Chap 1 - Graphs
Geography notes Chapter 1:
How can we use graphs in geography?
Graphs are diagrams that show information in a clear and simple way. They can be used to
show links, describe situations and show facts and figures. Data we collect ourselves is called
‘Primary data’, while data we get from other sources is called ‘Secondary data’.
There are 4 charts we use.
Bar graphs ● Bar graphs are made up of several bars/columns, drawn horizontally or vertically.
● Used to compare data.
Line graphs ● Shows data as a series of points that join together to form a line.
● Used to predict future trends or changes.
Pie graphs ● A circle divided into several pieces/sectors.
● Always equals to 100%.
● Shows proportions and how something is divided.
Scatter graphs ● Data plotted as dots or crosses.
● Shows how two things are related or correlate with each other, or links between them.
Keep in mind, whilst drawing a graph don’t forget a title, labels to explain what they are showing,
accurate figures!
Chap 3 - River flooding
River flooding chap 3
Why do rivers flood? Rivers flood due to, in simple terms, not being able to get absorbed.
How does the UK cope with floods?
-
Study and identify areas at most the highest risk for floods
Recommend buildings of flood defences, like embankments and overflow channels
Check rainfall and water levels to see if a river is going to flood
Warn people most in danger
Alert emergency services
Ensure homeless people have food and shelter.
How can the risk of floods be reduced?
-
Forests - Slow down the flow of water
Embankments - The rivers banks may be built up with earth or concrete, makes river
deeper and keeps water in
Concrete linings - Takes away excess water from danger areas
Wider and deeper channels - Allows river to hold more water and reduce flooding
Straight channels - Speeds up the flow of water to take water quickly to the sea or lakes
Overflow channels - When water rises, floodgates open and the water channeled out to
the sea or temporary storage lakes
Allow flooding - Let flooding happen in a controlled way
Chap 4 - Urbanisation
Chapter - 4 Urbanisation
How were sites for early settlements chosen:
There are numerous factors influencing how good a site is for a settlement to be built. They are:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Protection - Good views from the hilltop to show if you’re going to be attacked
Not too much water - Sites must not flood nor be too marshy
Rivers - Easy to cross
Shelter - South facing slopes will be protected from the cold north wind
Building materials - To build houses
Supply of wood - For warmth and fires to cook on
Flat land - Easier to build houses on, growing crops and travelling
Plenty of water - To drink
Different settlement patterns:
●
●
●
Nucleated - Buildings closely grouped together
Dispersed - Buildings that are well spread out
Linear - Ribbon developments, with a long, narrow shape
How do settlements change over time?
No town or city can stay the same forever. But what is a settlement?
1. The shape of the settlement
2. The function of the settlement
3. The land use of a settlement
4. The number and type of people living in the settlement
It is often easier to see villages progress rather than big cities.
What groups may be affected?
Benefits and problems of settlement growth :
Benefits 1. More house and flats to rent/buy
2. Better paying jobs
3. Food supplies that are more reliable, with many shops giving greater variety.
4. It takes less time and money to travel to work and to shops
5. There are more and better services, such as schools and hospitals
6. Urban areas have entertainment and sporting ideas.
Problems 1. Traffic causes congestion, which causes noise and air pollution.
2. Old roads are not fit to handle urban traffic due to the rise in population.
3. Old houses and factories need urgent repair, but those repairs come at a high cost.
4. There is waste land in areas where old factories and houses have been pulled down.
5. Crime, vandalism and litter makes cities dangerous and unpleasant.
6. Land is very expensive to buy, near the city center.
Why does land use in towns change :
The function of land use changes over time. With the CBD/city center being built to attract
tourists. The outskirts have been used for better housing, shopping malls and industrial parks.
The small buildings in the inner city have aged and are too old and cramped, hence they have
been closed. What groups have been affected:
Land use pattern:
- Zone A, central building district
- Zone B, the inner city
- Zone C, the inner suburbs
- Zone D, the outer suburbs
Towns and cities today all have different functions, and a Burgess model shows this.
Traffic in urban areas - why is it a problem?
- Traffic jams block road and movement
- Delays for vital services
- Slow movement of people and goods
- Loss of business and money
- People and buildings affected by noise and vibrations
- Danger from accidents
- Harmful exhaust fumes
- Lack of parking places
Cause:
- Too many cars
- Too many road junctions
- Too much thorough traffic
- Unsuitable roads
- On-street parking
- Rush hour traffic
- Dirty fuels
Traffic is urban Areas - Is there a solution
-
We could build urban motorways to handle urban traffic.
More off-street parking
By passes to keep through traffic out of towns
Make public transport better
Increase parking fines
Travel by (private) buses.
Chap 5 - Kenya and africa
Chapter 5 - Kenya and Africa
Africa’s main physical features
-
Mountain areas
Deserts
Rainforests
3 of the world’s largest rivers, NIle, Congo, Zambezi
Temps range from 40 c in the deserts to -20 c in the mountain areas
Africa’s human Features With a total population of over a billion , Africa’s the second most populated continent. The birth
rates are growing rapidly and the population is increasing massively. Families are often large
and about half the population is under the young age of 15. Most Africans live in the
countryside, but in recent times they are migrating to larger cities and modernly developing
cities. Africa has the lowest standard of living and poor quality of life. In recent years
governments have been working on the economy and it has increased.
Kenya’s main features:
Kenya is a developing country with a low standard of living. It has a hot and sunny climate and a
varied population from different tribes. Kenya’s two major cities are Nairobi, the capital, and
Mombassa on the coast.
Kenya’s Physical Features:
Most visitors fly into Kenya through Nairobi, the country's capital and largest city. In the central
highlands, there used to be a considerable amount of volcanic activity, and during that time two
huge cracks developed and ran from the north to the south of Kenya, which made the huge right
valley. Mount Kenya stands at 5,199 metres today, and is the highest and best known of the
cone shaped remains of the volcanoes.
-
The north and east side of kenya is much flatter than the centre. There is little rainfall
here, so much of the land is desert with little vegetation.
The east coast has sandy beaches with coral reefs lying offshore, which thrive in the
warm waters of the Indian ocean.
Grassland covers much of the coastal plain, national parks are rich with wildlife.
As kenya is on the equator, the temps are high throughout the year, and seasons are
defined by rainfall amount
A typical day in Nairobi begins with bright, clear weather but then by the afternoon,
clouds would have built up and there may be a shower of rain, and in the evening it
clears and is cool.
Why is Kenya’s population so unevenly spread?
The population of Kenya is not evenly spread at all. Most Kenyans live in big cities. The
reason for this is
1. Migration - When people move out of their villages to go to bigger better cities
2. Physical condition - places that have a better climate with relief are liked more than
local villages.
What is it like living in Nairobi?
Like most developing countries there are 2 sides of kenya. The slum area, seen by most people
living there. The other side is seen by tourists and few rich Kenyans is the area with fancy, big
government buildings and major corporate buildings. The modernly developed areas are mainly
seen in the center of Nairobi. The other side is seen by people migrated from the surrounding
areas and villages, they often move in with family already living there. They share jobs, food and
houses. In recent years newcomers have been constructing their own houses with corrugated
iron.
Living in Kibera Kibera is one shanty settlement. It is 6 kms away from the city center of Nairobi or a 10 pence
bus ride. However most people walk as they cannot afford that fare for traveling. Houses in
Kibera are usually built close together. Sometimes it is hard to squeeze in between them. The
walls are usually made out of mud and bricks and the roofs are made from corrugated iron.
Inside there is often only one room.Very few homes have electricity, sewage and clean water.
Sewage runs in tracks next to the houses.
Maasai way of life One ethnic group living in Kenya are the maasai. They are pastoralists with herds of cattle and
goats. Some are nomadic and move around to find food and water for their animals. It is cattle,
not money. In fact, the usual maasai greeting is ‘I hope your cows are well.’. The land where the
maasai live is fairly flat and covered with grass that depends on rain. The ‘long rains’ come in
April and June, with the ‘short rains’ in October and december.
Houses:
The maasai live in an enkang, which is the homestead and the fences of their houses. In
villages, around 20 - 50 huts are there in which 10-20 families live. The fence is thick and is
made of horns, so other animals or rival tribes can’t come through and harm their animals. Tiny
passages allow people, and in the evenings cattle pass through, and they are blocked at night.
The frame of the house is made from wooden poles, and the mud from nearby rivers and cow
dung are used for walls. Grass from surrounding areas is used for the roof. Apart from an
opening the size of a brick, there are no windows or chimneys. Cowskins are laid on the floor as
beds and water and honey are stored in gourds, a ball shaped plant with a thick skin.
Developing country A developing country is a country that has a low GNP, few services(hospitals, education etc),
high infant mortality rate and a low standard of living.. A developing country also means growth,
a country that is growing.
Key skills
How can we describe physical features from a photo:
Photos are very useful in geography, but unfortunately we cannot extract much information from
them. We can do a checklist to get all the information we can. We ask questions.
Try it for yourself now!
What do aerial photos show?
Aerial photos provide us with information about the land use, the land pattern, the function and
shape of a land.They are detailed accurate photos taken from an aeroplane or helicopters. They
can be vertical or oblique photos.
How can we use satellite photos Photos taken from satellites can enhance the natural colours of a photo. We can see the green
grass lands and the yellow desserts which are easy to identify. Satellite photos also have a vast
variety of photos which can help us study the photo better.
Glossary
GlossaryStandard of living - average money made per hour, average life expectancy
GNP(Gross National Product) - The amount of products a country makes per year.
Infant Mortality Rate - The average number of infant deaths per 1000 births
Tab 7
Geography notes Chapter 1:
How can we use graphs in geography?
Graphs are diagrams that show information in a clear and simple way. They can be used to
show links, describe situations and show facts and figures. Data we collect ourselves is called
‘Primary data’, while data we get from other sources is called ‘Secondary data’.
There are 4 charts we use.
Bar graphs ● Bar graphs are made up of several bars/columns, drawn horizontally or vertically.
● Used to compare data.
Line graphs ● Shows data as a series of points that join together to form a line.
● Used to predict future trends or changes.
Pie graphs ● A circle divided into several pieces/sectors.
● Always equals to 100%.
● Shows proportions and how something is divided.
Scatter graphs ● Data plotted as dots or crosses.
● Shows how two things are related or correlate with each other, or links between them.
Keep in mind, whilst drawing a graph don’t forget a title, labels to explain what they are showing,
accurate figures!
River flooding chap 3
Why do rivers flood? Rivers flood due to, in simple terms, not being able to get absorbed.
How does the UK cope with floods?
-
Study and identify areas at most the highest risk for floods
Recommend buildings of flood defences, like embankments and overflow channels
Check rainfall and water levels to see if a river is going to flood
Warn people most in danger
Alert emergency services
Ensure homeless people have food and shelter.
How can the risk of floods be reduced?
-
Forests - Slow down the flow of water
Embankments - The rivers banks may be built up with earth or concrete, makes river
deeper and keeps water in
Concrete linings - Takes away excess water from danger areas
Wider and deeper channels - Allows river to hold more water and reduce flooding
Straight channels - Speeds up the flow of water to take water quickly to the sea or lakes
Overflow channels - When water rises, floodgates open and the water channeled out to
the sea or temporary storage lakes
Allow flooding - Let flooding happen in a controlled way
Chapter - 4 Urbanisation
How were sites for early settlements chosen:
There are numerous factors influencing how good a site is for a settlement to be built. They are:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Protection - Good views from the hilltop to show if you’re going to be attacked
Not too much water - Sites must not flood nor be too marshy
Rivers - Easy to cross
Shelter - South facing slopes will be protected from the cold north wind
Building materials - To build houses
Supply of wood - For warmth and fires to cook on
Flat land - Easier to build houses on, growing crops and travelling
Plenty of water - To drink
Different settlement patterns:
●
●
●
Nucleated - Buildings closely grouped together
Dispersed - Buildings that are well spread out
Linear - Ribbon developments, with a long, narrow shape
How do settlements change over time?
No town or city can stay the same forever. But what is a settlement?
1. The shape of the settlement
2. The function of the settlement
3. The land use of a settlement
4. The number and type of people living in the settlement
It is often easier to see villages progress rather than big cities.
What groups may be affected?
Benefits and problems of settlement growth :
Benefits 1. More house and flats to rent/buy
2. Better paying jobs
3. Food supplies that are more reliable, with many shops giving greater variety.
4. It takes less time and money to travel to work and to shops
5. There are more and better services, such as schools and hospitals
6. Urban areas have entertainment and sporting ideas.
Problems 1. Traffic causes congestion, which causes noise and air pollution.
2. Old roads are not fit to handle urban traffic due to the rise in population.
3. Old houses and factories need urgent repair, but those repairs come at a high cost.
4. There is waste land in areas where old factories and houses have been pulled down.
5. Crime, vandalism and litter makes cities dangerous and unpleasant.
6. Land is very expensive to buy, near the city center.
Why does land use in towns change :
The function of land use changes over time. With the CBD/city center being built to attract
tourists. The outskirts have been used for better housing, shopping malls and industrial parks.
The small buildings in the inner city have aged and are too old and cramped, hence they have
been closed.
Land use pattern:
- Zone A, central building district
- Zone B, the inner city
- Zone C, the inner suburbs
- Zone D, the outer suburbs
Towns and cities today all have different functions, and a Burgess model shows this.
Traffic in urban areas - why is it a problem?
- Traffic jams block road and movement
- Delays for vital services
- Slow movement of people and goods
- Loss of business and money
- People and buildings affected by noise and vibrations
- Danger from accidents
- Harmful exhaust fumes
- Lack of parking places
Cause:
- Too many cars
- Too many road junctions
- Too much thorough traffic
- Unsuitable roads
- On-street parking
- Rush hour traffic
- Dirty fuels
Traffic is urban Areas - Is there a solution
-
We could build urban motorways to handle urban traffic.
More off-street parking
By passes to keep through traffic out of towns
Make public transport better
Increase parking fines
Travel by (private) buses.
Chapter 5 - Kenya and Africa
Africa’s main physical features
-
Mountain areas
Deserts
Rainforests
3 of the world’s largest rivers, NIle, Congo, Zambezi
Temps range from 40 c in the deserts to -20 c in the mountain areas
Africa’s human Features With a total population of over a billion , Africa’s the second most populated continent. The birth
rates are growing rapidly and the population is increasing massively. Families are often large
and about half the population is under the young age of 15. Most Africans live in the
countryside, but in recent times they are migrating to larger cities and modernly developing
cities. Africa has the lowest standard of living and poor quality of life. In recent years
governments have been working on the economy and it has increased.
Kenya’s main features:
Kenya is a developing country with a low standard of living. It has a hot and sunny climate and a
varied population from different tribes. Kenya’s two major cities are Nairobi, the capital, and
Mombassa on the coast.
Kenya’s Physical Features:
Most visitors fly into Kenya through Nairobi, the country's capital and largest city. In the central
highlands, there used to be a considerable amount of volcanic activity, and during that time two
huge cracks developed and ran from the north to the south of Kenya, which made the huge right
valley. Mount Kenya stands at 5,199 metres today, and is the highest and best known of the
cone shaped remains of the volcanoes.
-
The north and east side of kenya is much flatter than the centre. There is little rainfall
here, so much of the land is desert with little vegetation.
- The east coast has sandy beaches with coral reefs lying offshore, which thrive in the
warm waters of the Indian ocean.
- Grassland covers much of the coastal plain, national parks are rich with wildlife.
- As kenya is on the equator, the temps are high throughout the year, and seasons are
defined by rainfall amount
A typical day in Nairobi begins with bright, clear weather but then by the afternoon, clouds would
have built up and there may be a shower of rain, and in the evening it clears and is cool.
Why is Kenya’s population so unevenly spread?
The population of Kenya is not evenly spread at all. Most Kenyans live in big cities. The reason
for this is
1. Migration - When people move out of their villages to go to bigger better cities
2. Physical condition - places that have a better climate with relief are liked more than local
villages.
What is it like living in Nairobi?
Like most developing countries there are 2 sides of kenya. The slum area, seen by most people
living there. The other side is seen by tourists and few rich Kenyans is the area with fancy, big
government buildings and major corporate buildings. The modernly developed areas are mainly
seen in the center of Nairobi. The other side is seen by people migrated from the surrounding
areas and villages, they often move in with family already living there. They share jobs, food and
houses. In recent years newcomers have been constructing their own houses with corrugated
iron.
Living in Kibera Kibera is one shanty settlement. It is 6 kms away from the city center of Nairobi or a 10 pence
bus ride. However most people walk as they cannot afford that fare for traveling. Houses in
Kibera are usually built close together. Sometimes it is hard to squeeze in between them. The
walls are usually made out of mud and bricks and the roofs are made from corrugated iron.
Inside there is often only one room.Very few homes have electricity, sewage and clean water.
Sewage runs in tracks next to the houses.
Maasai way of life One ethnic group living in Kenya are the maasai. They are pastoralists with herds of cattle and
goats. Some are nomadic and move around to find food and water for their animals. It is cattle,
not money. In fact, the usual maasai greeting is ‘I hope your cows are well.’. The land where the
maasai live is fairly flat and covered with grass that depends on rain. The ‘long rains’ come in
April and June, with the ‘short rains’ in October and december.
Houses:
The maasai live in an enkang, which is the homestead and the fences of their houses. In
villages, around 20 - 50 huts are there in which 10-20 families live. The fence is thick and is
made of horns, so other animals or rival tribes can’t come through and harm their animals. Tiny
passages allow people, and in the evenings cattle pass through, and they are blocked at night.
The frame of the house is made from wooden poles, and the mud from nearby rivers and cow
dung are used for walls. Grass from surrounding areas is used for the roof. Apart from an
opening the size of a brick, there are no windows or chimneys. Cowskins are laid on the floor as
beds and water and honey are stored in gourds, a ball shaped plant with a thick skin.
Developing country A developing country is a country that has a low GNP, few services(hospitals, education etc),
high infant mortality rate and a low standard of living.. A developing country also means growth,
a country that is growing.