Key Takeaways for GCSE Geography: Economic Activity and Energy

UK-style English, detailed examples, and revision tips included.

1. Economic Sectors

Primary Sector: Extracts raw materials (e.g., farming, mining).
Secondary Sector: Processes raw materials (e.g., car manufacturing, construction).
Tertiary Sector: Provides services (e.g., retail, healthcare).
Quaternary Sector: Focuses on tech/research (e.g., IT, biotechnology).

  • Key Rule:
    • LICs rely on primary (Ethiopia: 80% employment in farming).
    • MICs focus on secondary (China: manufacturing dominance).
    • HICs depend on tertiary/quaternary (UK: 80% in services).

Tip: Memorise examples:

  • Primary: Fishing in Nigeria.
  • Secondary: Textile factories in Bangladesh.
  • Tertiary: NHS in the UK.
  • Quaternary: Silicon Valley tech firms.

2. Sectoral Shifts

Definition: Transition from primary → secondary → tertiary/quaternary as a country develops.

  • Case Study – UK:
    • 1800s: Shift from agriculture (primary) to industry (secondary).
    • Post-1950s: Deindustrialisation → rise of services (tertiary).
    • Causes: Mechanisation, globalisation, cheaper overseas labour.

Exam Tip: Compare UK (HIC) with Ethiopia (LIC) in essays.

3. Informal Sector

Characteristics: Unregulated work (e.g., street vending, rubbish collection).

  • Causes: Rural-urban migration, lack of formal jobs.
  • Advantages: Livelihoods for the poor.
  • Disadvantages: Exploitation, no taxes, dangerous conditions.

Example: Lagos, Nigeria – 60% work informally.

Key Stat: Informal sector = 50% of Nigeria’s GNP vs 9% in the USA.

4. Location of Industries

  • Tertiary/Quaternary:
    • Footloose industries (e.g., call centres) can locate anywhere (needs internet).
    • Clustering: Science parks near universities (e.g., Cambridge Science Park).
  • Manufacturing Shift:
    • HICs → MICs (e.g., China) due to:
      1. Cheaper labour (2/hourvs2/hourvs20 in HICs).
      2. Government incentives (tax breaks).
      3. Global transport (container shipping).

Case Study – Deindustrialisation:

  • UK’s North East: Closure of shipyards → unemployment, social issues.

5. Energy Demand & Gap

Energy Gap: Difference between energy demand and domestic supply.

  • Top Importers: Japan, China.
  • Top Exporters: Russia, Saudi Arabia.

Drivers of Rising Demand:

  1. Population growth (LICs: +2% annually).
  2. Development (MICs: more cars/appliances).

Equation:
Energy Gap=Total Demand−Domestic ProductionEnergy Gap=Total Demand−Domestic Production

6. Renewable vs Non-Renewable Energy

Energy TypeExampleAdvantagesDisadvantages
OilSaudi ArabiaVersatile, efficientPollution, finite (50 years left)
SolarGermanyClean, unlimitedExpensive, needs sunlight
NuclearFranceLow CO₂, efficientRadioactive waste, high costs

Key Fact: Non-renewables (coal, oil) cause 65% of global CO₂ emissions.

7. Energy Efficiency Tips

  1. Insulate homes (saves 30% heating costs).
  2. Use public transport (reduces petrol use by 40%).
  3. Switch to LED bulbs (uses 75% less energy).

Math Example:
If a household reduces energy use by 20%, savings = Original Bill×0.20Original Bill×0.20

8. Exam Technique

  • Describe Questions: Use data (e.g., “Figure 4.10 shows Ethiopia’s primary sector employs 75%…”).
  • Explain Questions: Link causes → effects (e.g., “Cheap labour in MICs → HIC deindustrialisation”).
  • Case Studies: Memorise 1 HIC (UK) and 1 LIC (Ethiopia).

Top Tip: For graphs, calculate percentages:
Percentage=(Sector EmploymentTotal Workforce)×100Percentage=(Total WorkforceSector Employment​)×100

50 GCSE Geography Questions: Economic Activity and Energy

Section A: Economic Sectors (Questions 1–10)

  1. Define the primary sector and give two examples.
  2. What distinguishes the quaternary sector from the tertiary sector?
  3. Which sector dominates employment in LICs like Ethiopia? Explain why.
  4. Name one country where the quaternary sector is prominent.
  5. Why might MICs focus on the secondary sector?
  6. List three jobs in the secondary sector.
  7. Explain why HICs like the UK rely heavily on the tertiary sector.
  8. Give an example of a footloose industry and explain its location needs.
  9. What is sectoral shift? Provide a historical example.
  10. How does mechanisation impact employment in the primary sector?

Section B: Informal Sector (Questions 11–15)

  1. Define the informal sector and list three characteristics.
  2. Why does rural-urban migration drive informal sector growth?
  3. Explain two disadvantages of informal employment.
  4. Compare the informal sector’s contribution to GNP in Nigeria and the USA.
  5. Why might children working in the informal sector face exploitation?

Section C: Location of Industries (Questions 16–20)

  1. Why do tertiary sector businesses cluster in CBDs?
  2. What makes the urban fringe attractive for industry location?
  3. Define footloose industry and give an example.
  4. Explain why hi-tech industries cluster near universities.
  5. How has container shipping influenced manufacturing location?

Section D: Deindustrialisation (Questions 21–23)

  1. What is deindustrialisation?
  2. Describe two social consequences of deindustrialisation in the UK.
  3. Name a case study of a deindustrialised area and outline its challenges.

Section E: Energy Demand & Gap (Questions 24–28)

  1. Define energy gap and write its equation.
  2. Why is China a top oil importer?
  3. Calculate the energy gap if a country’s demand is 500 Mtoe and production is 300 Mtoe.
  4. Explain two drivers of rising energy demand in MICs.
  5. Why might HICs stabilise energy use despite development?

Section F: Renewable vs Non-Renewable Energy (Questions 29–38)

  1. List three non-renewable energy sources and their lifespans.
  2. Compare the pollution levels of coal and natural gas.
  3. Why is nuclear energy controversial?
  4. Describe two advantages of solar power.
  5. What are the disadvantages of HEP?
  6. Why is fuel wood classified as both renewable and non-renewable?
  7. Which country leads in geothermal energy production?
  8. Explain why tidal energy is underutilised globally.
  9. Calculate the percentage share of nuclear energy if global consumption is 6000 Mtoe and nuclear contributes 360 Mtoe.
  10. Why might biofuels be suitable for LICs?

Section G: Energy Efficiency (Questions 39–40)

  1. Suggest three ways households can improve energy efficiency.
  2. If a household saves 20% on a £200 energy bill, calculate the savings.

Section H: Data Interpretation (Questions 41–43)

  1. Describe the trend in UK sectoral shifts using Figure 4.5.
  2. How would a triangular graph show Ethiopia’s economic structure?
  3. Interpret Figure 4.9: Which region had the steepest energy consumption rise post-2000?

Section I: Key Terms (Questions 44–45)

  1. Define MIC and give an example.
  2. What does GNI measure?

Section J: Case Studies & Exam Practice (Questions 46–50)

  1. Compare sectoral shifts in the UK (HIC) and Ethiopia (LIC).
  2. Explain two government policies encouraging manufacturing in MICs.
  3. Analyse the environmental impact of oil extraction in the Arctic.
  4. Why might a windfarm face local opposition? Use Figure 4.10 in your answer.
  5. Evaluate the statement: “Renewable energy alone can solve the energy gap.”

Detailed Answers

  1. Primary sector: Extracts raw materials (e.g., farming, mining).
  2. Quaternary sector focuses on tech/research, while tertiary provides services (e.g., IT vs healthcare).
  3. LICs rely on primary sector (e.g., Ethiopia: 75% in farming) due to limited industrialisation.
  4. USA (Silicon Valley) or UK (Cambridge Science Park).
  5. MICs have cheaper labour for manufacturing (e.g., China’s factories).
  6. Car manufacturing, construction, textile production.
  7. HICs have higher disposable income for services (e.g., UK’s 80% tertiary employment).
  8. Call centres – need only internet access.
  9. Sectoral shift: Transition from primary → secondary → tertiary (e.g., UK’s 19th-century industrialisation).
  10. Mechanisation reduces jobs (e.g., UK agriculture employment fell by 60% since 1950).
  11. Informal sector: Unofficial work (e.g., street vending). Characteristics: No taxes, dangerous conditions.
  12. Rural migrants lack formal skills, leading to informal jobs (e.g., Lagos street vendors).
  13. Disadvantages: Exploitation, no worker protections.
  14. Nigeria: 50% of GNP vs USA: 9%.
  15. Children miss education and face unsafe work (e.g., rubbish collection).
  16. CBDs are transport hubs with high footfall (e.g., London’s retail clusters).
  17. Urban fringe offers cheap land, parking, and expansion space.
  18. Footloose industry: Locates anywhere (e.g., software development).
  19. Universities provide skilled graduates (e.g., Cambridge Science Park).
  20. Container shipping cuts costs (e.g., Chinese goods exported globally).
  21. Deindustrialisation: Decline in manufacturing (e.g., UK’s shipyard closures).
  22. Unemployment, poverty (e.g., North East UK’s 1980s decline).
  23. Case study: UK’s North East – job losses, social deprivation.
  24. Energy gap = Total Demand – Domestic Production: Energy Gap=500−300=200 MtoeEnergy Gap=500−300=200Mtoe
  25. China’s manufacturing boom increases oil needs.
  26. 500−300=200 Mtoe500−300=200Mtoe.
  27. Rising population and car ownership (e.g., India’s 5% annual energy growth).
  28. HICs prioritise energy efficiency (e.g., UK’s insulation schemes).
  29. Coal (200 years), oil (50 years), natural gas (60 years).
  30. Coal emits more CO₂ and SO₂ than cleaner natural gas.
  31. Nuclear risks: Radioactive waste (e.g., Fukushima disaster).
  32. Solar is clean and unlimited (e.g., German solar farms).
  33. HEP floods land and disrupts ecosystems (e.g., Three Gorges Dam).
  34. Fuel wood is renewable if replanted, but overuse makes it non-renewable.
  35. Iceland (geothermal heating).
  36. Tidal requires costly infrastructure and rare suitable sites.
  37. 3606000×100=6%6000360​×100=6%.
  38. Biofuels use local waste (e.g., India’s biogas plants).
  39. Insulate homes, use LEDs, public transport.
  40. 200×0.20=£40 saved200×0.20=£40saved.
  41. Figure 4.5 shows UK’s tertiary sector rising post-1950 as secondary declined.
  42. Ethiopia’s graph would skew toward primary sector (e.g., 75% primary, 15% secondary, 10% tertiary).
  43. Asia (excluding China) had the steepest rise due to industrialisation.
  44. MIC: Middle-income country (e.g., Brazil).
  45. GNI measures total income including overseas investments.
  46. UK: Tertiary dominance (80%); Ethiopia: Primary reliance (75%).
  47. Tax breaks, subsidised factories (e.g., China’s Special Economic Zones).
  48. Arctic drilling risks oil spills and habitat destruction.
  49. Opposition due to noise/visual pollution (e.g., UK windfarm protests).
  50. Evaluation: Renewables need backup (e.g., Germany’s energy mix includes coal).