2025 Cambridge IGCSE Geography (0460) Practice Paper with Answers

Suggest reasons why death rates have decreased in many developing countries in recent decades.

Describe the negative impacts of large-scale emigration on the country that migrants leave (origin country).

Explain the relationship between the population size of a settlement and the number and order of services it provides.

Describe the problems caused by traffic congestion in the Central Business District (CBD) of an urban area.

Study Fig. 1.1, which shows population data for four countries in 2023.

Fig. 1.1
| Country | Birth rate (per 1000) | Death rate (per 1000) | Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | Life expectancy (years) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Country A | 38.2 | 11.4 | 54.0 | 58 |
| Country B | 21.5 | 7.1 | 18.2 | 71 |
| Country C | 14.3 | 9.0 | 5.8 | 79 |
| Country D | 8.6 | 10.8 | 3.1 | 83 |

Using Fig. 1.1 only, compare the demographic characteristics of Country A and Country D. You must refer to statistics in your answer.

For a named urban area you have studied, describe the problems caused by rapid population growth and explain the strategies used to manage these problems.

Name of urban area: ........................................................

Study Fig. 3.1, which shows a cross-section of a tropical coastline with a barrier reef.

State and describe three conditions required for the growth and development of healthy coral reefs.

Fig. 3.2 is a diagram showing sediment movement along a sandy shoreline.

Explain how the process of longshore drift transports beach material along a coastline.

Study Fig. 4.1, a cross-section diagram showing an oceanic plate converging with a continental plate at a destructive plate boundary.

Explain why earthquakes occur at this type of plate boundary.

Suggest reasons why many people choose to live in areas close to active volcanoes, despite the natural hazards.

Study Fig. 3.1, a diagram showing the formation of a spit along a coastline.

[Fig. 3.1: Diagram showing prevailing wind direction at an angle to the shoreline, zig-zag movement of beach sediment by swash and backwash, sudden turn in the coastline at an estuary mouth, elongated ridge of sand/shingle extending into open water, a curved/hooked tip at the distal end, and a sheltered area of calm water behind the ridge.]

Explain how the processes of longshore drift and deposition have formed the spit shown in Fig. 3.1.

Study Fig. 4.1, a diagram showing a destructive (convergent) plate boundary.

[Fig. 4.1: Cross-section diagram showing a dense oceanic plate moving towards and subducting under a continental plate at a deep ocean trench; partial melting in the subduction zone; rising plumes of magma through the overlying continental crust; and a composite stratovolcano erupting on land.]

Using Fig. 4.1, explain how volcanic eruptions are caused at this type of plate boundary.

For a named area of coastline you have studied, describe the impacts of coastal erosion on people and the environment, and explain how the coastline is managed.

For a named earthquake you have studied, describe the impacts and explain the strategies used to manage the hazard.

Identify two human inputs required by high-technology industries and explain why highly skilled labour is a key factor influencing their location.

Describe two differences between subsistence farming and commercial farming, and state one physical input required for crop cultivation.

Explain how poor agricultural practices, such as overgrazing and monoculture, lead to soil erosion and degradation.

Explain two ways in which the construction of a large multipurpose dam and reservoir can provide economic benefits to a region, and state one negative environmental impact.

Study Fig. 5.1, which shows the employment structure of three countries (Country X, Country Y, and Country Z).

**Fig. 5.1**
| Country | Primary sector (%) | Secondary sector (%) | Tertiary sector (%) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Country X | 65 | 15 | 20 |
| Country Y | 25 | 35 | 40 |
| Country Z | 5 | 21 | 74 |

Using Fig. 5.1 only, compare the employment structure of Country X with Country Z. You must refer to data in your answer.

Study Fig. 6.1, a diagram showing an agricultural system for a commercial wheat farm.

**Fig. 6.1**
```
[INPUTS]
• Physical: Gentle relief, deep loam soil, 620 mm annual rainfall
• Human / Economic: High-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, GPS-guided tractors, pesticide sprayers, capital investment

[PROCESSES]
• Mechanised ploughing and seed drilling
• Aerial pesticide and herbicide spraying
• Combine harvesting and grain drying

[OUTPUTS]
• High-grade wheat grain
• Straw bales
• Financial profit
```

Using Fig. 6.1 and your own knowledge, explain how human and economic inputs help this commercial farm achieve high yields.

For a named country or area you have studied where food shortages occur, explain the causes of these food shortages. Name of country or area: ...........................................................

Study the topographic map extract of Glencree and Blackwood Bay (Scale 1:50 000; contour interval 10 metres).

(a) (i) Identify the type of natural vegetation found at grid reference 342 786. [1]
(ii) State the 6-figure grid reference of the post office in the settlement of Highfield. [1]
(iii) Measure the straight-line distance, in metres, between the church with a tower at 324 761 and the trigonometrical station at 368 794. [1]
(iv) State the compass direction and whole degree bearing from the church at 324 761 to the trigonometrical station at 368 794. [2]

(b) Fig. 1.1 is a cross-section along northing 770 from easting 310 to easting 360.
[Cross-section profile provided with labelled letter markers A, B, and C]
Identify the features labelled A, B, and C on Fig. 1.1: [3]
• Feature A at 318 770
• Feature B at 336 770
• Feature C at 352 770

(c) Describe the physical characteristics of the River Avon and its valley between easting 300 and easting 350. [4]

(d) Compare the coastal features and coastal protection found in the northern coastal section (north of northing 800) with the southern coastal section (south of northing 750). [4]

(e) Describe the site and situation of the settlement at Port Rowan (grid square 3876). [4]

Study Fig. 1.1, a topographical map extract of the Port Kelvin area at a scale of 1:50 000 with a contour interval of 10 metres.

(a) (i) State the six-figure grid reference of the lighthouse on Cape Kelvin. [1]
(ii) State the compass direction from the church with a tower at 342618 to the triangulation pillar at 378645. [1]

(b) (i) Measure the straight-line distance, in kilometres, between Kelvin Junction railway station at 330600 and Dunmore station at 380600. [1]
(ii) The spot height at 350620 is 180 m and the river bank at 350640 is at an elevation of 20 m. The horizontal ground distance between these two points is 1600 m. Calculate the average gradient between the two points. Show your working. [2]

(c) Describe the physical features of the coastline shown between grid references 370630 and 390660. [3]

Study Fig. 2.1, which shows monthly temperature and precipitation data for Station Y, and Table 2.1, which records daily wind directions observed over a 30-day period.

Fig. 2.1 Summary:
- January: 26 °C, 210 mm
- February: 27 °C, 190 mm
- March: 27 °C, 160 mm
- April: 26 °C, 90 mm
- May: 24 °C, 40 mm
- June: 22 °C, 15 mm
- July: 21 °C, 10 mm
- August: 22 °C, 15 mm
- September: 23 °C, 35 mm
- October: 25 °C, 80 mm
- November: 26 °C, 140 mm
- December: 26 °C, 185 mm

Table 2.1 Wind Directions recorded (number of days):
- North: 2
- North-East: 3
- East: 5
- South-East: 14
- South: 4
- South-West: 1
- West: 1
- Calm: 0

(a) (i) Identify the month with the highest precipitation and state the amount of rainfall recorded in that month. [2]
(ii) Calculate the annual temperature range for Station Y. [1]

(b) (i) Using Table 2.1, state the prevailing wind direction at Station Y. [1]
(ii) Name the weather instrument used to determine wind direction and describe how it works. [2]

(c) Describe two siting conditions required for a Stevenson screen to obtain reliable temperature readings. [2]

Study Fig. 3.1, which shows the population structure of Country P (a low-income country) and Country Q (a high-income country).

Country P: Wide base (0-4 years: 14%), steeply tapering sides, narrow top (65+ years: 4%).
Country Q: Narrow base (0-4 years: 4%), straight vertical sides in middle ages (15-64 years: 66%), wide top (65+ years: 22%).

(a) (i) Identify the type of dependency that is highest in Country P. [1]
(ii) State the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Country Q. [1]

(b) Compare the demographic characteristics of Country P and Country Q. Refer to data from Fig. 3.1 in your answer. [3]

(c) Suggest two reasons for the difference in birth rates between Country P and Country Q. [2]

(d) State one problem that governments in countries like Country Q may face as a result of their population structure. [1]

Study Fig. 4.1, a diagram showing a coastal landscape with longshore drift, a spit, and coastal management structures.

Fig. 4.1 shows:
- Prevailing wind approaching from the South-West at an angle of 45° to the coast.
- Swash carrying sediment at an angle onto the beach and backwash dragging sediment directly down the beach at 90°.
- A spit extending across an estuary from West to East with a recurved end.
- A salt marsh sheltered behind the spit.
- A series of wooden groynes installed along the updrift beach.

(a) (i) State the direction of longshore drift shown in Fig. 4.1. [1]
(ii) Identify the feature that has developed in the sheltered water behind the spit. [1]

(b) Explain the process of longshore drift which transports material along the coastline. [3]

(c) Suggest why the distal end of the spit is curved/recurved. [1]

(d) Explain how wooden groynes protect the beach from erosion and state one negative impact of groynes further down the coast. [2]

Study Fig. 5.1, an industrial systems diagram for an automotive assembly plant located at Amberley Industrial Park.

Fig. 5.1 Summary:
- Inputs: Steel panels, car batteries, robotic equipment, 1 200 assembly workers, electricity grid connection, flat land (40 hectares).
- Processes: Stamping, robotic welding, paint spraying, chassis assembly, quality testing.
- Outputs: 150 000 passenger cars per year, metal scrap, exhaust emissions, wastewater.

(a) (i) Using Fig. 5.1, classify the inputs by stating one physical input and one human/economic input. [2]
(ii) State one output from the factory that is a waste product. [1]

(b) Explain two reasons why Amberley Industrial Park is a suitable location for this car assembly plant. [3]

(c) Describe two ways the management of the car plant could reduce its negative impacts on the local natural environment. [2]

Students in an urban geography class carried out fieldwork in the market town of Westwick to investigate changes in urban characteristics and retail provision with distance from the town centre.

They investigated two hypotheses:
- **Hypothesis 1:** Pedestrian flow and environmental quality decrease continuously as distance from the Market Cross (town centre) increases.
- **Hypothesis 2:** The sphere of influence of comparison shopping services is greater than that of convenience shopping services.

---

### **Table 1.1: Pedestrian counts and Environmental Quality Survey (EQS) scores**

| Survey Site | Distance from Market Cross (m) | Direction from Centre | Pedestrian Count (people per 5 mins at 11:00) | EQS Total Score (Range: -12 to +12) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Site 1** | 0 (Market Cross) | Centre | 142 | +10 |
| **Site 2** | 150 | North | 118 | +8 |
| **Site 3** | 300 | North | 64 | +3 |
| **Site 4** | 450 | North | 88 | -2 |
| **Site 5** | 600 | North | 22 | -5 |
| **Site 6** | 150 | South | 105 | +7 |
| **Site 7** | 300 | South | 48 | +2 |
| **Site 8** | 450 | South | 18 | -4 |
| **Site 9** | 600 | South | 12 | -7 |

---

### **Table 1.2: Questionnaire responses regarding travel distance and store type**

| Distance travelled to store (km) | Shoppers visiting Convenience Stores (e.g., baker, newsagent, mini-market) (Number of people) | Shoppers visiting Comparison Stores (e.g., clothing boutique, electronics, jeweller) (Number of people) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 0 – 1.9 | 38 | 8 |
| 2.0 – 3.9 | 24 | 14 |
| 4.0 – 5.9 | 11 | 22 |
| 6.0 – 7.9 | 5 | 29 |
| 8.0 or more | 2 | 27 |
| **Total** | **80** | **100** |

---

### **Questions**

**(a)**
(i) Define the term *sphere of influence*. [1]
(ii) Describe a suitable method the students could use to collect reliable pedestrian count data at each site. [3]

**(b)**
(i) The students assessed environmental quality using a bi-polar scoring system across 4 categories (Litter, Traffic Noise, Building Maintenance, Pavement Quality), each scored from -3 (very poor) to +3 (excellent). Suggest two advantages of using a bi-polar recording sheet in fieldwork. [2]
(ii) Calculate the mean pedestrian count for the 4 survey sites along the North transect (Sites 2, 3, 4, and 5). Show your working. [3]

**(c)**
(i) What conclusion would the students make about **Hypothesis 1: Pedestrian flow and environmental quality decrease continuously as distance from the Market Cross increases**? Support your decision with data from Table 1.1. [4]
(ii) Identify the anomaly in the pedestrian count along the North transect and suggest one geographical reason for this anomaly. [2]

**(d)**
(i) The students used a questionnaire to gather the data in Table 1.2. Explain how they could choose a *systematic sampling* method to select shoppers to interview. [3]
(ii) Do the data in Table 1.2 support **Hypothesis 2: The sphere of influence of comparison shopping services is greater than that of convenience shopping services**? Justify your answer using data from Table 1.2. [4]

**(e)**
(i) Suggest three practical difficulties the students might encounter when conducting the questionnaire survey on the streets. [3]
(ii) Describe how the students could extend this fieldwork investigation to compare retail provision between the CBD and an out-of-town retail park. [5]

A group of geography students investigated local microclimate variations across their school campus and tested the operation of standard weather recording instruments.

They formulated two hypotheses:
- **Hypothesis 1:** Air temperature is higher and wind speed is lower in sheltered, built-up areas of the campus than in exposed open playing fields.
- **Hypothesis 2:** Relative humidity decreases as air temperature increases throughout the day.

---

### **Table 2.1: Microclimate data collected across 4 school campus sites at 13:00**

| Site | Description of Site Environment | Surface Type | Mean Air Temperature (°C) | Mean Wind Speed (m/s) | Wind Direction | Cloud Cover (oktas) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **A** | Concrete courtyard enclosed by three-storey school buildings | Concrete paving | 21.4 | 1.1 | NW | 3 |
| **B** | Open grass sports field (50 m from nearest building) | Short grass | 18.2 | 4.8 | W | 3 |
| **C** | Tarmac car park adjacent to main road with scattered trees | Dark asphalt / tarmac | 22.8 | 2.3 | WNW | 3 |
| **D** | Woodland area under a dense canopy of deciduous trees | Soil / leaf litter | 17.5 | 0.6 | Calm / Variable | 3 |

---

### **Table 2.2: Wet-and-dry bulb hygrometer readings and Relative Humidity conversion table at the Weather Station (Site B)**

| Time of Day | Dry Bulb Temperature (°C) | Wet Bulb Temperature (°C) | Wet Bulb Depression (°C) | Relative Humidity (%) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 08:00 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 89 |
| 11:00 | 16.0 | 13.0 | 3.0 | 71 |
| 14:00 | 20.0 | 15.0 | **X** | **Y** |
| 17:00 | 17.0 | 14.5 | 2.5 | 76 |

**Relative Humidity Lookup Table (percentage, %):**

| Dry Bulb (°C) \ Depression (°C) | 1.0 °C | 2.0 °C | 3.0 °C | 4.0 °C | 5.0 °C | 6.0 °C |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **12.0** | 89 | 78 | 68 | 57 | 48 | 38 |
| **16.0** | 90 | 80 | 71 | 62 | 54 | 45 |
| **17.0** | 90 | 81 | 72 | 64 | 55 | 47 |
| **20.0** | 91 | 82 | 74 | 66 | 58 | 51 |

---

### **Questions**

**(a)**
(i) Identify three design features of a Stevenson screen and explain how each feature helps to ensure accurate weather records. [3]
(ii) State two instruments kept inside a Stevenson screen. [2]

**(b)**
(i) Explain how cloud cover is measured and recorded by weather observers. [2]
(ii) Using Table 2.2 and the Relative Humidity Lookup Table:
- Determine the value of **X** (Wet Bulb Depression at 14:00).
- Determine the value of **Y** (Relative Humidity at 14:00). [3]

**(c)**
(i) Describe how students would use a digital anemometer to measure wind speed at each site. [3]
(ii) What conclusion would the students reach regarding **Hypothesis 1: Air temperature is higher and wind speed is lower in sheltered, built-up areas of the campus than in exposed open playing fields**? Support your decision with data from Table 2.1 comparing Site A and Site B. [4]
(iii) Explain why Site C (tarmac car park) recorded the highest air temperature (22.8 °C) among all survey sites. [3]

**(d)**
(i) Explain why the students took three repeat measurements of temperature and wind speed at each site and calculated a mean. [2]
(ii) Evaluate the evidence in Table 2.2 to determine whether **Hypothesis 2: Relative humidity decreases as air temperature increases throughout the day** is supported. Quote relevant data in your answer. [4]

**(e)**
Plan an investigation to measure differences in precipitation infiltration rates between the woodland (Site D) and the sports field (Site B). In your plan, refer to:
- Equipment required;
- Fieldwork method;
- How data would be recorded and made reliable. [4]