O-LevelGeographyPopulation and settlement2217/12 · Oct/Nov 2017 · Q225 Marks

(a) Study Photograph A (Insert), which shows a rural settlement in Lesotho (an LEDC in Africa).

(a)(i)What is meant by a rural settlement?[1]
(a)(ii)Using evidence from Photograph A only, describe two characteristics of the houses in the settlement shown.[2]
(a)(iii)Explain how rural settlements, such as the one shown in Photograph A, fit into the hierarchy of settlement in a country.[3]
(a)(iv)Explain why many people have migrated away from rural settlements, such as the one shown in Photograph A.[4]
(b)Study Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C (Insert), which show maps of three rural settlements in the Czech Republic (an MEDC in Europe).
(b)(i)Identify the settlement patterns shown by each of the three maps. Fig. 3A ..................................................................................................................... Fig. 3B ..................................................................................................................... Fig. 3C .....................................................................................................................[3]
(b)(ii)Suggest reasons why different settlement patterns have developed in the areas shown in Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C.[5]
(c)Give reasons for the growth of a named urban settlement (town or city). Name of town or city .................................................................[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 (Oct/Nov 2017). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (A place where people live/residential area in the) countryside/away from the city/surrounded by farmland/open space around.
[2] Ideas such as houses are: Scattered/separate from/close to each other; Single storey/not very tall; Made of breeze blocks/concrete blocks Roofs are made of zinc/corrugated iron/metal; Small/few rooms; Small windows; Rectangular/long and thin;
[3] Ideas such as: They are at the base/bottom of pyramid/hierarchy; There are many/lots of them; They are close together; Low order settlements;
[4] Ideas such as: To get a job/better wages/wealth/more money; Little/poor health care/doctors; To look for education for their children; Aridity/drought; Food supplies are difficult to grow/soils are not fertile; Political issues/civil wars/persecution; Water/electricity supplies may be unreliable/poor; Poor sanitation/hygiene; Bright lights/entertainment; Joining friends and family;
[3] A = linear/in a line B = dispersed/scattered/random C = nucleated/nuclear/clustered
[5] Influenced by: Relief/gentle slope; Water supply/lake/river; Land use/areas of farmland/forest; Roads; Further marks available for reference to settlement pattern, e.g.: A linear settlement/Fig. A will ........develop in a valley/along a road A dispersed settlement/Fig. B will..... have houses across farmland/throughout/spread across forest; A nucleated settlement/Fig.C will ...develop around crossroads/bridging point/lake;
[1-3] Statements including limited detail which give reasons for growth of an urban settlement.
[4-6] More developed statements which give reasons for growth of an urban settlement. E.g. migration into city due to employment L2 (Note: Max 5 if no named or inappropriate example)
[7] Uses named example. Comprehensive and accurate statements which give reasons for growth of an urban settlement. Including some place specific reference. Content Guide: Growth could relate to the growth of population/area/importance of the settlement. Candidates are likely to refer to; Employment Migration Transport and communications Relief Water supply Tourism Political factors etc. NOT birth rate ideas. Place specific reference is likely to consist of: Named parts of the chosen settlement/ detail of functions/statistics Etc. Examples can be MEDC/LEDC city/town in any country.