QUESTION SEVENTY THREE
a)    Describe the physical and human factors affecting population distribution in Africa.
b)    Give the areas with high population density in Africa.
c)    Outline the advantages and disadvantages of a high population.
(d) (i)Why have people in Africa moved from the villages to towns in the recent years?
ii.    What problems have been created by the movement of people to towns?
iii.    What steps have been taken by the affected countries to stop this movement.

POSSIBLE ANSWERS

FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
i.    Relief of an area may affect the population distribution.  Extremely high mountains discourage settlement.  However, the flat areas are densely populated.
ii.    The nature of climate.  Reliable rainfall and moderate temperature is suitable for high population.  Dry areas like the Sahara, Kalahari, Somalia are sparsely populated.
iii.    The type of vegetation in an area also affects population.  The dense tropical rainforest in Zaire, Congo and Gabon discourage settlement.  The swampy region of the Niger delta in Nigeria has prevented population settlement.
iv.    The nature of the soil.  Areas with fertile volcanic soil have a high population.  On the other hand, the skeletal and infertile soils discourage population settlement.
v.    The influence of pests and diseases.  People tend to settle in areas which are free from tsetse flies like the high lands.  Areas which are prone to certain diseases like malaria along the lower valley of north west Africa and river blindness along river Volta in Ghana.
vi.    The natural hazards like aridity and floods also discourage settlement.
vii.    Existence of employment opportunities in an area.
viii.    The influence of slave trade.  This affected the different parts of West Africa because of the transatlantic slave trade.
ix.    The economic activities in the area.  For example mining, industrialisation which attract labourers from different regions.
x.    The influence of the ancient kingdoms for example Axum, Yorubaland, Benin and Iboland in West Africa.
xi.    Political stability.
xii.    Growth of urban centres.
xiii.    The government policy for example gazetting very large tracts of land for national game parks, game reserves and forest reserves.

    (b)    AREAS WITH HIGH POPULATION IN AFRICA:
i.    The Nile Valley in Egypt.
ii.    The Niger Delta in Nigeria.
iii.    The Maghreb region in West Africa.
iv.    The Ethiopian highlands.
v.    Dakar-Barthust region of West Africa.
vi.    The Johannesburg industrial region of South Africa.
vii.    The Eastern Coastal regions of Africa.
viii.    Kano-Katsina region of Northern Nigeria.
ix.    The Copper belt of Zambia and Zaire.
x.    The coastal areas of West Africa (Ghana, Cote d’ivore, Liberia and Ghana.
Map of Africa showing areas with high population
 

(c)    ADVANTAGES OF HIGH POPULATION
•    Maximum utilization of resources.
•    Provision of cheap labour force.
•    High tax base for an area.
•    Encourages specialization in production and trade.
•    Increase market size in terms of numbers.
•    May be a good size of a population for defense purposes.
•    Encourages opening up of new resources.
•    Economies of large scale production are likely to be enjoyed.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF HIGH POPULATION
i.    Causes high dependency ratios. Many unresourceful people depend upon too few resourceful ones.
ii.    The natural resources can be exhausted within a short time.
iii.    Causes poor economic performance of the country leading to high rate of borrowing from the donors like I.M.F.
iv.    The provision of social services like schools, hospitals, recreational grounds, water, electricity, may not be enough.
v.    Leads to continuous occurrence of famine.
vi.    There can be a high rate of unemployment.
vii.    Poor health:  overcrowded areas are prone to epidemic outbreak for example cholera and meningitis.
viii.    People operate under the poverty line, with no savings, no capital, inadequate investments and very poor standards of living.
ix.    There is pressure on land which may cause land fragmentation, soil exhaustion and soil erosion which lead to very poor yields.
x.    Rural-urban migration.  The landless in the rural areas are forced to move to towns for other forms of survival.

(d)(i)    WHY PEOPLE MOVE TO TOWNS
i.    To look for employment in industries.
ii.    To run away from boredom in villages.
iii.    To enjoy the social amenities in urban centres like electricity, piped water, discos and video shows.
iv.    Due to the insecurity in rural areas.
v.    Some people commit mischief like murder, witchcraft, which force them to move away.
vi.    The occurrence of natural disasters like floods, drought, volcanic eruption in rural areas forces people to move to urban areas.

(c)    (ii)    Refer to question 69.
    (iii) Refer to question 74.

QUESTION SEVENTY FOUR
Define these population terms:
    1.    Population density.
    2.    Overpopulation.
    3.    Under population
    4.    Optimum population
    5.    Population explosion
    6.    Birth rate
    7.    Death rate
    8.    Fertility rate
    9.    Dependency ratio
    10.    Population census
    11.    Life expectancy
    12.    Infant mortality rate
    13    Population control
    14.    Natural increase

(b) How are governments trying to solve the problem of rural urban migration.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
1.    Population density refers to a number of people occupying an area per square kilometre.  It is obtained by dividing the total population of an area by the size of the area.
2.    Overpopulation: Is a situation which occurs when the population exceeds the available resources:
3.    Under population: Is a situation which occurs when the number of people is so low as not to be able to exploit the available resources and develop an area.
4.    Optimum Population: Is a situation which occurs when the population is in equilibrium with the available resources.
5.    Population explosion refers to a great and abrupt increase in population through natural means.
6.    Birth Rate: Refers to a number of children who are born alive out of 1000 of the population.
7.    Death Rate: Refers to a number of people who die in a year per 1000 people.
8.    Fertility rate: Refers to a number of children a woman can give birth to in her life span.
9.    Dependency ratio: This is a number of unresourceful people per every 100 resourceful people.
10.    Population census: Is the process of determining the number of people in an area at a time by head-count.
11.    Life expectancy: Refers to the average age at which people live from birth to death.
12.    Infant Mortality Rate: Refers to the number of death of children under one year per 1000 of population.
13.    Population control: Refers to measures to achieve optimum conditions.  This can be done through family planning, urging the youth to avoid early marriages or setting up Laws to limit the number of children per couple.
14.    Natural Increase: This is the difference between annual birth rate and death rate but does not include increase by immigrants.

(b)    SOLUTIONS TO RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
•    Improving on the rural communication network, constructing feeder roads etc.
•    Establishment of agricultural processing industries like tea, coffee, cocoa, sugarcane.
•    Agricultural developments of rural areas by introducing cash crops and pay cash for crops, giving loans and good seeds.
•    Development of commerce, trading centres and setting up plans for rural development.
•    The government should also improve on social services for example health, education and housing.
•    New farming areas such as settlement schemes and irrigation schemes should also be opened.
•    There should also be introduction of cooperative farming in the rural areas.
•    The land reform decree should also be passed.
•    Finally those not employed can be rounded up and taken back to the villages.

QUESTION SEVENTY FIVE
Study the table below and answer the questions that follow:

(a) Calculate the density of population in Rwanda based on the population  figures.
Which one of the countries listed in the table has the largest percentage of its population living in rural areas?
Give the percentage of the population in (a) (ii)  which is rural.
(b)(i)State the differences between Nigeria and Niger which are shown by the statistics.
(ii)   Explain the reasons for the differences in the countries mentioned in (b) (i) above.
(c) Using evidence from the table, name the country which is most industrialised.
(d)(i) Explain why the country in (c ) above has been able to develop industries.
(ii) Mention the economic products of Gambia.
(e) (i) Suggest reasons for increasing urban population in most African countries.
(ii) With examples from your own country, describe the problems created by an expanding urban   population.
(iii) If you were a town planner in one of those countries, what would you do to solve these problems?
 
    POSSIBLE ANSWERS
(i)    Population density of Rwanda  173.
(ii)    The country with largest rural percentage is Rwanda.
(iii)    The percentage is 97%.
•    (i)Niger’s total area is larger than Nigeria’s.
•    Nigeria has a higher total population than Niger.
•    The population density is lower than that of Nigeria.
•    Nigeria has a lower rural percentage than Nigeria.

•    (ii)Nigeria receives more rain than Niger.
•    Soil fertility in Nigeria is higher than Niger.
•    There was high political instability and civil wars in Niger leading to low population.
•    Tsetse ingestion in the Sahel region of Niger reduced the population.
•    Nigeria has a variety of natural resources like oil, diamonds, limestone, which attract high population.
•    Nigeria has a higher density of economic infrastructure than Niger.

c.    The country which is most industrialized is Nigeria.
    (i) Presence of natural resources.
i.    Cheap and efficient transport.
ii.    Skilled labour.
iii.    Availability of power and market.

(ii)Groundnuts, phosphates, palm kernals, hides, skins, livestock, fish, groundnut oil.
e.    (i) Employment opportunities.
i.    Better social amenities.
ii.    Better social services.
iii.    Higher standard of living.

(ii)High crime rates such as thefty, Robbery, Prostitution e.t.c
i.    Slum development and the associated evils.
ii.    Unemployment.
iii.    Traffic congestion.
iv.    Pollution.
v.    Poor sanitation which results into diseases like cholera.
vi.    High cost of living.
vii.    Overcrowding.

    (iii) Tighten security by police.
i.    Treat industrial wastes before disposal.
ii.    Build skyscrapers and housing estates.
iii.    Build industries in rural areas.
iv.    Establish traffic lights, subways and highways.
(See question 67 and 71 for more detailed points).

QUESTION SEVENTY-SIX
Study the passage below and answer the questions that follow:-
"In many areas there are clear connections between environmental factors and high density population.  The link between the Nile and population distribution is obvious in Egypt."
a.    (i)    Name environmental factors that have influenced population distribution in Africa.
(ii)    What non environmental factors influence population distribution in Africa.
b.Name one country in the Nile Valley not mentioned in the   passage.
i.    With the help of sketch map describe the population distribution in Egypt.
ii.    Explain the factors responsible for the population pattern in (b) (ii)  above.

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
(i)Fertile soils
i.    The relief of an area.
ii.    Favourable climate.
iii.    The vegetation of the area.
iv.    The occurrence of pests and diseases.
v.    The nature of the soil.
vi.    The natural calamities.

(ii)1.Improvement in science and hygiene.
i.    Development of important infrastructure such as roads, railways and towns.
ii.    3.    The process of urbanisation which improves on    commercial activities.
iii.    Influence of slave trade.
iv.    Influence of early traditional kingdoms.
v.    Government policy.

b.    (i)    Sudan is the country in the Nile valley not mentioned in the passage.
Map of Egypt showing population distribution
 

(iii)    Presence of R. Nile which provides water for irrigation.
i.    Improvements made in the farming.
ii.    Early marriages among the Egyptian teenagers.
iii.    Practices of polygamy.
iv.    Influence of Islamic laws which are against the practice of
v.    family planning.
vi.    Illiteracy.  People with low levels of education go for early
vii.    marriages.
viii.    Reduced civil wars and natural calamities.

QUESTION SEVENTY SEVEN
Study the table below and answer the questions that follow.
Africa's population between 1950 to 1990.

Year               Population (in millions)

1950               199

1960               270

1970               344

1980               453

1990               616