iGCSE Geography OxfordAQA

This subject is broken down into 19 topics in 4 modules:

  1. The Natural Environment 5 topics
  2. The Human Environment 5 topics
  3. Economic Development 5 topics
  4. Skills and Techniques 4 topics
Study this subject in the Adapt App →
  • 4
    modules
  • 19
    topics
  • 7,192
    words of revision content
  • 56+
    minutes of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

A preview of iGCSE Geography OxfordAQA in the Adapt app

Adapt is a revision planning app with full content coverage and unlimited past paper questions for 1,200+ GCSE and A Level subjects.

Study this subject in the Adapt app →

Geography

The Natural Environment

River environments

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

River environments

Introduction to River Environments

  • River environments are landscapes shaped by rivers, their currents and the process of erosion, transportation and deposition.
  • They include features like valleys, floodplains, waterfalls, meanders, and other typical formations seen around rivers.

Processes in River Environments

  • Erosion is the process where rocks and soil are ground down and carried away by the force of the river's water.
  • Transportation occurs where the eroded rocks and sediments are carried downstream by the river.
  • Deposition is when the transported material settles and is left in a new location.

River Landforms

  • Waterfalls are formed when there is a sudden change in gradient of the river bed.
  • Floodplains are wide, flat areas of land that border the river, which experience periodic flooding.
  • Meanders are winding bends in a river, formed by faster currents on the outside of the bend causing erosion, and slower currents on the inside causing deposition.
  • Delta is a triangle-shaped landform at the mouth of the river due to deposition of sediments when the river meets the sea or a lake.

River Management

  • Flood defences can be built, such as levees, to prevent rivers from bursting their banks.
  • Dams can be constructed to manage the river's water supply.
  • Changes to river environments, both natural and human-induced, can impact the local ecosystem and biodiversity.

Rivers and Human Life

  • Rivers have been crucial for human settlements since ancient times; many major cities across the world are built around them.
  • Rivers are important for a variety of human activities, including fishing, irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, shipping, and recreation.
  • Damage to river environments can lead to issues like flooding, water pollution, and threats to wildlife.

Rivers and Climate Change

  • Climate change impacts rivers mainly through increased temperature and altered precipitation patterns.
  • Rising temperatures cause glaciers to melt, leading to an increased amount of water flowing in rivers.
  • Extreme weather events, such as heavy rain or droughts, can impact river focus and create ecological and social disruptions.

Course material for Geography, module The Natural Environment, topic River environments

Geography

Economic Development

Development and its indicators

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

Development and its indicators

Development and Its Indicators

Understanding Development

  • Development refers to the progress in economic growth, use of technology and human welfare that a country has made.
  • It's a complex process and includes changes in living conditions, infrastructure, education and healthcare provision.
  • Development might be seen as linear progression, but in reality, it is uneven, with highs and lows and forward and backward movement.

Economic Indicators of Development

  • One of the key indicators of development is Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP is the total value of all goods and services produced in a country in a year. It gives an idea about the overall size and health of an economy.
  • GDP per capita is another important indicator. It adjusts the GDP by population size, providing the average economic output per person.
  • Gross National Income (GNI) per capita takes into account income earned by residents from overseas.
  • Economic structure can indicate development. More developed countries tend to have a larger tertiary and quaternary sector, while less developed ones have a heavy reliance on the primary sector.

Social Indicators of Development

  • Social indicators reflect quality of life. These include education level, health facilities, access to clean drinking water, and literacy rate among others.
  • The Human Development Index (HDI) is commonly used. It's a composite measure of GDP per capita, literacy/education levels, and life expectancy. A higher HDI suggests a more developed country.

Limitations of Indicators

  • These indicators might not reflect the whole picture of a country's development. For example, GDP does not account for income inequality.
  • Disparity in regional development within a country is often missed in these indicators.
  • Certain aspects, like political stability or cultural factors, which also influence development, cannot be measured by these indicators.

Sustainable Development

  • Sustainable development aims to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
  • Key components include economic sustainability (sound fiscal policy), environmental sustainability (conserving resources), and social sustainability (eliminating inequality).
  • The Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) have been set by the United Nations as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

Remember, development is a complex and multifaceted process that varies from one place to another. No single indicator can give a comprehensive picture of development. Multiple factors and indicators need to be considered.

Course material for Geography, module Economic Development, topic Development and its indicators

Can I trust Adapt’s expertise?

Adapt is already used by over 600,000 students and trusted by over 3,000 schools. Our exam-specific content and assessments are meticulously crafted by expert teachers and examiners.

Find out more about the Adapt app →

Planner

An always up-to-date revision timetable.

A personalised, flexible revision timetable that stays up-to-date automatically.

Content

All the exam resources, in one place.

Over 20,000 topics broken down into manageable lessons with teacher-written, exam-specific lessons.

Assessment

Past-paper questions, with instant feedback.

Unlimited past paper questions with instant examiner feedback on how to improve.

Progress

Track progress, together.

Progress tracking to stay motivated, with real-time updates to the Parent Portal.

Download the app today to start revising for free.