A-Level Geography Flashcards

Which term describes the total movement of water through the hydrological cycle within a drainage basin, from precipitation through to river discharge?

Answer: Water balance

The water balance summarises the relationship between precipitation inputs and outputs (evapotranspiration, runoff) within a drainage basin, showing whether there is a water surplus or deficit.

What is the primary cause of desertification in semi-arid regions?

Answer: Overgrazing, deforestation, and unsustainable farming practices degrading land

Desertification is mainly driven by human activities such as overgrazing, unsustainable agriculture, and deforestation, which degrade vegetation cover and soil quality in semi-arid areas.

In the context of glacial landforms, what is an 'arête'?

Answer: A narrow, knife-edge ridge formed between two corries or glacial valleys

An arête is a sharp, narrow ridge formed when two adjacent glaciers or corries erode the land from either side, leaving a thin rock wall between them.

Which of the following is the most accurate definition of 'Food Security'?

Answer: When all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food

The FAO definition of food security encompasses availability, access, utilisation, and stability of food supplies, not simply domestic food production.

What does the Human Development Index (HDI) primarily measure?

Answer: Life expectancy, education, and income as a composite measure of human well-being

HDI combines three dimensions — life expectancy, education (mean and expected years of schooling), and GNI per capita — to provide a broader measure of development than GDP alone.

Which coastal landform is produced when a headland is eroded on both sides until the two caves meet, forming a tunnel through the rock?

Answer: Arch

A natural arch forms when caves on either side of a headland are eroded until they break through, leaving a tunnel or archway of rock.

What is 'agglomeration' in economic geography?

Answer: The clustering of related businesses and industries in the same geographical area to gain shared benefits

Agglomeration refers to the concentration of businesses and industries in the same location to benefit from shared infrastructure, labour pools, suppliers, and knowledge spillovers.