AQA GCSE Geography Paper 2, June 2025: Question 2

Section B

Total

Qu Pt Marking Guidance

marks

02 1 Complete Figure 7 below using the following data for low income 2

countries.

One mark for both dividing lines correctly drawn.

Second mark for all segments correctly shaded or labelled.

Allow one mark if lines and segments mathematically correct and shaded but in

the wrong order.

Allow 1 mark if 2 segments are correctly plotted and shaded.

AO4 – 2 marks

02 2 What is the difference in access to safe water supply between high 1

income and lower-middle income countries?

One mark for correct answer.

40% – – –

AO4 – 1 mark

02 3 Outline the limitation(s) of one social measure of development such as 2

access to clean water.

One mark for an initial overall comment or single relevant statement, eg

• Death rate can be an unreliable measure (1).

• Number of people per doctor is not always a good measure of quality of life

(1)

• Access to safe water as % might not give a full picture of water supply (1).

Second mark for developing the comment or a separate point related to the

same measure.

• Death rate can be an unreliable measure (1) because it increases in many

advanced economies as their populations age (1).

• Number of people per doctor is not always a good measure of quality of life

(1) There are more doctors in some parts of the country than others (1)

• Access to safe water as % might not give a full picture of water supply (1) as

time may still be spent collecting it / or it may not be stored safely once

collected (d)(1).

Credit any reasonable statement and then subsequent development which

makes a link to a social aspect of people’s lives.

Accept a wide range of indicators, which need not be named.

No credit for GNI as purely economic.

No credit for saying what one indicator doesn’t measure.

AO1 – 2 marks

02 4 Explain one or more causes of uneven development. 4

Level Marks Description

2 3–4 AO1 – shows clear knowledge of factor(s) and the

(Clear) development process.

AO2 – Shows clear understanding of factor(s) and the

link to the development process.

1 1–2 AO1 – shows basic knowledge of factor(s) and the

(Basic) development process.

AO2 – Shows limited understanding of factor(s) and the

link to the development process.

0 No relevant content.

• Level 2 (clear) responses will link geographical knowledge and

understanding to present a reasoned explanation.

• Level 1 (basic) answers will be simplistic, perhaps simply descriptive, with

limited reasoning.

– – –

Indicative content

16 • Development need not be through named places but use of an example is

likely to add clarity. Development may also be found in explanation of

processes of development.

• One factor well developed and explained can achieve full marks.

• It is likely that answers will focus on the negative but it would be legitimate to

offer and answer focussed on positive aspects of development factors for

those countries which have greater levels of economic development and / or

an answer of contrasting fortunes.

• Landlocked countries will struggle to trade goods easily without ports.

Transport costs are higher as goods must travel longer distances over land,

often across several international borders.

• Natural hazards may limit economic growth as infrastructure will be

damaged, limiting industrial output and trade and funds will be needed for

repairing damage rather than new development which would allow progress.

• Climate related diseases and pests. Malaria is a serious health issue in

some tropical areas that affects productivity. It causes frequent illness,

leading to missed work, and financial hardship for communities. Irregular

rainfall will limit water supply, essential for settled farming. This is the least

secure physical and developmental link.

• Trade is dominated by HICs, particularly Europe and the USA, who will

control the process for their benefit, eg through the operation of the WTO.

• HICs and TNCs pay as little as possible for their commodities and raw

materials and LICs are further vulnerable to world market fluctuations.

• Many LICs are trapped in primary product dependency and rely for a large %

of their income on a single primary product, eg Zambia 60% GDP from

copper.

• Processing of raw materials takes place in HICs so LIC/NEEs are unable to

add value to their products, eg Cocoa Ivory Coast vs HIC chocolatiers.

• A legacy of colonialism has held back development in the formerly colonised

countries both in terms of the exploitative relationships established and an

often difficult process of independence such as civil wars.

• Conflict and corrupt government mean money is spent on things other than

development.

Credit any reasonable factor linked to development

Credit comments about uneven development within countries e.g. urban/rural

differences, North-South divide in the UK

– – –

AO1 – 2 marks

AO2 – 2 marks

02 5 Complete Figure 8 using the following data. 1

One mark for correct completion. Bar need not be shaded or labelled.

AO4 – 1 mark

02 6 What is the range between the largest percentage increase and largest 1

percentage decrease in population shown on Figure 8?

One mark for correct answer.

Ignore any minus sign.

61% – – –

AO4 – 1 mark

02 7 Calculate the mean population change in the 65+ age groups shown on 1

Figure 8.

One mark for correct answer.

18%

AO4 – 1 mark

02 8 Suggest how population decline can lead to social and economic 6

changes in the rural landscape in the UK.

Use Figure 9 and your own knowledge.

Level Marks Description

3 5–6 AO2 – Shows detailed understanding of population

(Detailed) decline and the resulting effects in rural areas.

AO3 – Demonstrates thorough application of

knowledge and understanding to offer precise

interpretation of the information provided and the link

with social and economic changes.

2 3–4 AO2 – Shows clear understanding of population

(Clear) decline and the resulting effects in rural areas.

AO3 – Demonstrates some application of knowledge

and understanding to offer clear interpretation of the

information provided and the link with social and / or

economic changes.

1 1–2 AO2 – Shows limited understanding of population

(Basic) decline and the resulting effects in rural areas.

AO3 – Demonstrates limited application of knowledge

and understanding to offer basic interpretation of the

information provided and / or simply asserts the link

with social and / or economic changes.

0 No relevant content.

• Level 3 (detailed) responses will cover the figure and well-developed

geographical understanding and provide a considered interpretation of the

link.

• Level 2 (clear) responses will show reasonable understanding of the link

using interpretation of the figure or more considered explanation of the link

using just their own understanding.

• Level 1 (basic) responses will show simple understanding of the link with

basic use of the figure and / or simple assertion of a connection.

Indicative content

• Figure 9 shows decline in both social infrastructure in the school closure,–––

with the ‘mainland’ indicating a more remote island and also in economic

infrastructure with shop closures.

• Additionally, the use of the term ‘lifeline’ suggests a social aspect to the

provision of rural shops in their service to communities.

• Candidates may make use of Figure 8 in their answer, though that should 19

not be credited as reference to the Figure as it is Figure 9 that is required by

the question.

• An example is not required as development may be shown through

developed geography, but is likely to add clarity.

• Likely examples are: Outer Hebrides (accept Lewis / Harris), South

Lakeland, Mid Wales. Any rural area is acceptable.

Social changes such as:

• Younger people leave in search of opportunities elsewhere, leaving a higher

proportion of older residents, resulting in school closures and a less vibrant /

varied community.

• This may also present issues with social / health care with an ageing

population.

Economic changes such as:

• There is an increasing cost to local / national government to provide services

in these areas as smaller populations reduce economies of scale.

• A reduced / less varied population makes businesses less viable, therefore

having a negative effect on the local economy.

• Max L2 if answer uses Figure 9 or own understanding only.

• Max L2 if social or economic changes only.

– – –

AO2 – 3 marks

AO3 – 3 marks

02 9 Use Figure 10 to suggest how economic development affects peoples’ 3

quality of life.

Figure 10 shows the involvement of the president in improving water supplies

and sanitation in Peru.

Credit any reasonable explanation or development of point, eg

• Economic development increases wages (1) and therefore tax receipts for

the government (1) which can be spent on better sanitation (1).

• Quality of life improves (1) because the government improves infrastructure

(1) which means they may be more likely to succeed (1).

• Better sanitation (1) will reduce disease/ people will be healthier (1) and

more productive at work / happier as a result (1).

• Improved sanitation will reduce infant / maternal mortality (1) which will help

to reduce the need to have children / the birth rate (1) so overall rates of

mental health / nutrition / illness will reduce (1).

• Accept answers which argue negatively i.e. that a lack of development will

decrease quality of life.

1×3, 3×1, or (1+1)+1 – – –

Max 1 mark if no reference can be seen or inferred to Figure 10.

AO3 – 3 marks

02 10 Evaluate the impacts of a transnational corporation (TNC) on a host 9

country.

Use a case study of a LIC/NEE.

Level Marks Description

3 7–9 AO1 – Demonstrates detailed knowledge of the

(Detailed) operations of a TNC in a named LIC/NEE.

AO2 – Shows a thorough understanding of how a TNC

causes different impacts.

AO3 – Demonstrates thorough application of

knowledge and understanding in evaluating the relative

impact of changes caused by a TNC.

2 4–6 AO1 – Demonstrates clear knowledge of the operations

(Clear) of a TNC in a named LIC/NEE.

AO2 – Shows a reasonable understanding of how a

TNC causes different impacts.

AO3 – Demonstrates reasonable application of

knowledge and understanding in evaluating the relative

impact of changes caused by a TNC.

1 1–3 AO1 – Demonstrates basic knowledge of the

(Basic) operations of a TNC in a named LIC/NEE.

AO2 – Shows a limited understanding of how a TNC

causes different impacts.

AO3 – Demonstrates limited application of knowledge

and understanding in evaluating the relative impact of

changes caused by a TNC.

0 No relevant content.

• Level 3 (detailed) responses will provide specific detail of a named TNC

and country with well-reasoned evaluation of the impacts resulting from the

TNCs operation.

• Level 2 (clear) responses will either provide specific detail of a named TNC

and implicit evaluation of the impacts or well-reasoned evaluation of the

impacts for a generic country / TNC.

• Level 1 (basic) responses will give basic link(s) between a TNC and the

impacts that result or merely assert a connection between them.

• Max top L2 if no named country or TNC.

• Max top L2 if HIC country but comments could still apply.

• Max L2 if no evaluative comments.

– – –

Indicative content

• Candidates are likely to have studied a range of TNCs and countries, with

likely textbook examples being Unilever in India and Shell in Nigeria.

• Using the latter as an example:

• Answers could suggest positive impacts such as:

o Direct employment for 65 000 Nigerians and a further 250 000 indirectly.

o 91% of Shell contracts go to Nigerian companies.

o Shell makes significant contributions to Nigeria’s tax coffers and thereby

increases national wealth.

o Credit development of the above to show how they increase security of

employment and thereby disposable income, increase government

revenue to allow funding of infrastructure and social provision, and create

multiplier effects which have wider benefits.

• Answers should also address the need to evaluate and therefore may show

negative impacts such as:

o Oil spills, particularly in the Bodo region, cause conflict and resentment

and ruin fishermen’s livelihoods.

o Oil flaring is still used, increasing greenhouse emissions and air pollution.

o Oil wealth has provoked armed conflict and new terrorist groups such as

the Niger Delta Avengers who cause loss of life and revenue for the

government.

• Answers should be brought to a conclusion, or at least have evaluative

comments in their text, perhaps with an overall judgement of whether the

positives outweigh the negatives or vice versa. Either view is perfectly

acceptable.

• An updated version of a textbook has provided revised figures regarding the

numbers of workers employed by Shell and who work in the oil industry in

Nigeria. Give credit to responses which correctly use figures provided above

or those that suggest Shell provides direct employment for 2700 people and

9000 contractors, of whom 97 per cent are Nigerian.

• Examiners should be aware of updated figures for a range of case studies.

AO1 – 3 marks

AO2 – 3 marks

AO3 – 3 marks