O-LevelGeographyPopulation and settlement2217/12 · May/June 2025 · Q225 Marks

Section A Answer one question from this section. (a) Study Fig. 2.1 (Insert), a photograph showing a rural settlement in Norway (an MEDC in Europe).

(a)(i)What is meant by rural settlement? [1][1]
(a)(ii)Suggest two low-order services which you would expect to find in a rural settlement such as the one shown in Fig. 2.1. 1 2 [2][2]
(a)(iii)Explain why rural settlements such as the one shown in Fig. 2.1 only have low-order services. [3][3]
(a)(iv)Suggest reasons for the growth of the settlement shown in Fig. 2.1. [4][4]
(b)(i)Using Fig. 2.2, compare the settlement patterns in areas X and Y. [3][3]
(b)(ii)Name the settlement pattern in area Z shown in Fig. 2.2. Suggest reasons why this settlement pattern may have developed. [5][5]
(c)For a named urban area you have studied, describe the impacts of urban growth on the surrounding rural area. Name of urban area [7][7]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] An area/place where people live/village or hamlet in the countryside/surrounded by farmland/away from the cities/towns
[2] Church;
[2] General store/small supermarket/small shop;
[2] Grocer;
[2] Baker;
[2] Butchers;
[2] Chemist/pharmacy
[2] Doctors/clinic;
[2] Primary school;
[2] Pub;
[2] Café/restaurant;
[2] Takeaway;
[2] Newsagent;
[2] Garage/petrol station;
[2] Post Office;
[2] Library;
[2] Mobile ice cream van/fish van/pizza van;
[3] They are/the population is small/not many houses;
[3] Do not have enough people/customers/demand/threshold for higher order services/population is only sufficient to meet threshold population of low order services;
[3] Higher order services would not be profitable/viable;
[3] They only have a small sphere of influence/people would not travel from other places to use them;
[4] Low land;
[4] Flatter area/valley;
[4] Sheltered area;
[4] Water supply;
[4] Fishing in river/lake/sea;
[4] Easily accessible/road/road junction;
[4] Wood for fuel/building;
[4] Rocks/stone for building;
[4] Grazing land/good soil/farmland/fertile soil;
[4] Leisure/tourism;
[4] Water transport;
[3] X is dispersed but Y is nucleated/X is more dispersed/Y is more nucleated;
[3] X has scattered building/lots of land in between buildings but in Y the buildings are close together/X is sparse but Y is dense/X is sparser/Y is denser;
[3] X has buildings away from roads but Y buildings are close to the roads/Y is closer to roads/X is further away from roads;
[5] Linear (1 mark Reserved);
[5] They may develop along roads;
[5] For easy access/good transport by land (dev);
[5] They may develop along/near river/valley;
[5] For access to water/transport along river/fishing (dev);
[5] Flat land/gentle slopes;
[5] Easier to build on flat land/their spread could be restricted by steep slopes either side (dev) ;
[5] Spread could be restricted by natural features such as marshes/free from flooding;
[7] Content Guide: Loss of vegetation/deforestation; Loss of habitat; Threat to species; Loss of rural amenity value; Traffic congestion around edge of urban area; Atmospheric pollution around edge of urban area; Water pollution; Noise; Loss of farmland/reduced food production; Change in population size; Loss of workforce/skilled people/young/educated; Impact on employment; Access to edge of town shopping centre; Etc. Place specific reference is likely to consist of: Locational details/named areas around rural urban fringe; Statistics.