Paper 1: Global Geographical Issues Tips

Paper 1 tests your knowledge of the three global topics: Hazardous Earth, Development Dynamics, and Challenges of an Urbanising World. It is worth 37.5% of your total GCSE grade (94 marks in 1 hour 30 minutes). This lesson provides a focused revision guide covering the key content, case studies and exam priorities for each topic.

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Section A: Hazardous Earth

Key Concepts to Revise

Concept	What You Need to Know
Global atmospheric circulation	The three-cell model (Hadley, Ferrel, Polar); pressure belts; surface winds; Coriolis effect
Natural climate change	Milankovitch cycles; volcanic eruptions; solar output changes; evidence (ice cores, tree rings, sea-floor sediments)
Human-caused climate change	Enhanced greenhouse effect; CO₂ and methane sources; evidence of recent warming; consequences
Tropical cyclones	Formation conditions (27°C+ sea temperature); structure (eye, eyewall, spiral rainbands); distribution; impacts
Tectonic hazards	Plate tectonics theory; plate boundaries (destructive, constructive, conservative); earthquakes and volcanoes; distribution
Hazard management	Prediction, protection, planning; comparing responses in HICs and LICs; vulnerability factors

Case Studies Required

Topic	HIC Example	LIC/NEE Example
Tropical cyclone	Hurricane Katrina, USA (2005) or similar	Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar (2008) or Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines (2013)
Tectonic hazard	Japan Tohoku earthquake (2011) or similar	Haiti earthquake (2010) or Nepal earthquake (2015)

For each case study, you need:

• Location and date
• Cause (physical processes)
• Primary impacts (immediate effects)
• Secondary impacts (longer-term effects)
• Response (immediate and long-term; local and international)

flowchart TD
    A["HAZARDOUS EARTH<br/>Key Revision Areas"] --> B["Atmospheric Circulation<br/>Three-cell model, pressure belts"]
    A --> C["Climate Change<br/>Natural + human causes, evidence"]
    A --> D["Tropical Cyclones<br/>Formation, impacts, management"]
    A --> E["Tectonic Hazards<br/>Plate boundaries, earthquakes, volcanoes"]
    A --> F["Case Studies<br/>HIC + LIC for each hazard type"]

Exam Tip: The extended writing question for Hazardous Earth often asks you to compare impacts or responses between HICs and LICs. Prepare a table of key differences before the exam: building standards, early warning systems, emergency services, economic resources, governance quality.

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Section B: Development Dynamics

Key Concepts to Revise

Concept	What You Need to Know
Defining development	Economic and social indicators (GDP, GNI, HDI, life expectancy, literacy rate); limitations of single indicators
Global development patterns	The development gap; North-South divide; emerging economies (BRICS)
Causes of uneven development	Physical factors (climate, resources, location); historical factors (colonialism, trade); economic factors (debt, trade barriers); political factors (corruption, conflict)
Development theories	Rostow's modernisation model; Frank's dependency theory; top-down vs bottom-up approaches
Strategies for development	Trade, aid, debt relief, FDI, microfinance, intermediate technology; advantages and disadvantages of each
Case study: emerging country	Detailed study of one country (e.g. India, Nigeria, or similar) showing causes and consequences of development

Case Study Checklist — Emerging Country

You need detailed knowledge of one emerging country. Be prepared to discuss:

Factor	What to Know
Location and context	Where, population, historical background
Economic development	GDP growth, key industries, trade patterns
Social development	Life expectancy, literacy, healthcare, education changes
Political factors	Government stability, democracy, corruption levels
International links	Trade partners, FDI, TNCs operating there, aid received
Inequality	Urban vs rural divide; gender inequality; regional disparities
Environmental concerns	Pollution, deforestation, resource depletion linked to development

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Section C: Challenges of an Urbanising World

Key Concepts to Revise

Concept	What You Need to Know
Urbanisation trends	Global urbanisation rates; differences between HICs and LICs; megacities; urban growth patterns
Causes of urbanisation	Push factors (rural poverty, lack of services, natural disasters); pull factors (jobs, education, healthcare, entertainment)
Urban challenges in LICs	Informal settlements, inadequate sanitation, water supply, waste management, traffic congestion, unemployment
Urban challenges in HICs	Deindustrialisation, inner-city deprivation, housing affordability, suburban sprawl, social inequality
Urban management	Top-down approaches (government-led schemes); bottom-up approaches (community-based); sustainable urban living
Case studies	One city in a LIC/NEE + one city in a HIC showing challenges and management strategies

Case Study Comparison