.
• Shortage of skilled labour, capital and modern equipment, and the risk of pests and diseases.

(c) Two ways the problems could be solved

• Construction of more forest roads and railways and improvement of river navigation to ease the movement of logs.
• Provision of modern machinery, capital and training of skilled workers to make felling and haulage more efficient.
• Establishment of plantations of selected commercial species to reduce the difficulty of scattered trees.

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(a) Outline map of Africa showing the required features

(b) Importance of hydroelectric power to the economy of African countries

1. It generates electricity for domestic uses such as lighting, cooking and running appliances.
2. It supplies power for factories and other industries, encouraging industrial development.
3. It creates employment during the construction, operation and maintenance of dams and power stations.
4. It provides income for workers and revenue for government through electricity charges and related economic activities.
5. It can reduce the importation of petroleum fuels for electricity generation, saving foreign exchange; surplus electricity may also be exported to earn foreign exchange.

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(a) Outline map of Nigeria

Key locations marked on the map:

1. The parallels 5°N and 13°N, and the meridian 8°E.
2. The Maiduguri/Borno area in the north-east, receiving about 600 mm of rainfall annually.
3. The Calabar/Cross River coastal area in the south-east, receiving about 2,000 mm to 3,050 mm of rainfall annually.
4. Maiduguri in the low-rainfall area and Calabar in the high-rainfall area.

(b) Rainfall pattern in Nigeria

1. Rainfall is not uniformly distributed in Nigeria. Its amount generally decreases from the coast northwards into the interior.
2. The coastal belt and the south-east receive the heaviest rainfall, generally over 2,000 mm annually. Parts of the coastal and south-eastern area receive up to about 3,050 mm or more.
3. Rainfall is lowest in the extreme north, especially around the Lake Chad and north-eastern areas, where annual totals may be about 600 mm or less.
4. The duration of the rainy season decreases from south to north. Coastal areas have rain for about 8 to 10 months, whereas the far north has about 3 to 4 rainy months.
5. Southern Nigeria has a double-maximum rainfall regime, with peaks commonly around June and October.
6. A short dry spell, called the August break, occurs between the two southern rainfall maxima.
7. Northern Nigeria has a single rainfall maximum, usually around August or September.
8. There are two main seasons: a rainy season and a dry season. The dry season becomes longer and more severe towards the north.
9. Areas of high relief, such as the Jos Plateau and the eastern highlands, receive more rainfall than surrounding lowlands because uplift of moist air produces relief rainfall.
10. The onset and movement of the rains follow the seasonal migration of the Inter-Tropical Discontinuity (ITD). Rain may begin with thunderstorms and may occasionally be heavy enough to cause flooding.

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(a)(i) Definition of migration

Migration is the more or less permanent movement of people from one place (their place of origin) to another (their destination), involving a change of residence.

(a)(ii) Four types of migration in Africa

• Rural-urban migration (from villages to towns).
• Rural-rural migration (from one farming area to another).
• Urban-rural migration (from towns back to villages).
• International migration (movement across national boundaries), which may be permanent, seasonal or in the form of nomadism.

(b) Four causes of migration in Africa

• Search for employment and higher incomes in towns and industrial centres.
• Better social amenities such as schools, hospitals and electricity in the towns.
• Pressure on land, poverty and low farm incomes in the rural areas (push factors).
• Wars, political instability, insecurity and natural disasters such as drought and flood.
• The pull of better educational and business opportunities.

(c) Three ways migration can be reduced in Africa

• Providing jobs and social amenities (schools, hospitals, electricity, good roads) in the rural areas to make them attractive.
• Developing agriculture and rural industries to raise farm incomes and keep people on the land.
• Ensuring peace, security and political stability to check the movement of refugees.
• Even development of all parts of the country so that opportunities are not concentrated in a few cities.

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(a) Five advantages of air transport over other means

• Speed - it is by far the fastest means of transport, covering long distances in the shortest time.
• Reaches inaccessible areas - it can serve places cut off by mountains, forests, swamps, deserts and seas where roads and rail cannot go.
• No need for a continuous track - it requires only airports at each end, not a costly route over the whole distance.
• Ideal for perishable and urgent goods - flowers, fresh fish, medicines and mail arrive quickly before they spoil.
• Comfort and convenience for long-distance passengers, and great value in emergencies such as rescue and relief operations.
• It crosses international boundaries easily, promoting world trade and tourism.

(b) Five problems limiting air transportation (Nigeria taken as the country)

• High cost - buying, fuelling and maintaining aircraft and building airports is very expensive, and fares are high.
• Shortage of skilled personnel such as pilots, engineers and air-traffic controllers.
• Poor and ageing equipment - outdated aircraft, navigational aids and airport facilities cause delays and accidents.
• Unfavourable weather - harmattan haze, fog and heavy rainstorms disrupt flights.
• Small carrying capacity - it cannot move bulky and heavy goods economically.
• Inadequate funding, poor maintenance culture and security concerns.

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(a) Sketch map of Africa

Key: Cameroon Highlands are shown in western Cameroon near the Nigeria-Cameroon border; Fouta Djallon Highlands are shown in Guinea, West Africa. The River Niger, which rises in the Fouta Djallon Highlands, is also shown and named.

(b) Importance of rivers to the economy of Africa

1. They provide inland waterways for transporting people and goods.
2. They are dammed to generate hydro-electric power for homes and industries.
3. They provide fish, which is a source of food, income and employment.
4. They supply water for irrigation, thereby supporting crop production, especially during dry periods.

(c) Problems limiting the use of African rivers

1. The presence of rapids, waterfalls and cataracts interrupts navigation and makes many river sections unsafe for boats.
2. Seasonal fluctuations in water volume cause flooding in the wet season and very shallow channels in the dry season.
3. Silting, sandbanks, floating vegetation and debris obstruct channels and ports, restricting the movement of vessels.

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(a) Sketch map of Nigeria showing the required highlands and rivers

The map shows the Jos Plateau in central Nigeria, the Oban Hills in the south-east near the Cameroon border, and the Mandara Mountains along the north-eastern border with Cameroon. The River Ogun is in south-western Nigeria and flows southwards towards the Lagos coastal area. The River Gongola is in north-eastern Nigeria and flows southwards to join the River Benue.

(b) Location and size of Nigeria

• Nigeria is located in West Africa. It lies approximately between latitudes \(4^\circ\text{N}\) and \(14^\circ\text{N}\), giving a north–south extent of about \(10^\circ\).
• It extends from about longitudes \(3^\circ\text{E}\) to \(15^\circ\text{E}\), giving an east–west extent of about \(12^\circ\).
• It is bordered by Niger to the north, Chad to the north-east, Cameroon to the east, Benin to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean (the Gulf of Guinea) to the south.
• Nigeria has a total area of about \(923{,}768\text{ km}^2\). Its greatest east–west width is about \(1{,}300\text{ km}\), while its greatest north–south length is about \(1{,}100\text{ km}\).

(c) Three economic importance of highlands in Nigeria

1. Mineral extraction: Highlands contain valuable mineral deposits. For example, the Jos Plateau is known for minerals such as tin and columbite.
2. Tourism: Their cooler temperatures, attractive scenery and waterfalls encourage tourism and the development of resorts and recreation centres.
3. Water resources and hydro-electric power: Many rivers rise in highland areas. These rivers provide water for domestic use and irrigation and can be used for hydro-electric power generation.

Examination reminder: On a sketch map, place each feature in the correct broad region of Nigeria and label it clearly with a neat leader line. For economic importance, state the use and briefly connect it to how it benefits the economy.

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(a) Notes on settlement patterns

(i) Dispersed settlement

• This is a pattern in which houses or homesteads are scattered and stand far apart, each often on its own farmland.
• It is common in areas of individual land holding, fairly even distribution of water, and where security is not a serious problem.
• Each family lives on or near its farm, so the buildings are separated by fields.

(ii) Linear settlement

• This is a pattern in which buildings are strung out in a line, one behind the other.
• They develop along a line of communication such as a road, a railway, a river bank or the foot of a hill.
• The houses front the route and the settlement is long and narrow.

(b) Four factors that favour the location of settlements

• Availability of water - people settle where there is a reliable supply for drinking and farming.
• Fertile soil and good farmland that can support agriculture and feed the people.
• Favourable relief - flat or gently sloping, well-drained land that is easy to build on.
• Security and defence - safe sites such as hilltops in the past attracted settlers.
• Good means of communication and the presence of resources or trade opportunities.

(c) Three functions of urban settlement

• Administrative function - serving as seats of government and administration.
• Commercial function - acting as centres of trade, banking and markets.
• Industrial function - housing factories and manufacturing.
• Others include educational, medical, transport and cultural/religious functions.

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(a) Sketch map of Nigeria

Key: the shaded area represents the North Central Highlands (Jos Plateau). The Rivers Niger and Benue are shown, with their confluence at Lokoja.

(b) Crops of the North Central Highlands

Export crops:

1. Cotton
2. Groundnut

Food crops:

1. Maize
2. Millet
3. Guinea corn
4. Rice

Other acceptable food crops include yam, beans, tomatoes, onions and Irish potatoes.

(c) Description of the North Central Highlands

(i) Agricultural activities

1. Food crops such as maize, millet, guinea corn, rice, yam and beans are cultivated.
2. Cash crops, especially cotton and groundnut, are grown.
3. The relatively cool conditions on the Jos Plateau favour Irish potatoes, vegetables and some temperate crops.
4. Mixed farming, mixed cropping and crop rotation are widely practised.
5. Cattle, sheep and goats are reared; poultry keeping is also important.
6. Irrigation farming is carried out in river valleys during the dry season.
7. Some farm produce, such as groundnut, cotton, tomatoes and grains, is processed locally.

(ii) Problems of development

1. The rugged and dissected relief makes the construction of roads, railways and other facilities difficult and expensive.
2. Soils are often thin, leached or eroded, while land damaged by tin mining reduces agricultural productivity.
3. Overgrazing and bush burning encourage soil erosion and land degradation.
4. Farming is mainly subsistence-based, with inadequate capital, machinery, improved seeds and storage facilities.
5. Pests, crop diseases and livestock diseases reduce output.
6. Rural-to-urban migration causes shortage of farm labour.
7. Poor transport links and long distances to major markets increase the cost of moving farm produce.
8. Seasonal rainfall, dry-season water shortage and occasional flooding restrict agricultural development in some areas.