O-LevelPakistan StudiesThe environment of PakistanMay/June 2015 · Q325 Marks

(a) Study Fig. 6 which gives information about the area of Pakistan under cultivation. [Figure 6]

(a)(i) A.Name a district that has a cultivated area of over 65%.[2]
(a)(i) B.How much of Faisalabad District is cultivated?[2]
(a)(ii)Suggest reasons why so many districts of Pakistan have a cultivated area of less than 5%.[3]
(a)(iii)Explain why agricultural land is no longer producing crops in many regions of Pakistan.[4]
(b)(i)By how much has the rural population decreased between 1981 and 2010?[1]
(b)(ii)Loss of agricultural land is one reason for the rural population decreasing. Describe three other push factors that are causing people to move to urban areas.[3]
(b)(iii)Explain the effects on rural areas when large amounts of people migrate to urban areas.[4]
(c)Study Fig. 8 which is a graph showing the changes in population density for different provinces between 1972 and 2011. [Figure 8] Describe two of the main changes over time that can be seen in this graph.[2]
(d)Read the following two views: The Government should spend more money on development projects in the least densely populated province in Pakistan. This province is behind in development. The Government should spend more money on development projects in the more densely populated provinces. More people live there. Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons and refer to places or examples you have studied to support your answer.[6]

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 2015). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[2] (a) (i) A Gujranwala/Jhang/Kasur/Khanewal/Lodhran/Mandi Bahauddin/Multan/Pakpattan/ Sahiwal/Sargodha/Vehari
[2] (a) (i) B 35–65%
[3] (a) (ii) Too far from R. Indus/major rivers; Hilly/mountainous/rugged; Thin/poor/infertile soil/barren/badland topography; Deserts/too dry/low rainfall/high evaporation rate; Delta region/too marshy/area prone to flooding; Extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
[4] (a) (iii) Waterlogging – over-irrigation/unlined canals which cause seepage of water into the ground causing a rise in water table to the surface/making land barren/uncultivable; Salinity - salts rise with water table and are left on the surface when water evaporates making land barren/uncultivable; Overgrazing - too many livestock animals in too small an area/livestock not moved to different pastures causing land to become bare; Overcultivation – crops not rotated or no fallow period or too little fertiliser and soil becomes exhausted; Floods - e.g. 2010, top soil washed away/nutrients leached away/soil erosion; Drought - land becomes too dry to support crops; Alternative use of land – e.g. housing/industries; Land fragmentation – farming becomes inefficient; Zamindari system of Landlords – no incentive for farmers; Workforce migrates to urban areas/lack of skilled or unskilled workers – no one to work the land; Siltation in reservoirs, therefore reduces availability of irrigation water
[1] (b) (i) 8% (tolerance 7–8%) Also accept alternative interpretation 11%
[3] (b) (ii) Mechanisation of farms resulting in unemployment; Unemployment/underemployment; Poverty/lack of options; Poor quality services, e.g. health/education/schools/educational institutes/shops; Poor standard of utilities – no electricity/lack of water/unhygienic/lack of sanitation; Poor housing; Extreme weather/floods/droughts/diseases causing crop failure; Unrest in tribal areas; Zamindari system – landlords
[4] (b) (iii) Positive: Reduces population pressure on infrastructure/housing/services; Reduces unemployment; Remittances are sent from workers in urban areas. Negative: Unbalanced population structure/young men leave; Lack of (skilled) labour/lack of named example/fewer farmers; Less population to support rural services; Fracture of families; Feeling of isolation/lack of government interest; Services decline
[2] (c) All four increased; P, KPK, and S all increased at same rate; B increased at a slow rate; P/KPK/S increased at a fast rate; S became more densely populated than KPK over the time period
[6] (d) Indicative content (development of points or examples in parentheses). Balochistan: Large area/unrestricted space; Untapped mineral resources (e.g. coal/natural gas/chromite/iron ore/antimony/manganese) (Saindak Copper-Gold project with Australian/Chinese/German/French expertise); Coast has development potential for ports (e.g. deep sea port at Gwadar) (for exports of fruit)/fishing/wind farms (would lead to ancillary industries/free industrial zones providing employment); Much of the province requires development (many of the people are nomadic farmers); Would create even spread of development in Pakistan. Punjab / Sindh / KPK: Population growing more quickly than Balochistan (more demand for services/housing/jobs); Indus Plain productive agricultural area/has Pakistan's largest cities/industries/most extensive transport networks (more economical to develop where these exist); In Balochistan traditional/tribal society/opposition to development/modernisation; High cost of putting infrastructure into Balochistan (very hot and dry climate/mountainous and rugged terrain/deserts) (e.g. roads/railways/water/electricity/gas/telecoms); Accept converse arguments