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Unit notes and practice questions

Grade 10 Geography unit 7: Geographic issues and public concerns in Africa

Everything here is for unit 7 of the Grade 10 Geography textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.

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3
Cards
10
Practice questions on unit 7
152–165
The textbook pages for unit 7

What unit 7 covers

  1. 1.Unplanned urbanization
  2. 2.Migration: factors and impacts on Africa
  3. 3.Coastal pollution in Africa

Short notes for unit 7

The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 10 Geography page. Open one at a time.

CategoryKey Features and CausesAssociated Impacts
CausesColonial legacy, IMF structural adjustment, neoliberal policies, weak planning institutionsUnregulated expansion and high urban primacy
Socioeconomic ImpactsRapid rural-to-urban influx exceeding urban carrying capacitySlums and squatter growth, 60 percent jobs in informal economy, social instability
Environmental and HealthInadequate infrastructure for water, waste, sewage, and electricityCommunicable disease outbreaks and high vulnerability to climate flooding

When you use it

Use this card when explaining why African cities expand without regulation and the resulting socioeconomic and environmental challenges.

Watch out

Urbanization itself is not inherently negative, but weak institutions, unregulated growth, and structural adjustment policies create severe urban crises.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 152-165, then checked twice before it went up

Factor TypeUnderlying DriversForm of Movement
Push FactorsPoverty, unemployment, low wages, poor governance, war, drought, famineVoluntary economic search or forced displacement
Pull FactorsBetter employment, higher income, greater security, superior education and healthVoluntary migration toward destination

When you use it

Use this card to distinguish between the conditions that drive people away from origin locations and those that attract them to destinations.

Watch out

Environmental disasters and violent conflict result in forced migration, whereas wage differences and educational prospects drive voluntary migration.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 152-165, then checked twice before it went up

Source CategoryOriginsMajor Pollutants
Land-Based SourcesMunicipal sewage, industrial discharge, agricultural and urban runoffDecomposable organic matter, heavy metals, excess nitrogen, plastic waste
Marine SourcesShipping discharges, bilgewater, seabed mineral exploitation, accidental oil spillsPetroleum hydrocarbons, garbage dumping, persistent toxic chemicals

When you use it

Use this card when identifying the origins, pathways, and pollutant classes affecting African coastal waters.

Watch out

Over 80 percent of marine pollution in regions like South Africa originates from land-based activities, not solely from offshore shipping.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 152-165, then checked twice before it went up

Practice questions on unit 7

10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.

Question 1

According to the textbook, what is meant by the term urban primacy?

  1. A.When one city has a population, economic activity, and political power several times greater than the next largest city
  2. B.When urban populations are equally distributed among all major cities in a country
  3. C.When the rural population is larger than the total urban population
  4. D.When a country establishes more than ten megacities within its territory
Show the answer and why

Answer: A When one city has a population, economic activity, and political power several times greater than the next largest city

Why

The textbook defines urban primacy as a condition where one city (usually the capital) possesses population, economic activity, and political power several times greater than the next largest city.

Question 2

In the textbook, what is the minimum population size used to define a megacity?

  1. A.Over 1 million
  2. B.Over 5 million
  3. C.Over 10 million
  4. D.Over 25 million
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Over 10 million

Why

The text states that megacities are cities with populations over 10 million people.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of forced migration according to the unit?

  1. A.Relocating to another town to seek better job opportunities
  2. B.Moving to escape war, drought, famine, or political conflicts
  3. C.Moving to another country to pursue higher university education
  4. D.Traveling to a city out of a desire to experience urban life
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Moving to escape war, drought, famine, or political conflicts

Why

Forced migration involves people who are compelled to leave their homes due to factors such as war, drought, famine, natural disasters, or political conflicts.

Question 4

Which coastal ecosystems act as natural filters for sediment, excessive nitrogen, and wastes?

  1. A.Sand dunes and beaches
  2. B.Wetlands and mangroves
  3. C.Deep ocean trenches
  4. D.Sea cliffs and rocky shores
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Wetlands and mangroves

Why

The textbook explains that wetlands and mangroves act as natural filters for sediment, excessive nitrogen, and wastes along coastal areas.

Question 5

By the year 2050, Africa's urban population is projected to reach approximately what number?

  1. A.500 million
  2. B.1.3 billion
  3. C.2.5 billion
  4. D.4.0 billion
Show the answer and why

Answer: C 2.5 billion

Why

The textbook states that Africa's urban population is expected to reach 2.5 billion in 2050, accounting for 21% of the world's projected urban population.

Question 6

According to the textbook, about what percentage of urban jobs in Africa are in the informal or grey economy?

  1. A.About 20 percent
  2. B.About 40 percent
  3. C.About 60 percent
  4. D.About 90 percent
Show the answer and why

Answer: C About 60 percent

Why

The text notes that in African urban areas, unemployment is high and about 60 percent of jobs are in the informal or grey economy, which are neither taxed nor monitored by the government.

Question 7

What was the average plastic consumption per person in Africa in 2015 compared to the global average?

  1. A.16 kg per person in Africa compared to 45 kg globally
  2. B.5 kg per person in Africa compared to 20 kg globally
  3. C.45 kg per person in Africa compared to 136 kg globally
  4. D.28 kg per person in Africa compared to 100 kg globally
Show the answer and why

Answer: A 16 kg per person in Africa compared to 45 kg globally

Why

According to UNEP estimates in the textbook, plastic consumption in Africa in 2015 was 16 kg per person, compared to the global average of 45 kg per person.

Question 8

What is identified as the most frequent cause of coastal water pollution in Africa?

  1. A.Discharge of municipal sewage and industrial wastes into coastal waters or estuaries
  2. B.Accidental leaks from deep-sea mineral extraction equipment
  3. C.Atmospheric dust storms over the open sea
  4. D.Dumping of organic fish waste by small coastal fishers
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Discharge of municipal sewage and industrial wastes into coastal waters or estuaries

Why

The textbook states that undoubtedly the most frequent cause of coastal pollution problems is the discharge of municipal sewage and industrial wastes into coastal waters or estuaries through low quality disposal facilities.

Question 9

Which group of factors is directly listed in the textbook as underlying causes of unplanned urbanization in Africa?

  1. A.The legacy of colonialism, structural adjustment programs, and weak urban planning institutions
  2. B.Over-investment in urban public transport, low fertility rates, and balanced land use
  3. C.Excessive rural mechanization, heavy environmental taxation, and strict zoning laws
  4. D.Decreased rural-urban migration, strong local governance, and low housing costs
Show the answer and why

Answer: A The legacy of colonialism, structural adjustment programs, and weak urban planning institutions

Why

The unit highlights that unplanned urbanization in Africa is shaped by unplanned growth, the legacy of colonialism, structural adjustment programs (IMF), neoliberalism policies, and weak urban planning institutions.

Question 10

Which of the following is classified in the textbook as an economic push factor for migration in Africa?

  1. A.Perceived opportunities for high income at the destination
  2. B.Greater quality of education and health care in foreign cities
  3. C.Low wages, high levels of unemployment, and poverty in the area of origin
  4. D.Greater physical security and better governance in host nations
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Low wages, high levels of unemployment, and poverty in the area of origin

Why

Push factors are negative conditions at the place of origin that drive people away, such as low wages, high unemployment, poverty, and poor socio-economic conditions.

The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.

The textbook pages for unit 7

Unit 7 runs from page 152 to page 165 of the Ministry of Education edition.

Ministry of Education edition, English, 204 pages

Download the PDF

All Grade 10 Geography short notes

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