WAEC Geography Questions and Answers 2023
by Ushapriyanga
Updated Jun 02, 2023
West African Examinations Council
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is a legally established examination board responsible for conducting examinations of public interest in English-speaking West African countries. Since its establishment in 1952, WAEC has played a significant role in the educational landscape of Anglophone West Africa, which includes Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Gambia.
The council's primary objectives are to organize and administer examinations and award certificates that are internationally recognized and comparable to those issued by equivalent examining authorities worldwide. WAEC has become one of the largest and most renowned examination bodies in West Africa, making a substantial contribution to education in the region.
Under the leadership of Dr. Adeyegbe, the former Head of the National Office (HNO) of WAEC Nigeria in 2004, the council has built a competent and motivated team of staff who have conducted valid and relevant examinations aligned with the educational aspirations of member countries. Each year, WAEC coordinates examinations for over three million candidates, reflecting the widespread recognition and participation in its examination programs.
Furthermore, WAEC extends its assistance to other examination bodies, both local and international, in coordinating their own examinations, showcasing the council's commitment to promoting excellence in education beyond its immediate jurisdiction.
The West African Examinations Council has firmly established itself as a trusted and respected authority in the field of examinations, facilitating educational advancement and providing opportunities for countless individuals in West Africa. Its commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and collaboration with other examination bodies solidify its position as a key player in the region's educational landscape.
WAEC Geography Questions and Answers 2023
1. Write a geographical account of rail transport under the following headings:
(a) economic importance;
(b) problems;
(c) solutions.
ANS: (b) Problems of rail transportation included:
– slow speed in developing countries;
– derailment due to flooding;
– poor time schedule;
– poor standard coaches;
– competition from other modes of transportation e.g. road and air;
– the high cost of construction affected by steep gradient/terrain;
– the high cost of spare parts, etc.
(c) The solutions to those problems included:
– wider gauges to increase speed;
– faster engines and coaches;
– proper planning and timing of movement schedules;
– improved management techniques;
– loans from banks;
– internal manufacturing of spare parts, etc.
2. (a) Describe any three factors responsible for the dominance of light industries in developing countries.
(b) Highlight any four advantages of the concentration of industries in urban areas of developing countries.
(c) Outline any three disadvantages of the concentration of industries in the urban areas of developing countries.
3. (a) Define the following population terms:
i) census;
ii) mortality rate;
(b) family planning. Outline any three problems confronting a country that is overpopulated.
(c) Highlight any three ways by which the problem of overpopulation can be solved.
4. (a) Highlight any five factors that have accounted for the world’s rapid population growth.
(b) Outline any five problems of rapid population growth.
ANS: (a) The factors that have accounted for the world’s rapid population growth include:
– polygamy;
– early marriage;
– advancement in science and technology;
– improved medical care;
– low mortality rate;
– industrialization
– poor family planning.
5. (a) State four reasons for the concentration of manufacturing industries in the capital cities of Tropical African Countries.
(b) Give three reasons for the predominance of consumer-oriented industries in Tropical Africa.
(c) Describe three contributions of manufacturing industries to the economic development of Tropical African Countries.
6. Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, mark and name
(a) Two areas of low population density;
(b) Two areas of high population density;
(c) One town in one of the high population density areas shown in a(ii) above.
(d) Highlight any three problems associated with high population density in Nigeria.
(e) Explain the ways of solving any two of the problems of population density highlighted in 6(b) above.
7. (a) Describe any three causes of air pollution.
(b) Outline the three major effects of air pollution.
(c) Suggest two ways of controlling air pollution.
Ans: The candidates were expected to describe the following causes of air pollution:
– odour as a result of improper disposal
– emission of smoke from domestic sources
– fumes from exhaust of vehicles and airplanes
– industrial waste and fumes
– dust from the explosion of bombs and other dangerous weapons
– artificial cloud seeding
– chloroform carbon (CFC) from the cooling system and sprays
– noise from loudspeakers and aeroplanes.
8. (a) Draw an outline map of West Africa. On it locate and name:
(i) one area of the dense population;
(ii) one area of the sparse population;
(iii) an important town in each area;
(iv) the River Niger.
(b) Explain four factors that have led to the high population in the area shown on your map.
(c) Highlight two problems of sparse population density.
9. Describe the savannah belt of Africa under the following headings:
(a) location;
(b) vegetation characteristics;
(c) uses.
Objective Questions 2023
1. Villages develop into urban centres when they
A. attract more people
B. produce enough food
C. establish educational institutions
D. grow in commerce and industry.
2. By how many times will a map measuring 12cm by 7cm be enlarged to make its area 336cm2?
A. Twice
B. Three times
C. Four times
D. Five times.
3. Eluviation is the process by which
A. Soluble substances are removed from the upper layers of the soil
B. soluble substances are deposited in the upper layers of the soil
C. fine particles are removed from one layer of the soil to another
D. fine particles are deposited in the upper layers of the soil.
4. Transhumance is the seasonal migration of livestock
A. from the lowlands to the uplands
B. from the north to the south following the rains
C. in the semiarid steppes
D. in search of water and pasture.
5. Variations in the lengths of day and night over the earth’s surface are due to the
A. earth’s inclination to the sun and its revolution
B. earth’s inclination to the sun and its rotation
C. length of the earth’s orbit
D. thickness of the earth’s atmosphere.
6. The progressive widening of joints and cracks in limestone by solutions, initially leads to the formation of
A. grikes and clints
B. stalactites and stalagmites
C. caves and caverns
D. cliffs and dry valleys.
7. When condensation occurs in a rising air mass, latent heat is
A. absorbed by carbon dioxide
B. lost to the atmosphere
C. stored in the water molecules
D. released as sensible heat.
8. Two cloud types of a great vertical extent that produce much rainfall are
A. cumulus and stratus
B. cumulus and cumulo-nimbus
C. cumulo-nimbus and nimbostratus
D. strato-cumulus and nimbostratus.
9. The cheapest means of transport for long-distance travel is by
A. rail
B. water
C. air
D. road.
10. If the distance between two points on a map with a scale 1:50,000 is 35mm, what is the distance between them on the ground?
A. 1.50 km
B. 1.55 km
C. 1.75 km
D. 1.85 km.
11. If a map has a scale of 1: 50,000 and a cocoa plantation is represented on the map by a rectangle 5 cm by 4 cm, what is the area of the plantation?
A. 5 km2
B.6km2
C. 20km2
D. 25km2.
12. On which of the following pairs of dates is the length of day and night equal on the earth’s surface?
A. June 21st and September 21st
B. March 22nd and December 22nd
C. June 21st and December 22nd
D. March 21st and September 23rd.
13. Lakes formed as a result of landslides, screes or avalanches are known as
A. man-made lakes
B. barrier lakes
C. caldera lakes
D. rock-hollow lakes.
14. Which of the following is a major environmental problem in heavily industrialized regions?
A. Accelerated erosion
B. Water pollution
C. Frost damage
D. acid rain.
15. The crossing of a boundary between two countries by a migrant is best described as
A. emigration
B. Immigration
C. Out-migration
D. international migration.
16. A process whereby a plant community is replaced by another is known as
A. colonization
B. succession
C. competition
D. consolidation.
17. The duration of sunshine is measured by the
A. aneroid barometer
B. Campbell-Stokes recorder
C. cup-anemometer
D. minimum-maximum thermometers.
18. Quartz, feldspar and mica are three principal minerals that can easily be seen in
A. basalt
B. coal
C. granite
D. limestone.
19. The rock with the least carbon content is
A. Coal
B. Sandstone
C. marble
D. lignite.
20. The process by which organic matter is decomposed and synthesized to form part of the soil is known as
A. humification
B. mineralization
C. lateralization
D. nitrification.
21. Which of the following groups consists of energy resources?
A. Petroleum, uranium and manganese
B. Coal, bauxite and uranium
C. Water, copper and sun
D. Coal, petroleum and water.
22. A piece of evidence that confirms that the earth is spherical is
A. Standard time
B. solar system
C. earth’s orbit
D. moon’s eclipse.
23. A tremendous pressure or temperature change may lead to the formation of
A. limestone
B. granite
C. gneiss
D. clay.
24. Which of the following sources of power supply is renewable?
A. Solar
B. Coal
C. Gas
D. Nuclear.
25. Hygrometer is used to measure
A. rainfall
B. wind direction
C. relative humidity
D. sunshine.
26. The largest ocean in the world is the
A. Atlantic Ocean
B. Indian Ocean
C. Arctic Ocean
D. Pacific Ocean.
27. Rock minerals are said to be crystalline when the atoms forming them are
A. found in sedimentary rocks
B. found in crystalline rocks
C. arranged in a definite pattern
D. arranged vertically.
28. The difference in time between two longitudes is approximately
A. 15 hours
B. 40 minutes
C. 4 hours
D. 4 minutes.
29. A slope is said to be even when the contours are
A. equally spaced
B. concentric
C. closely spaced
D. irregularly spaced.
note- answers uploaded soon.
History of West African Examinations Council
In 1948, the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, the University of London School Examinations Matriculation Council, and the West African Departments of Education convened to discuss the state of education in West Africa. The primary objective of the meeting was to deliberate on the future educational policies in the region.
During this gathering, Dr. George Barker Jeffery, the Director of the University of London Institute of Education, was appointed to visit several West African countries and assess the overall educational landscape and requirements. Dr. Jeffery embarked on a three-month journey from December 1949 to March 1950, visiting Ghana, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.
Upon concluding his visit, he presented a comprehensive report, now known as the Jeffery report. This report strongly advocated for the establishment of a West African Examination Council and provided detailed recommendations regarding the council's composition and responsibilities. Subsequently, the representatives of the aforementioned groups engaged in discussions with the governments of these countries, and they reached a consensus to establish the West African Examination Council, fully embracing Dr. Jeffery's recommendations.
About West African Examinations Council Overview
Abbreviation
WAEC
Services
Examinations and academic assessments
Official language
English
SPECIFICATIONS
DETAILS
WAEC Geography Questions and Answers 2023-FAQs
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is an examination board established by law to conduct examinations of public interest in English-speaking West African countries. It was founded in 1952 and has since played a vital role in the educational landscape of Anglophone West Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Gambia. The council's main responsibilities are organizing and administering examinations and awarding internationally recognized certificates.
WAEC aims to ensure that the examinations it conducts are on par with international standards and comparable to those issued by equivalent examining authorities worldwide. The council strives to provide valid and relevant examinations that align with the educational aspirations of member countries. It seeks to contribute significantly to education in West Africa by promoting excellence and fostering educational development in the region.
WAEC has become one of the largest and most renowned examination bodies in West Africa. Under the leadership of Dr. Adeyegbe, the former Head of the National Office (HNO) of WAEC Nigeria in 2004, the council has established a competent and motivated team of staff. This dedicated team has conducted examinations that reflect the educational aspirations of member countries. Each year, WAEC coordinates examinations for over three million candidates, showcasing its widespread recognition and participation in its examination programs.
To participate in WAEC examinations, you must be a student in one of the member countries and register for the respective examination through your educational institution. Each member country has its own registration process and guidelines, so it is advisable to consult your school or educational authority for specific details regarding registration and examination requirements.