Paper 2: UK Geographical Issues Tips

Paper 2 tests your knowledge of UK geography across three sections: The UK's Evolving Physical Landscape, The UK's Evolving Human Landscape, and Geographical Investigations (Fieldwork). Like Paper 1, it is worth 37.5% of your grade (94 marks in 1 hour 30 minutes). This lesson covers the key content, case studies and exam priorities for each section.

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Section A: The UK's Evolving Physical Landscape

Core Topic: UK Physical Landscapes

Concept	What You Need to Know
UK relief and geology	Upland and lowland areas; influence of geology on landscape; igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
Weathering	Physical (freeze-thaw), chemical (carbonation), biological; how they break down rock
Erosion	Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution; applying to rivers and coasts
Mass movement	Slides, slumps, rockfalls; causes (saturation, undercutting, gravity)

Option Topics (You Study TWO)

You will have studied two from these three options:

Option	Key Content
Coastal Landscapes	Wave types; erosion processes; landforms (cliffs, wave-cut platforms, caves, arches, stacks, spits, bars); longshore drift; coastal management (hard and soft engineering); case study of a managed coastline
River Landscapes	Long profile; cross profile; erosion, transport and deposition; landforms (V-shaped valleys, waterfalls, meanders, oxbow lakes, floodplains, levees, estuaries); the Bradshaw model; flood management; case study of a river
Glaciated Landscapes	Ice formation and movement; erosion (plucking, abrasion); landforms (corries, arêtes, pyramidal peaks, U-shaped valleys, ribbon lakes, moraines, drumlins); land use in glaciated areas

Coastal Landscapes: Key Revision

Landform	Process	Key Diagram to Know
Wave-cut platform	Hydraulic action + abrasion undercut cliff → notch → collapse → platform exposed	Cross-section showing cliff retreat
Cave → arch → stack	Erosion exploits a weakness (fault/joint) → widens → roof collapses	Sequence diagram
Spit	Longshore drift deposits material across a river mouth	Plan view map showing spit formation
Bar	Spit extends to close off a bay	Plan view map

River Landscapes: Key Revision

Landform	Course	Process
V-shaped valley	Upper	Vertical erosion + weathering of valley sides
Waterfall + plunge pool	Upper	Erosion of soft rock below hard cap rock → undercutting → collapse → retreat
Meander	Middle–Lower	Erosion on outer bend (fast flow) + deposition on inner bend (slow flow)
Oxbow lake	Lower	Neck of meander eroded through → river takes shortcut → meander cut off
Floodplain + levees	Lower	Deposition during floods builds up flat land + raised banks

Exam Tip: For physical landscape questions, draw labelled diagrams where possible. Even if the question does not ask for a diagram, a well-drawn sketch of a waterfall or meander with labels can earn additional credit and shows the examiner you understand the process.

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Section B: The UK's Evolving Human Landscape

Core Topic: UK Human Landscapes

Concept	What You Need to Know
Population distribution	Where people live in the UK and why; density and sparsity; urban–rural contrast
Economic change	Shift from primary/secondary to tertiary/quaternary; deindustrialisation; growth of service sector
Social change	Ageing population; migration (immigration and emigration); multiculturalism; north-south divide
UK in a global context	Trade links; EU (and post-Brexit changes); TNC headquarters; global cities (London)

Option Topics (You Study ONE)

Option	Key Content
Dynamic UK Cities	How cities have grown and changed; urban challenges (housing, transport, deprivation); regeneration; sustainability; case study of a major UK city
Rural UK	Population change in rural areas; agricultural change; diversification; conflicts in rural areas; management of the countryside; case study of a rural area

Dynamic UK Cities: Key Revision

Theme	What to Revise
Causes of urban change	Migration, natural increase, suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation, re-urbanisation
Urban challenges	Housing shortage, traffic congestion, deprivation, urban sprawl, environmental issues
Regeneration	Case study with specific projects, costs, outcomes, stakeholders
Sustainable urban living	Green transport, energy efficiency, waste reduction, green spaces

Case Study Checklist — UK City

Factor	Details to Know
Location	Region, population, key features
Historical development	How the city grew; industrial heritage
Current challenges	Deprivation, housing, transport, employment
Regeneration projects	Named projects with costs, dates, outcomes
Stakeholder views	Who benefits? Who loses? Conflicts?
Sustainability measures	Green initiatives, transport improvements

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Section C: Geographical Investigations (Fieldwork)