NECO HUMAN & REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY ANSWERS
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INSTRUCTIONS: Answer four questions in all, two questions from each section
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SECTION A

(1a) -RURAL SETTLEMENTS-
(PICK ANY TWO)
(i) Agricultural Production: Rural settlements are primarily focused on farming and agriculture. They provide an environment for cultivating crops and raising livestock, thus ensuring food production.
(ii) Resource Extraction: Many rural settlements are located near natural resources, allowing for easy extraction. This includes forests and minerals, which are vital to many industries.
(iii) Commerce: Rural settlements provide a place for small businesses to set up shop. This allows for increased economic activity in the local area.
(iv) Tourism: Some rural settlements attract tourists due to their serene environment, scenic natural beauty, or historical sites.

-URBAN SETTLEMENTS-
(PICK ANY TWO)
(i) Employment: Urban settlements provide numerous job opportunities, allowing people to find work and support themselves.
(ii) Diversified Economy: Urban settlements have diverse economic activities, such as retail, finance, manufacturing, and other services.
(iii) Cultural Experiences: Urban settlements offer unique experiences and events that can be enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. This contributes to the enrichment of the local area.
(iv) Transportation: Urban settlements have more efficient transportation systems than their rural counterparts, making it easier for people to get around.

(1b)
(PICK ANY FOUR)
(i) Push Factors: This includes poverty, unemployment, lack of opportunities, and social conflicts in rural areas that push people away.
(ii) Pull Factors: This includes the promise of better standards of living, job prospects, and access to amenities in urban areas that attracts people.
(iii) Government Policies: The government can implement policies that encourage urban migration, such as higher wages or housing subsidies.
(iv) Expanding Urban Areas: Developing cities can draw in migrants with the promise of new developments and greater infrastructure.
(v) Transportation Availability: Easier access to transportation makes it simpler for people to move to urban places.
(vi) Family and Social Networks: Word-of-mouth through family and friends can encourage people to migrate.

(1c)
(PICK ANY FOUR)
(i) Population Increase: Migration brings about an influx of people, resulting in a larger population in the destination region.
(ii) Labor Market Changes: New migrants bring different skill sets, which can affect the labor market in the destination region.
(iii) Economic Development: Migration can contribute to economic development in the destination region, as migrants often bring capital or investments.
(iv) Cultural Exchange: Migrants bring their own culture and ideas which can lead to a more diverse and enriched culture in the destination region.
(v) Social Problems: Migration can cause issues such as overcrowding and higher levels of crime, which can adversely affect the destination region.
(vi) Infrastructure Development: An increase in population can necessitate the expansion of infrastructure, such as roads and public transit.

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(2a)
-TWO HUMAN FACTORS-
(i) Marketing and Promotion: Effective marketing strategies play a vital role in promoting tourism. Governments, tourism boards, and travel agencies invest in advertising campaigns, social media promotion, and attractive websites to encourage more people to visit a destination.
(ii) Cultural Exchange: Tourists have the opportunity to learn about different cultures, beliefs, and traditions during their travels. This type of cultural exchange offers mutual benefits for travelers and locals, providing insight into different lifestyles and a chance to create meaningful connections with people from other countries.

-TWO PHYSICAL FACTORS-
(i) Natural Landscapes: Many tourists are drawn to beautiful landscapes around the world, such as mountain ranges, seaside cliffs, and rolling hills. These features can boast incredible views and diverse wildlife, which makes them ideal for recreational activities and sightseeing.
(ii) Accessibility: Tourism always depends on good transportation systems, whether they are highways, railways, airports, or other forms of travel. Accessibility is an important factor in promoting tourism, as it allows travelers to get from one destination to another conveniently.

(2b) (PICK ANY FOUR)
(i) Environmental degradation: Tourism often leads to increased pollution, deforestation, and degradation of natural habitats due to infrastructure development, increased waste generation, and unsustainable resource consumption.
(ii) Overcrowding and congestion: Popular tourist destinations can become overcrowded during peak times which can lead to increased traffic, noise and air pollution, as well as lower air quality.
(iii) Displacement of local populations: In extreme cases, tourism can lead to displacement as local residents are forced to move away due to rising tourism-related costs.
(iv) Social and cultural disruption: There is the potential for tourism to disrupt traditional values and cultural practices if local people are not consulted on tourism-related decisions.
(v) Exploitation of labour: Low wages and poor working conditions are common in the tourism industry, particularly among those employed in hotels and restaurants.
(vi) Economic Inequality: The economic benefits from tourism are often not equitably shared amongst local communities, causing further economic disparities.

(2c)
(i) Diversification of Attractions: Tourists often look for new and exciting experiences, so it is important to provide a wide range of attractions to keep visitors engaged.
(ii) Infrastructure: Developing a good infrastructure is essential for promoting tourism, as it provides the necessary transportation and communication tools for travelers.
(iii) Cultural Preservation: Preserving local cultures and traditions is important for attracting international visitors.
(iv) Responsible Tourism: Sustainable tourism practices are important for ensuring that the environment, local communities, and travelers all benefit from tourism.

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(3a) Industrialization refers to the process of transforming a society or economy from an agrarian-based one to a manufacturing-based one, where a significant portion of economic activity is focused on the production of goods in factories using modern technology.

(3bi) (PICK ANY FOUR)
(i) Availability of resources: suitable resources such as land, labor and raw materials should be available in abundance for efficient production.
(ii) Availability of infrastructure: roads, power, water supply and other facilities should be adequate to support production.
(iii) Transport accessibility: good transport links are indispensable for the transportation of goods to and from the factory.
(iv) Skill availability: a supply of skilled workers must be available to ensure efficient production.
(v) Access to markets: access to buyers and suppliers is essential for continued operations.
(vi) Government incentives: a favorable business climate with tax breaks and subsidies can make the project more attractive.

(3bii) (i) Weak infrastructure: inadequate communication and data networks, lack of electricity and running water, and poor transportation networks impede industrial development.
(ii) Low foreign direct investment: due to political instability, lack of economic freedom and lack of rule of law, multinational corporations are hesitant to invest in African countries.

(3biii) (i) Improving infrastructure: Governments should invest in better communication and data networks, creating better access to electricity and running water, and improving transportation networks.
(ii) Attracting foreign direct investment – Governments should provide incentives for foreign direct investment such as special tax breaks and subsidies, improve economic freedom, and strengthen rule of law.

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SECTION B

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(4a) (i) Relief: The Sokoto plain is a relatively flat plain with a gentle slope towards the Niger River. It has an average elevation of about 300 meters.
(ii) Climate: The climate of the Sokoto plain is primarily hot and dry, with average temperatures ranging from 21°C to 33°C. It also experiences a short rainy season between May and July.
(iii) Vegetation: The vegetation of the Sokoto plain is composed of various grasses, shrubs, and trees. Common plants include Acacia drepanolobium, Euphorbia heterochroma, Prosopis juliflora, and Guiera senegalensis.

(4b)
(i) Mangrove Swamp Forest: Characteristics of mangrove swamp forests include low-growing trees with spreading roots, salty soil, and an abundance of wildlife.
(ii) Rainforest Vegetation: Characteristics of rainforest vegetation include dense canopy growth, brightly colored birds and primates, and abundant water sources.
(iii) Sudan Savanna: Characteristics of Sudan savanna vegetation include tall grasses, scattered trees, and diverse wildlife.

(4c)
(i) Kano
(ii) Katsina.

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(5i) Land tenure system: One of the major challenges of agricultural development in Nigeria is the land tenure system. The land tenure system in Nigeria is characterized by communal ownership and customary rights, which often leads to conflicts and disputes over land ownership and usage. This makes it difficult for agricultural investors to access land, as there are unclear tenure rights and no title deeds to demonstrate ownership. This is further compounded by the lack of access to formal credit, as it is difficult to pledge land ownership as collateral.

(5ii) Pest and diseases:Nigeria also faces a number of challenges related to pest and disease control. Insect pests affect yield and quality of produce, as well as increase costs for farmers due to the need for increased pesticide use. Diseases such as avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, and Cassava Mosaic Disease have affected food production in Nigeria. These diseases can affect entire crops, reducing production quantities and leading to economic losses. As a result, effective pest and disease management strategies must be developed in order to reduce the negative impacts on agricultural production.

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(6a) (PICK ANY THREE)
(i) Increased trade: By working together, West African states can establish common trade policies, eliminate trade barriers, and promote intra-regional trade. This can lead to increased exports, employment and economic growth.
(ii) Increased investment: International co-operation helps facilitate direct foreign investment in the region. This provides jobs, improves infrastructure and can generate new technologies for the local economy.
(iii) Regional integration: International co-operation among West African states can allow for the creation of regional arrangements like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). By creating budgetary and monetary policies, curbing cross-border movement of people, and encouraging implement of an integration program, this makes it easier for investors to operate throughout the region.
(iv) Technology transfer: By working together, countries can share new technologies, which helps improve efficiency. It also helps spur innovation and create new products for export.
(v) Improved access to markets: International co-operation provides the opportunity to open up markets and increase competitive advantages of West African states. This helps reduce poverty and create new job opportunities.
(vi) Strengthen relations: Co-operation among West African states allows for the strengthening of bilateral and regional relations. This can lead to better security, improved political stability, and stronger economic ties with other countries in the region.

(6b) (PICK ANY FOUR)
(i) Limited resources: Many West African states lack the necessary resources to implement and sustain international co-operation initiatives.
(ii) Poor infrastructure: Poor transportation links and inadequate telecommunications systems hamper effective communication and collaboration.
(iii) Lack of trust: There is a lack of trust between some countries in the region due to past disagreements and tensions. This can lead to disputes over common goals and lead to breakdowns in negotiations.
(iv) High levels of corruption: Many countries in the region have high levels of corruption which makes it difficult to implement effective co-operation initiatives.
(v) Poor governance: Poor governance structures and weak institutions make it difficult for countries to implement sound policies and programmes.
(vi) Limited capacity: Many West African states lack the capacity to effectively implement international co-operation initiatives due to a lack of expertise, resources and capacity.

(6d) (PICK ANY TWO)
(i) Increase funding: Additional funding needs to be provided from international organizations and donor countries to help West African states finance co-operation initiatives.
(ii) Strengthen infrastructure: Investment needs to made in roads, bridges, and telecommunications networks to facilitate collaboration and communication.
(iii) Improve governance: West African states need to work together to tackle corruption and strengthen the rule of law.
(iv) Promote capacity building: More training programmes and exchanges need to be initiated to help build capacity and expertise in the region