🌍 Year 7 Geography

Map Skills & Grid References

Types of Map

• Topographic (OS) map: shows physical features (hills, rivers, roads) and land use
• Atlas map: shows countries, capitals, physical features at a global or national scale
• Thematic map: shows one type of information (e.g. population density, rainfall)
• Choropleth map: uses shading to show data by area (darker = higher value)

Direction

• Compass rose: North, South, East, West (main directions)
• Intercardinal (secondary): NE, NW, SE, SW
• Never Eat Shredded Wheat — a mnemonic for N, E, S, W clockwise

Four-Figure Grid References

• Go along the corridor (eastings), then up the stairs (northings)
• Read the left edge of the square, then the bottom edge
• e.g. square 4357 = easting 43, northing 57
• Always use four digits: e.g. 0407 not 47

Six-Figure Grid References

• Gives a more precise location within a 1km grid square
• Estimate to tenths within the square: e.g. 437578 (easting 43.7, northing 57.8)

Scale & Contour Lines

Scale

• Scale shows the relationship between distance on the map and real-world distance
• Written as a ratio: 1:50,000 means 1 cm on map = 50,000 cm = 500 m in reality
• Large scale (e.g. 1:10,000): shows a small area in great detail
• Small scale (e.g. 1:500,000): shows a large area with little detail
• OS Explorer maps: 1:25,000 (4 cm = 1 km); OS Landranger: 1:50,000 (2 cm = 1 km)

Contour Lines

• Lines on a map joining points of equal height above sea level
• Contour interval: the height difference between adjacent contour lines (usually 10m on OS maps)
• Close contours = steep slope; widely spaced contours = gentle slope; no contours = flat land
• Contours that form a V-shape pointing uphill = a valley (river valley)
• Contours that form a V-shape pointing downhill = a ridge (spur)
• Circular/concentric contours = a hill summit

Weather & Climate

Weather vs Climate

• Weather: the atmospheric conditions in a specific place at a specific time (day-to-day)
• Climate: the average weather pattern of a place over 30+ years

Elements of Weather

• Temperature: measured in °C using a thermometer; affects comfort, agriculture, transport
• Precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, hail — measured with a rain gauge (mm)
• Wind speed: measured with an anemometer (Beaufort scale 0–12)
• Wind direction: measured with a wind vane; named from where it blows FROM
• Humidity: the amount of water vapour in the air (percentage)
• Cloud cover: measured in oktas (eighths of the sky covered, 0–8)
• Air pressure: measured with a barometer in millibars (mb); high pressure = settled weather; low pressure = unsettled

UK Climate

• The UK has a temperate maritime climate: mild, wet, and changeable
• Warm summers (average 17–22°C), mild winters (rarely below −5°C in lowland areas)
• Prevailing winds from the southwest (Atlantic) bring rain; west coasts are wetter than east
• North and west receive more relief (orographic) rainfall; east is in a rain shadow

The Water Cycle (Hydrological Cycle)

• Evaporation: water from oceans/lakes turns to water vapour (heated by the sun)
• Transpiration: water released from plants' leaves as vapour
• Condensation: water vapour cools and condenses into clouds (water droplets)
• Precipitation: water falls as rain, snow, hail
• Surface runoff: water flows over land into rivers
• Infiltration: water soaks into the soil
• Percolation: water moves through rock into underground stores
• Groundwater flow: slow movement of water through rock (aquifers)

Rivers

Key River Terms

• Source: where a river begins (usually in hills or mountains)
• Mouth: where a river ends (flows into the sea or a lake)
• Tributary: a smaller river that joins a larger one
• Confluence: where two rivers join
• Watershed: the high ground that divides two river drainage basins
• Drainage basin: the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
• Channel: the space in which a river flows

The Long Profile of a River

• Upper course (near source): steep gradient, fast-flowing, V-shaped valleys, waterfalls, lots of erosion
• Middle course: gentle gradient, meanders begin to form, both erosion and deposition
• Lower course (near mouth): very gentle gradient, wide floodplain, large meanders, mainly deposition, risk of flooding

River Processes

• Erosion: wearing away of rock and soil. Types: hydraulic action (force of water), abrasion (sand and gravel scrape bed and banks), attrition (stones knock and break each other), solution (chemical dissolving)
• Transportation: traction (rolling large rocks), saltation (bouncing pebbles), suspension (fine particles float), solution (dissolved material)
• Deposition: when a river loses energy, it drops the material it was carrying (heaviest dropped first)

River Landforms

• Waterfall: where a river drops over a band of hard rock; soft rock erodes faster underneath, creating a plunge pool
• Meander: a bend in a river — fast water on the outside (erosion, undercut bank) and slow water on the inside (deposition, slip-off slope)
• Ox-bow lake: formed when a meander neck is cut off, isolating a horseshoe-shaped lake
• Floodplain: flat land on either side of a river in the lower course; made of fertile sediment (alluvium)

Biomes & Ecosystems

What Is a Biome?

• A biome is a large-scale ecosystem identified by its climate and characteristic vegetation
• Biomes are determined primarily by temperature and precipitation

Major Biomes

• Tropical rainforest: near the equator; hot (25–30°C) and very wet (2000mm+ rain/year); dense, layered vegetation; very high biodiversity
• Hot desert: approx 30° N and S of equator; hot days, cold nights; very low rainfall (<250mm); sparse, drought-adapted plants (cacti, succulents)
• Savanna (tropical grassland): between rainforest and desert; warm all year, distinct wet and dry seasons; grasses, scattered acacia trees
• Temperate grassland: interior of continents; warm summers, cold winters; prairie, steppe, pampas; fertile soils for farming
• Temperate deciduous forest: UK, NW Europe, NE USA; mild, wet climate; trees shed leaves in autumn; oak, ash, beech
• Boreal forest (taiga): northern Canada, Russia; cold winters, cool summers; coniferous trees (pine, spruce, fir)
• Tundra: Arctic regions; very cold; permanently frozen soil (permafrost); mosses, lichens, sedges only; very low biodiversity
• Ice sheets: Antarctica, Greenland; extremely cold; very little life except around coast

Population

Key Population Terms

• Population: the total number of people in an area
• Birth rate: number of live births per 1000 people per year
• Death rate: number of deaths per 1000 people per year
• Natural increase rate: birth rate − death rate (ignores migration)
• Life expectancy: the average number of years a person is expected to live
• Population density: average number of people per km²
• Infant mortality rate: number of deaths of children under 1, per 1000 live births

Population Distribution

• Densely populated areas: fertile lowlands, moderate climates, near rivers and coasts, rich in resources
• Sparsely populated areas: extreme climates (polar, desert), high mountains, difficult terrain
• Global distribution: most people live in South Asia (India, Bangladesh), East Asia (China, Japan), and Europe

Population Growth

• World population: approximately 8 billion (2024) and growing
• Population growth is faster in less economically developed countries (LEDCs)
• Reasons for high birth rates in LEDCs: lack of contraception, children needed to work, no pension system, high child mortality so more children born as insurance
• As countries develop, birth rates fall (demographic transition)

Development

What is Development?

• Development = improving the quality of life and wellbeing of people in a country
• Economic development: growth of industry, income, and GDP
• Social development: improvements in health, education, equality

Measuring Development

• GDP per capita: total value of goods produced ÷ population. Higher = wealthier country
• HDI (Human Development Index): composite measure of life expectancy, education, and income. Rated 0–1 (1 = fully developed)
• Life expectancy: higher in more developed countries due to better healthcare, diet, sanitation
• Literacy rate: percentage of adults who can read and write
• Access to clean water: fundamental to health; many LEDCs lack reliable clean water
• Infant mortality rate: lower in more developed countries

Why Are Some Countries Less Developed?

• History of colonialism: resources and wealth extracted by colonial powers
• Trade: global trade rules often favour richer countries
• Debt: many countries borrowed money and struggle to repay interest
• Climate and natural disasters: poor or extreme climates make farming and development harder
• Political instability: wars and corrupt governments prevent investment in services