Waec Syllabus for Geography
Below is this 2026 Waec Syllabus for Geography. Note that this syllabus is for both internal and external candidates.
Aims and Objectives
- explain the concepts of differential character and the spatial relationships of the surface features of the earth;
- explain the concepts of man- environment relations (i.e. to analyse the life of man within his physical and cultural environments and to explain their interactions);
- demonstrate a basic knowledge of the nature and functioning of physical and human environments, particularly an understanding of their inter-relationships and the resulting issues;
- organize and formulate principles according to acquired geographical concepts and then apply these principles to interpret and analyze spatial problems in the immediate and wider environments;
- demonstrate skills and techniques for accurate, orderly and objective geographical investigations to be carried out both in the classrooms and in the immediate environment;
- communicate geographical ideas effectively through reports, graphs, charts, sketches, diagrams and maps;
- explain the cultural, social and economic circumstances of people in their immediate environments and those of other countries within the sub-region.
Scheme of Examination
There will be three papers, Papers 1, 2 and 3 all of which must be taken. Papers 1 and 2 will be a composite paper to be taken at one sitting.
PAPER 1:
will consist of fifty objective questions to be taken in 1 hour for 50 marks. The questions will be drawn from topics in the syllabus that are common to all the member countries. Candidates will be required to attempt all the questions.
PAPER 2:
will contain nine essay-type questions out of which candidates will be required to
answer four in 2 hours for 80 marks.
It will be made up of two sections; Sections A and B for candidates in Nigeria and three sections; Sections A, B and C for candidates in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
Candidates in Nigeria will be required to attempt four questions in all, choosing two
questions from each of Sections A and B. Candidates in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia will be required to attempt four questions in all, choosing at least one question from each of Sections A, B and C.
The questions will be distributed in the sections as follows:
Section A: Economic and Human Geography
This will consist of three essay-type questions on Economic and Human Geography.
Candidates in Nigeria will be required to attempt any two of them while candidates in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia are to attempt at least one of the questions.
Section B: Regional Geography of Candidate’s Home Country
There will be a set of three essay-type questions on Regional Geography on each of Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Candidates in Nigeria will be required to answer two of the questions on their country while those in the other countries will answer at least one out of the sets for their countries.
Section C: Regional Geography of Africa
There will be three essay-type questions drawn from Africa for candidates in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia out of which candidates are expected to answer at least one.
PAPER 3: Element of Practical and Physical Geography
Will consist of eight essay-type questions out of which candidates are to answer four in 1 hour 50 minutes for 70 marks. Question 1, on map reading and interpretation, will be compulsory for all candidates and will carry 25 marks while the other questions will carry 15 marks each. Candidates are advised not to spend more than 35 minutes on Question 1.
Candidates will be expected to bring graduated rulers (both metric and imperial), a complete mathematical set, a piece of string and a simple non-programmable calculator for use during the writing of the paper.
Note:
Any topic in the syllabus that is marked with one asterisk (*) will be for candidates in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia. Topics that are marked with two asterisks (**) will be for candidates in Nigeria only. The topics without asterisk are for all member countries.
Detailed Geography Syllabus
ELEMENTS OF PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
- Map reading and interpretation based on contoured survey
maps of parts of West Africa: scale - measurement of
distances, direction and bearing, map reduction and enlargement - identification of physical features such as spurs,
valleys, etc. and - cultural features such as city walls,
settlements, communication routes, etc.; - measurement of
gradients - drawing of cross profiles, inter-visibility
- description and explanation of drainage characteristics and
pattern - patterns of communication, settlement and land use.
- GIS: Basic concepts, components (hardware, software, data,
procedures and experts) - sources of data (land surveying,
remote sensing, map digitizing, map scanning, field
investigation and tabular data etc) - uses (defence, agriculture,
urban development, mapping, surveying, transportation,
census etc), problems (power, personnel, capital etc)
- Graphical representation of statistical data: Bar graphs, Line
graphs, flow charts, dot maps, proportional circles, density
maps, isopleth maps.
The earth as a planet in relation to the sun, latitude and distance, longitude and time, earth’s rotation and revolution and their effects, structure of the earth (internal and external).
Ocean basins, salinity, ocean current ( causes, types and their effects on the temperature of adjacent coastlands), lakes,
rivers, lagoons, water as an environmental resource.
Types, characteristics, formation and uses.
Vulcanicity, earthquake, landforms: Mountains, plains, karsts and coastal landforms (formation, characteristics and
importance).
Agencies modifying landforms such as weathering, mass
movement, running water, underground water, wind and
waves.
Simple weather study based on local observation, description
of the Stevenson’s screen and uses of basic weather
instruments e.g. rain gauge, thermometer, barometer, wind vane etc.
Rainfall, sunshine, air pressure, wind, humidity, temperature
and cloud. Factors affecting climatic elements e.g. altitude,
latitude, ocean currents, land and sea breezes, continentality,
aspect. Interpretation of climatic charts and data.
- Major types of climate (Hot climate – Equatorial, Tropical
Continental, Desert - Temperate climate – warm and cool).
- Classification of climate based on Greek and Koppen.
Meaning, causes, effects and remedies.
- Major types (Tropical Rainforest, cool/warm temperate
woodland, Tropical Grassland) - characteristics, distribution,
factors affecting their distribution, plant communities. - Vegetation as an environmental resource.
- Conservation of
vegetation resources.
Definition, local types and characteristics. Factors and
processes of soil formation, soil profile, importance to man
and the effects of human activities on soil. Soil erosion and
conservation.
Meaning, classification ( renewable and non renewable) types ( vegetation, water, mineral, atmospheric, etc ) and the importance of each.
Types (soil erosion, drought, desert encroachment, flooding
and pollution), causes, effects and prevention of each.
Meaning, importance, methods, problems and solutions.
ECONOMIC AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Factors and patterns of growth, distribution and movement, growth rate problems.
- Types (rural and urban)
- patterns and factors affecting location
- growth and size; functions of rural and urban settlements
- interaction patterns( urban-rural, rural-urban,
urban-urban, rural rural) - migration.
- Modes (roads, railways, water, air, pipeline, cables, ropeways
etc.) - Transportation and economic development (movement
of people and commodities, national and international trade,
diffusion of ideas and technology, national integration) - problems of transportation and their solutions.
- Classification (primary, secondary and tertiary)
- types (heavy and light industry); factors of industrial location
- contributions to development
- problems/solutions.
Meaning, types (national and international), reasons for trade,
importance.
- Meaning, centres, reasons (leisure, recreation, education etc )
- importance, problems and solutions.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF NIGERIA
Location, position, size, distance and political divisions.
Relief, drainage, climate, vegetation
Size, distribution, structure, population quality, population
movement, population data ( sources and problems/solutions)
- Mineral (petroleum, gas, coal, tin/columbite, iron ore, limestone)
- distribution, methods of extraction, problems and
solutions) - Power (Petroleum, gas, coal HEP, solar energy)
- Water (rivers, lakes, dams, sea, underground water)
- Vegetation (trees, food and cash crops; timber,etc)- forest, savanna, biosphere.
Types of agricultural practices, food and cash crops, importance, problems and solutions.
Mode, advantages and disadvantages, problems and solutions, influence of transportation on human activities.
Communication networks, advantages and disadvantages,
importance, problems and solutions.
Definition, types, major industrial zones, factors of location, importance, problems and solutions.
Meaning, types (national and international), stock exchange, capital market, forex, major commercial areas, importance of
commercial activities.
Meaning, centres, reasons for tourism, importance, problems
and solutions.
Issues of Development and Environmental Conservation:
Rural and regional development, resource management and
conservation, environmental pollution e.g. air, water, soil,
noise; waste disposal, etc.
Meaning, member countries, purposes/mandate,
advantages/benefits, disadvantages, problems and solutions.
Geo-political issues-Land reclamation.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF GHANA
Location, position, size, distance and political divisions.
Physical environment (geology, relief, drainage, climate, vegetation and soils).
Size, growth, distribution and density, age/sex structure: fertility, morbidity and mortality, migration.
Origin, types (rural and urban), characteristics, hierarchy,
Subsistence (intensive and extensive) commercial (vegetable,
livestock, dairying, commercial grain), plantation, problems
and solutions.
Inland and ocean (in-shore/off shore), methods, types of fish,
storage and marketing, importance, problems and solutions.
Sources of timber, methods of exploitation, types of species
(for internal use and for export), problems and solutions,
conservation.
Types, distribution of minerals, methods of extraction,
importance, problems and solutions.
Types of manufacturing industries, distribution, factors influencing location of industries, problems of
industrialization.
Services, transport and communication, recreation and
tourism, administration.
Meaning, centres, reasons for tourism, importance, problems
and solutions.
Water (Akosombo and Kpong Hydro-electric Power projects
– benefits and side effects), fuel wood and charcoal,
petroleum and natural gas (Saltpond), solar, wave and wind
energies (Donkokrom and Kokrobite), Biogas e.g. cow dung.
Issues of Development and Environmental Conservation:
Rural and regional development, resource management and
conservation, environmental pollution e.g. air, water, soil,
noise; waste disposal etc.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF SIERRA LEONE
Size and location, physical environment, people and
settlements.
Meaning of agriculture, Subsistence (intensive and extensive)
commercial (vegetable, livestock, dairying, commercial grain
production), plantation, problems and solutions.
Meaning of fishing, Inland and ocean (in-shore/off shore),
methods, types of fish, storage and marketing, importance,
problems and solutions.
Meaning of lumbering, Sources of timber, methods of
exploitation, types of species (for internal use and for export),
problems and solutions, conservation.
Types, distribution of minerals, methods of extraction, problems and solutions.
Location of industry, types of industries, problems of
manufacturing industry, Energy and Power, water, fuelwood
and charcoal, biogas (e.g. cow-dung), hydroelectric power
projects e.g. Dodo, Guma, Bumbuna.
Road, rail, water, air, the roles of transport and
communication to economic development,( internal and
external trade, diffusion of ideas and technology), problems
of transport and communication, solutions.
Major commodities of trade (agricultural, manufactured
goods, minerals, etc.), patterns of trade (internal and
external), problems of trade.
Size, growth, distribution and migration.
Meaning, development of tourism, problems of tourism &
solutions, socio-economic effects of tourism. Main tourism
areas, factors responsible for its development, economic
importance.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF LIBERIA
Location, position, size, distance and political divisions.
Relief, drainage, climate, vegetation and soil.
Size, distribution, structure, population quality, population
movement, population data ( sources, problems & solutions)
Mineral, power, water and vegetation resources, importance of resources to development.
Types of agricultural practices, food and cash crops, importance, problems and solutions.
Mode, advantages and disadvantages, problems and solutions, influence of transportation on human activities.
Communication networks, advantages and disadvantages,
importance, problems & solutions.
Definition, types, major industrial zones, factors of location,
importance, problems and solutions, importance.
Meaning, types ( national and international), forex, major commercial areas, importance of commercial activities.
Meaning, centres, reasons for tourism, importance, problems
and solutions.
Meaning of fishing, Inland and ocean (in-shore/off shore),
methods, types of fish, storage and marketing, importance,
problems and solutions.
Types, distribution of minerals, methods of extraction, problems and solutions.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF SENEGAMBIA
Location, position, size, distance and political divisions.
Relief, drainage, climate, vegetation and soil.
Size, distribution, structure, population quality, population
movement, population data ( sources, problems &solutions)
Mineral, power, water and vegetation resources, importance of resources to development.
Types of agricultural practices, food and cash crops, importance, problems and solutions.
Mode, advantages and disadvantages, influence of transportation on human activities, problems and solutions.
Communication networks, advantages and disadvantages,
importance, problems and solutions.
Definition, types, major industrial zones, factors of location, importance, problems and solutions.
Types, distribution, methods of extraction, problems and
solutions
Meaning of fishing, Inland and ocean (in-shore/off shore),
methods, types of fish, storage and marketing, problems and
solutions.
Issues of Development and Environmental Conservation:
Rural and regional development, resource management and
conservation, environmental pollution e.g. air, water, soil,
noise, waste disposal etc.
Meaning, types (national and international), forex, major commercial areas, importance of commercial activities,
problems and solutions.
Meaning, centres, reasons for tourism, importance, problems and solutions.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
Location, size, position, political divisions and associated islands, physical features and their economic importance (relief, drainage, climate and vegetation), distribution of minerals.
Irrigation agriculture in the Nile Basin and the Niger Basin.
Plantation agriculture in West and East Africa.
Oil production in Nigeria, Ghana and Libya.
Lumbering in Equatorial Africa (with particular reference to
Cote d’Ivoire and Zaire).
Gold mining in South Africa.
Copper mining in Zambia and Zaire
Population distribution in West Africa.
Meaning, member countries, purposes/mandate, advantages/benefits, disadvantages, problems and solutions.
Fieldwork on any one of the following topics should be based
on local geography of candidate’s home country. (This
aspect of the syllabus should be examined by schools as part
of the continuous assessment and should account for 25% of
the total mark allotted to continuous assessment).
- Land use (rural or urban):
rural – crop farming (e.g. rice, cocoa, etc. )
urban crop farming
mining (e.g. coal, tin, petroleum etc.), fishing.
urban – commercial activities, ports, factories,
recreational etc. - Market survey – rural or urban.
- Traffic flow – rural or urban.
- Patterns of journey to work – rural or urban.
- Rate of erosion in the locality, etc.
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