O-LevelGeographyPopulation and settlement2217/12 · May/June 2012 · Q125 Marks

(a) Study Fig. 1, which shows information about the population density in India (an LEDC). [Figure 1]

(a)(i)Identify a state in India with a population density of 800 people or more per square kilometre.[1]
(a)(ii)The Indian state of Karnataka has a population of 52.73 million (52730000) and an area of 191976 square kilometres. Calculate its population density. Show your calculations.[2]
(a)(iii)List the three states in India which have the lowest population density. Describe one similarity in the location of all three of these states.[3]
(a)(iv)Many parts of India are densely populated. Give reasons why both agricultural areas and industrial areas may be densely populated in an LEDC.[4]
(b)Study Photographs A, B and C (Insert), which show areas with a low population density.
(b)(i)Give one reason why each of the areas shown are sparsely populated. You should choose a different reason for each photograph.[3]
(b)(ii)Explain why some towns may grow up in areas which otherwise have a low population density.[5]
(c)For a named country which you have studied, explain why the birth rate is high. Name of country ..........................................[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 2012). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (a) (i) Bihar/West Bengal/Kerala
[2] (a) (ii) 274.669 (per square km)
[1] (accept to any decimal point e.g. 274.67, 274.7, 275) (1 mark)
[1] 2nd mark for calculation showing population divided by area or the words population divided by area. (2nd mark)
[3] (a) (iii) Rajasthan (11)/Madhya Pradesh (10)/Maharashtra (6) (2 marks for all 3, 1 mark for 1/2)
[1] Similarity – all north (of 14N)/west (of 84E)/north west (1 mark reserved)
[4] (a) (iv) Ideas such as: lots of work opportunities/jobs available/people can make money; high rates of natural growth/high birth rates/or any reason (MAX 1); agricultural jobs are not mechanised/farming is labour intensive; fertile soils available/enough food can be produced; many people farm small plots of land; many people migrate to such areas; industries are labour intensive/not mechanised, industrial areas have good access/roads etc.
[3] (b) (i) Ideas such as: steep slopes/mountainous/high land (B/C); arid conditions/desert area/lack of water (A/B); ice and snow (C); lack of employment (A/B/C); isolation/lack of communications (A/B/C); unable to grow crops (A/B/C); infertile/rocky/barren/rugged (A/B/C) etc.
[5] (b) (ii) Ideas such as: around an oasis in a desert; around rivers where they flow through arid areas; mining settlement/to exploit a natural resource; e.g. gold mine (dev); growth of tourist resorts; market towns; route centres/junctions of major highways; towns of strategic importance/defensive sites; planned settlements/new towns etc.
[7] (c) Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example (e.g. Swaziland). Comprehensive and accurate statements including some place specific reference. (e.g. to send children out to work to earn money working in the towns like Mbabane, because contraception is not easily available in rural areas, because men are considered of higher status if they have more children, polygamy is allowed even the king has many wives etc.)