Geography

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The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) syllabus in Geography is to
prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination. It is designed to test their achievement of the
course objectives, which are to:

1. handle and interpret topographical maps, statistical data and diagrams and basic field survey;

2. demonstrate knowledge of man’s physical and human environment and how man lives and
earns a living on earth surface with special reference to Nigeria and Africa;

3. show understanding of the interrelationship between man and his environment;

4. apply geographical concepts, skills and principles to solving problems.



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I. PRACTICAL GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:

a. Scale and measurement distances, areas ai apply the different types of scale to
reduction and enlargement, directions, distances and area measurement;
bearings and gradients with reference to ii apply the knowledge of scale to gradients,
topographical maps. map reduction and enlargement;

b. Map reading and interpretation; bi illustrate the relief of an area through profile
drawing of cross profiles, recognition of drawing;
intervisibility, recognition and ii interpret physical and human features from
description of physical and human topographical maps.
features and relationship as depicted on
topographical maps.
c. Interpretation of statistical data; maps ci Compute quantitative information from
and diagrams statistical data, diagrams and maps,
d. Elementary Surveying chain and ii. interpret statistical data, diagrams and maps.
prismatic, open and close traverse, di. analyse the principle and procedure of each
procedure, problems, advantages technique;
and disadvantages. ii. compare the advantages of the two
techniques.

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II. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:

a. The earth as a planet ai identify the relative positions of the planets
i. The earth in the solar system, in the solar system;
rotation and revolution; ii relate the effects of the rotation to the
ii. The shape and size of the earth revolution of the earth;
iii. Latitudes and distances, longitudes iii provide proof for the shape and size of the
and time; earth;
iv. The structure of the earth (internal iv differentiate between latitude and
and external). longitude;
v relate latitude to calculation of distance;
vi relate longitude to calculation of time;
vii compare the internal and external
components of the earth.
b. Rocks bi differentiate between major types of rocks
i Types and characteristics and their Characteristics;
ii Modes of formation ii analyse the processes of formation and the
iii Uses of rocks resultant features;
iii indicate the uses of rocks.

c Landforms ci distinguish between the internal and the

i processes; earth movements (faulting, external processes of landforms
folding, earthquakes, volcanicity), development;
erosion, transportation and deposition. ii identify the agents of denudation;
ii Modifying agents; water (surface and iii associate landforms with each process and
Underground) wind and sea waves; agent.
iii Types of landforms associated with the
Processes and agents specified above
(Karst topography, plains fold
mountains, faulted landforms, volcanic
mountains, deltas, river terraces, barchans
seifs and zeugens).

d. Water Bodies di locate oceans and seas on the globe;

i. Oceans and seas (world distribution, ii examine the characteristics and uses of
salinity and uses); Ocean and seas;

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ii Ocean currents – types, distribution, iii classify the types of ocean currents;
causes and effects; iv account for the distribution of ocean
iii Lakes – types, distribution and uses. currents;
v evaluate the causes and effects of ocean
currents;
vi identify the types and location of lakes;
vii indicate the characteristics and uses of lakes

e Weather and Climate ei differentiate between weather and climate;

i Concept of weather and climate ii differentiate between the elements of
ii Elements of weather and climate weather and climate;
iii Factors controlling weather and climate iii isolate the factors controlling weather and
(pressure, air, mass, altitude, continentality climate;
and winds); iv compare Koppen’s and Greek’s
iv Classification of climate (Greek and classifications
Koppen). v identify the major types of climate
v Major climate types (Koppen), their according to Koppen;
Characteristics and distribution. vii relate the weather instruments to their
vi Measuring and recording weather uses.
parameters and instruments used.

f Vegetation
i Factors controlling growth of plants fi trace the factors controlling the growth
ii The concept of vegetation e.g. plant of plants;
communities and succession ii analyse the process of vegetation
iii Major types of vegetation, their development;
characteristics and distribution, iii identify the types, their characteristics
iv Impact of human activities on vegetation. and distribution;
iv assess the impact of human activities
on vegetation;
g Soils
i. Definition and properties gi classify soils and their
ii. Factors and processes of formation ii. properties;
iii. Soil profiles ii. isolate the factors of formation;
iv. Major tropical types, their iii. differentiate between the different types
characteristics, distribution and uses; of soil horizons and their characteristics;

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v. Impact of human activities on soils. iv. compare the major tropical soil types and
uses of soils;
v. account for the distribution and uses of
soils;
vi. assess the impact of human activities
on soils.

h Environmental Resources; hi. interpret the concept of environmental

i Types of resources (atmospheric, land, resources;

soil, Vegetation and minerals); ii. relate environmental resources to their

ii The concept of renewable and non- uses;

renewable resources; iii. differentiate between the concepts of

renewable and non-renewable resources.

I Environmental interaction: Ii. identify the components of land

i Land ecosystem ecosystem;

ii Environmental balance and human ii. establish the interrelationship within the

interaction ecosystem;
iii. interpret the concept of environmental
balance;
iv. analyse the effects of human activities on
land ecosystem.

j Environmental: hazards ji identify the natural hazards and their

i. Natural hazards (droughts, earth-quakes, causes

volcanic eruptions, flooding) ii. relate the human-induced hazards to their

ii. Man-induced (soil erosion, causes;

Deforestation, pollution, flooding iii. locate the major areas where they are

Desertification) common and their effects;

iii. Effects, prevention and control of iv. recommend possible methods of

hazards. prevention and control.

III. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:

a. Population ai. identify the characteristics of

i. World population with particular population (growth rates and structure);

reference to the Amazon Basin, N.E. ii. determine the factors and the patterns of

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U.S.A., India, Japan and the West population distribution;
Coast of Southern African. iii. identify the factors and problems of
ii. Characteristics – birth and death rates, population growth;
ages/sex structure. iv. relate the types of migration to their
iii. Factors and patterns of population causes and effects;
distribution; v. account for the ways population constitute
iv . Factors and problems of population a resource.
growth;

b. Settlement with particular reference to bi differentiate between types of

Western Europe, Middle East and West Settlements;
Africa; ii. classify the patterns and functions of
i. Types and patterns: Rural and Urban, rural settlements;
Dispersed, nucleated and linear; iii. classify the patterns and functions of
ii. Rural settlement: classification, factors urban settlement;
of growth and functions; iv. establish the interrelationship between
iii. Urban settlement – classification, factors rural and urban settlements;
for growth and functions.
iv. Problems of urban centres
v. Interrelationship between rural and urban
settlements.

c. Selected economic activities ci. identify the types of economic activities;

i. Types of economic activities: primary, ii. differentiate between the types of
secondary and tertiary; economic activities;
ii. Manufacturing industries, types, iii. compare the types of manufacturing
locational factors, distribution and socio- industries;
economic importance and problems of iv. identify the factors of industrial location;
industrialization in tropical Africa. iii. examine the socio-economic importance
iii. Transportation and Communication types, of manufacturing industries;
roles in economic development and iv. give reasons for the problems of
communication in tropical Africa. industrialization in tropical Africa;
iv. World trade-factors and pattern of v. differentiate between the types and
world trade, major commodities (origin, means of transportation and
routes and destinations). communication;
vi. assess the economic importance of

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transport and;
vii. give reasons for the problems of
transportation in tropical Africa;
viii. relate the factors to the pattern of world
trade.
ix. classify the major commodities of trade in
terms of their origins, routes and
destination.
IV. REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY
A. Nigeria Candidates should be able to:
a Broad outline Ai describe the location, size and political
i. Location, position, size, political division Divisions of Nigeria.
– ii. identify the ethnic groups and their
(states) and peoples; distributions;
ii Physical settling: geology, relief, iii. relate the components of physical settings to
landform, their effects on human activities;
climate and drainage, vegetation and iv. account for the pattern of population
soils; distribution;
iii Population: size, distribution, migration, v. examine the types of migration, their
(types, problems and effects); problems and effects;
iv Natural Resources: types (minerals, soils, vi. identify the types of natural resources
Water, vegetation etc) distribution, uses and their distribution;
and vii. indicate their uses and conservation;
Conservation; viii. compare the farming systems practiced in
v. Agricultural Systems: the major crops Nigeria;
produced, problems of agricultural ix. identify the crops produced and the problems
development in Nigeria. encountered;
vi. Manufacturing Industries: factors of x. identify the types and location of the major
location, types of products, marketing manufacturing industries;
and problems associated with xi. determine the factors of industrial location
manufacturing; and the problems associated with the
vii. Transportation and trade: modes of industries;
transportation and their relative xii. establish the relationship between transport
advantages and disadvantages, regional and trade;
and international trade. xiii. relate the modes of transportation to their
relative advantages and

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disadvantages;
xiv. classify the major commodities of
regional and international trade;

b. Geographical Regions of Nigeria bi. Identify each geographical region and

i Eastern Highlands; its distinctive features;
ii Eastern Scarpland; ii. identify the people of each region and the
iii Northern Central Highland settlement pattern;
iv Western Highlands; iii. account for the mode of resource
v Sokoto Plains; exploitation in each region;
vi. Niger-Benue trough; iv. examine the modes and problems of
vii. Cross River Basin; transportation in each region;
viii Southern Coastland each region v. give reasons for the problem of
analysed under the following sub- development in each region;
headings: physical setting (relief, vi. Suggest solutions.
drainage etc) people, population and
settlements, modes of exploitation of
natural resources, transportation and
problems of development.

B. The Rest of Africa:

a Africa on broad outline; ai. Identify the location, size and political
i Location, size, position, political Division of Africa;
settings (relief, drainage, climate ii. relate the components of the physical
type, Vegetation type etc). setting to the effect on human
ii. Distribution of major minerals activities;
iii describe the distribution of major minerals.
bi analyse the factors that favour the
b Selected Topics Development of lumbering in the
i Lumbering in equatorial Africa with identified areas;
particular reference to Cote d’voire ii. examine the methods and problem
(Ivory Coast) and the Democratic lumbering;
Republic of Congo. iii. assess the economic importance of
lumbering;
ii Irrigation Agriculture in the Nile and iv. account for the reason for irrigation in the
Niger Basin; area;

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v. compare the methods and major crops
produced;
vi. identify the problems associated with
irrigation in the area;
iii Plantation Agriculture in West and East vii account for plantation agriculture and its
Africa requirements;
viii. relate the methods of management to the
crops produced;
ix assess the economic importance of
plantation agriculture;
iv Fruit Farming in the Mediterranean x identify the conditions that favour fruit
Regions of Africa. farming in the area;
xi relate the major areas of fruit farming to
types of fruits produced;
xii assess the economic importance and
problems associated with fruit farming in
the area;
v Mineral Exploitation xiii proffer solutions to the problems;
- Gold mining in South Africa xiv identify the area of production and the
- Copper mining in the Democratic method of mining each mineral in the
Republic of the Congo specified country;
- Crude oil production in Algeria and Libya xv relate the economic importance of the
mineral to the region;
vi Population Distribution in West Africa xvi determine the problems of associated with
the exploitation of the mineral in each
country;
xvii account for the pattern of population
distribution in West Africa;
vii International Economic Cooperation in xviii indicate the factors influencing the pattern
West Africa, e.g. ECOWAS of distribution;
xix identify the member countries;
xx examine the objectives for which
ECOWAS was established;
xxi evaluate the prospect and problems of the
organization

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Adeleke, B.O. and Leong, G.C. (1999). Certificate Physical and Human Geography (West African Edition),
Ibadan: Oxford.

Bradshaw, M. name(s)? (2004). Contemporary World Regional Geography, New York: McGraw Hill

Bunet, R.B and Okunrotifa, P.O. (1999). General Geography in Diagrams for West Africa, China: Longman.

Collins New Secondary Atlas, Macmillan

Fellman, D. name(s)? (2005). Introduction to Geography (Seventh Edition) New York: McGraw Hill

Getis, A. name(s)? (2004). Introduction to Geography (Ninth Edition) New York: McGraw Hill

Iloeje, N. P (1999). A New Geography of West Africa, Hong Kong: Longman

Iloeje, N.P (1982). A New Geography of Nigeria (New Education), Hong Kong: London

Nimaku, D.A. (2000). Map Reading of West Africa, Essex: Longman.

Okunrotifa, P.O. and Michael S. (2000). A Regional Geography of Africa (New Edition), Essex: London.

Udo, R.K (1970). Geographical Regions of Nigeria, London: Longman.

Waugh, D. (1995). Geography an Integrated Approach (Second Edition), China: Nelson

Wisdomline Pass at Once JAMB.

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