The Geography Knowledge – Geography of the UK and beyond.

The United Kingdom Types of settlement: Human Geography of the UK

• The world is made up of 7 continents (South America, Hamlet-one or two farms with large space in-between.
North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania/Australasia, Village: small settlement, with a population of up to a a few thousand Human features have been created by
Antarctica and Antarctica). people. They are usually surrounded by rural fields and forest. humans (towns cities roads and railways).
• The United Kingdom is made up of four countries Town: Urban settlements with populations of up to over 10,000 • London (city)
(England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). London people. • Birmingham (city)
is the capital city of the United Kingdom. City: large urban settlements made up of different neighbourhoods. If • M1
• The UK is located in the continent of Europe. a city has a population of over 10 million, it is known as a Megacity. • M25
• Europe is the 3rd largest continent in population but only The UK has many cities – the largest is London.
6/7 for space. Urban - A built up area (e.g. town or city)
Rural - A sparsely populated area (such as a village or hamlet)
Each continent has different features: Human Geography of London. Physical Geography of the UK
• The continent with the biggest population and land mass Physical features are natural features of the land that have
• At risk of flooding due to
is Asia. not been created by humans (rivers, lakes, mountains and
urban development and
• Asia’s current population is 4.6bn. oceans). Physical features are shown on a relief map. Relief
climate change.
• The climate in Asia can range from tundra to tropical.
• Not enough houses to meet is the geographical word that tells us the lay of the land
• In the north of Asia, the climate is mainly tundra.
demand. (slope steepness, altitude (height above sea level).
• In the South of Asia in countries such as India and
• Densely populated resulting in • Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike, Showdown
Indonesia the weather is mainly tropical.
unemployment. • River Thames, River Trent
• North America is bigger in landmass and population
• London is nearly a megacity-9.6m people.
compared to South America.
• Lots of cultural events e.g. Notting Hill Carnival.
• The UK is in Europe which has a mainly deciduous climate.
Physical Geography of London. How does the physical and human landscape affect where people in the UK live?
How and why might population size of continents change in Physical factors:
• Lowland area • Flat land is easier to build on/farm.
the future? • Area is easy to build on as it is flat.
• Climate change. Land is flooded, leaving less space for • The south has warmer drier climate, this is ideal for farming.
• UK’s second longest river, River Human factors:
more people. Mass migration. Thames - 215miles long
• Natural disasters. Areas are unsafe to live in, mass • In the South of England is the capital city London, this provides more job opportunities,
• Easily flooded due to being flat. social activities and entertainment.
migration, overcrowding in other countries. • Thames Barrier has been built to
• Natural increase. World population increases, less • Best Universities in the UK are in the South, Cambridge and Oxford.
prevent flooding.
space for more people.
Better transport links, making it easier to travel and see people.
• Diseases like Corona Virus. Some continents
(LIC’s/poor continents) suffer more.
By 2040, 70% of the UK will live in urban areas. Do you think
• Increased wealth. As some continents like Asia get this is a good idea or do you think more people should live in
wealthier they can build more cities. rural areas?
• Isolation during pandemics like COVID vs. better access to
How to describe locations using physical and human features. technology and wi-fi-homeschooling during lockdown.
1. Use compass points to state what the location is next to
• Protecting areas for nature vs. overcrowding in cities and
2. State the physical features in the area
3. State the human features in the area.
towns.
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Tectonic Hazards
Natural Hazard A natural process that poses a threat to people and property. If it poses no threat to humans it is called a Plate Margin Description Example
natural event.
Destructive Two plates move towards each other due to The Nazca oceanic
Plate CONVECTION CURRENTS in the mantle. The more plate is being
Margin dense plate is SUBDUCTED beneath the less subducted beneath
Meteorological A hazard that occurs in the atmosphere (e.g. hurricane, thunder and lightening, tornado, drought)
Tectonic dense plate. The point of subduction is known as the South American
hazard
hazards at a the subduction zone. continental plate.
destructive • Volcanoes – as the more dense plate sinks
margin: into the mantle, it melts forming magma. This
Hazard risk The probability that a natural hazard occurs.
rises up through the crust until it reaches the
There is a • It occurs in an urban area due to the higher population density. surface = violent eruptions.
higher risk if…. • It occurs in an LIC as they have poor quality buildings and less planning and prediction strategies. • Earthquakes – as the more dense plate sinks
• Type of hazard: e.g. earthquakes are much harder to predict than tropical storms, floods occur more often beneath the less dense plate, pressure builds
than volcanic eruptions. up. When this pressure is suddenly released it
causes explosive earthquakes.

Constructive The plates move away from each other due to The North American
Layers of the There are four layers of the earth: the inner core, outer core, Plate convection currents in the mantle. This leaves a and Eurasian plates
earth mantle and crust. Margin gap. Magma rises to fill this gap, creating are moving away
volcanoes. The lava that is erupted creates new from each other. This
land. This usually happens under the oceans. The has created the Mid
Tectonic Plates The crust is split into several pieces (like a cracked egg shell). These Tectonic continued CREATION OF NEW LAND and Atlantic Ridge in the
pieces of rock are called tectonic plates. They float on the mantle. hazards at a movement of plates results in SEA-FLOOR middle of the Atlantic
constructive SPREADING. Ocean. This ocean is
margin: • Volcanoes – magma rises to the surface to getting larger by
Oceanic Crust Crust found under the oceans (thinner, younger, more dense, basalt) form volcanic eruptions, however there is 2cm/yr
little pressure = gentle eruptions.
Continental Crust Crust found under land (thicker, older, less dense, granite) • Earthquakes – as the magma rises, small
tremors occur = gentle earthquakes.

Continental Drift Theory that said the earth’s continents are very slowly moving in different directions.
Conservative Two plates move past each other due to The North American
Convection Convection currents are circular currents in the mantle that Plate convection currents in the mantle. They can and Pacific plates are
currents cause the overlying plates to move. Margin move in the same direction at different speeds or sliding past each
in opposite directions. The line between the two other. They are
Tectonic plates is called the FAULT LINE. moving in the same
Plate boundary/ The line between the two plates. This is also known as a hazards at a • No volcanoes (there is no subduction or direction however at
plate margin fault line. conservative creation of magma) different speeds. This
margin: • Earthquakes – as the two plates slide past fault line is known as
each other, pressure builds up. This is the San Andreas
Subduction Goes underneath. suddenly released, it causes violent Fault.
earthquakes

Subduction The point at which the more dense is subducted beneath the less dense plate.
zone
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Tectonic Hazards
EARTHQUAKES VOLCANOES

Earthquake A sudden movement of tectonic plates due to a release of Volcano A volcano is an opening in the ground from which lava, ash
energy of pressure. It is followed by a series of aftershocks. and gases erupt.
Focus The point of movement in the earth’s crust. Magma Molten rock that has been erupted from a volcano.
Lava Erupted magma is known as lava.
Epicentre The point directly above the focus on the earth’s surface.

As tectonic plates suddenly move, they send out SHOCK

Shield A volcano found at constructive plate margins. It has
Shockwaves
WAVES (seismic waves) that travel through the earth’s crust volcano runny lava, is low in height and has frequent eruptions. For
/ Seismic
and cause the ground to shake. example Laki in Iceland.
waves

Magnitude The amount of energy released during an earthquake. Composite A volcano found at destructive plate margins. It has thick
volcano lava, is tall in height with steep sides and has explosive
Richter Scale The scale that measures the magnitude of an earthquake. eruptions. For example Mt Fiji in Japan.

EFFECTS OF THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE EFFECTS OF THE MONTSERRAT ERUPTION

Haiti is located in the Caribbean. It lies on a conservative plate boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates. The Montserrrat is a small island in the Caribbean. It is located next to a destructive plate margin. The denser North American plate
plates are sliding past each other at a rate of 2cm/yr. On 12 January 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. The epicentre is being subducted beneath the less dense Caribbean plate. Rising magma has created a volcano called Chances Peak, located in
was 25km west of Port-au-Prince (the capital) at a depth of 13km. Soufriere Hills. It erupted between 1995 – 1997. In June 1997, a large eruption resulted in a pyroclastic flow & large ash cloud.
➢ Pyroclastic flow: very hot gases and ash (800°C) rush down the
Primary effects happen straight away or are a direct cause of the earthquake.
volcano at speeds of 500mph, destroying everything in its path.
Secondary effects happed after the earthquake and are often as a result of a primary effect.
➢ Ash cloud: the ash that is ejected from the volcano falls
• 220,000 dead and 300,000 injured. across large distances, causing respiratory problems.
• 300,000 buildings damaged.
Primary • 19 people were killed.
• 8 hospitals and 5000 schools damaged.
effects • Respiratory problems were caused due to ash and gases in the atmosphere.
• Transportation routes broken or damaged. Social impacts
• Service lines (water, gas, electricity) destroyed • The capital, Plymouth, was covered in 12m of mud = homes, hospitals and schools were destroyed.
• Local and international flights were cancelled.
• Trauma and diseases from dead bodies.
• 1.3 million Haitians in temporary camps • Many industries were destroyed = a rise in unemployment, which reached 50%.
Economic
Secondary • Aid supplies could not reach victims. • 7000 people were displaced. It was expensive to relocate people.
impacts
effects • 2 million Haitians with no food, electricity, water • Tourism was suspended = loss of income.
• A rise in unemployment. Environmental
• Cost :$11.5 billion • 2/3rds of Montserrat was covered in ash, including farmland = destruction of ecosystems and habitats.
impacts

REDUCING THE IMPACT OF EARTHQUAKES: PREDICTION + PREPARATION = PROTECTION REDUCING THE IMPACT OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS: PREDICTION + PREPARATION = PROTECTION
Measure for Before a larger earthquake often there is an increase in the number of small tremors. Scientists use seismometers Measure for Just before a volcanic eruption often there is an increase in earthquake activity as the magma rises. Earthquakes
Small Tremors to record any ground movement. Small Tremors are recorded using a seismometer.

Unusual Animal Animals act strangely before an earthquake. In China, the city of Haicheng was evacuated following strange animal Measure sulphur Just before an eruption the concentration of gases (such as sulphur dioxide) emitted can change. You can use this
Behaviour behaviour. Days later a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck. The evacuation saved 150,000 lives. emissions to help predict an eruption.
Earthquake Using flexible steel frames which sway as the ground moves; Rubber foundations that absorb the
Geothermal You can see the temperature of the ground using satellite images. These can show rising magma, which would
Proof Buildings shockwaves/shaking; Building with a larger base than top will be less likely to topple over.
monitoring appear red.
Educate people about to do should an earthquake occur to prevent panic during the disaster (e.g. practice drills and
Practice Drills Tiltmeters Tiltmeters are placed on the ground to measure slight changes in the tilt of the ground caused by rising magma.
planned evacuation routes). In Japan they practice earthquake drills 4 times a year.

Emergency Kit Residents are encouraged to have an emergency kit, including a torch, canned food, batteries, radio, medical kit… Divert lava flow Concrete walls are built to divert the flow of lava away from areas of high land value (e.g. towns and cities).
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Social and Economic Development
Employment The state of having work. How has the UK’s economy changed since 1600?

Employment rate The % of people within a population who have jobs. Most people worked in agriculture (primary), with a few people making things in
1600s workshops (shoes, furniture) and providing services to rich families. Most of the jobs
The employment sectors: Primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary were located in rural areas.
Primary sector jobs The extraction of raw materials. Raw materials are anything that is naturally present in the earth. In the 1850s, less people work on farms and more people work in factories in towns
Primary jobs are found…. In rural areas where the raw materials are. and cities. This occurred due to the UK’s Industrial Revolution. This was the growth of
For example… Farmers, fishermen, miners, oil workers, forestry workers. 1850s secondary manufacturing in factories. Less people worked on farms due to the new
practices (horses and ploughs). More people worked in factories due to the rapid
Secondary sector jobs The manufacturing of goods. Turning raw materials into higher value products often in factories. increase in jobs available in factories. These jobs paid more too.
Secondary jobs are found... In urban areas where the factories are built.
For example…. Metals become cars, crops become processed foods, cotton becomes clothes. In the 1970s, less people work in factories (secondary) and more people work in
services (tertiary). Less people work in factories due to de-industrialisation – when
Tertiary sector jobs Tertiary sector: the provision of services for other people. 1970s many of the factories moved abroad to poor countries due to cheap labour. This
Tertiary jobs are found… In urban areas as they need a large population to sell their services to. meant many factories in the UK closed down. Also jobs in the tertiary sector pay
For example…. Teachers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, policemen, dentists, bankers… more.

Quaternary sector jobs Quaternary sector: research and information technology industries. Today most people in the UK work in services (tertiary), however the growth of
Quaternary jobs are found.. In urban areas as they need to hire lots of highly skilled university graduates and most universities are computers has seen the beginning of quaternary industries in the UK. In 2018, 1% of
Today
For example…. located in cities. people worked in the primary sector, 18% in the secondary sector and 81% in the
Scientists developing new medicines, financial planners using models to make financial decisions. tertiary sector

Economy People produce goods and services, which other people buy. The economy means the whole network of Economies of the world: how do economies change in different countries?
people producing and consuming goods. Ethiopia Most people in Ethiopia work in the primary sector, on farms and in mines. There
are 58 million farmers in Ethiopia. Farming is important to Ethiopia because they
Growing economy When the quantity of goods and services being produced increases.
need to grow and sell enough crops to improve their living standards (invest in
Shrinking economy When the quantity of goods and services being produced decreases. education, healthcare, infrastructure).

Development The process of change for the better. China 220 million people in China work in factories in the secondary sector. It makes
more goods than any other country. China has started to develop, having recently
LIC Low Income Countries have a low income (less than $1045 per year), poor quality housing, services, gone through their industrial revolution (growth in manufacturing in factories).
healthcare…etc. Their primary source of income is from agriculture. Ethiopia, Somalia, Liberia. They still produce most of their own food, however the use of machines has
reduced the number of workers on the farms. Due to the money they earn from
NEE Newly Emerging Economies are countries that have started to industrialise (move into the secondary manufacturing, China have developed their healthcare education and infrastructure.
sector – factories) and are developing. China, India, Brazil.
The UK Most people in the UK work in tertiary industries. These people provide a service in
HIC High Income Countries are developed countries that a high income (more than $12,746), good access to
hospitals, schools, offices, banks, shops…etc. We still have some secondary industries
services and strong infrastructure. They are mainly have tertiary & quaternary industries. UK, USA,
but they need fewer workers because we use machines, robots and computers.
Japan, Italy, Germany.
We have very few people working in primary industries as we get most primary goods from abroad.
Development indicator A measure of development
TNC A transnational corporation is a company that operate across multiple countries.
For example… Gross domestic product (GPD), birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate, literacy rate,
Evidence • Its headquarters are in California (USA). Here quaternary sector engineers program the features you
GDP The total value of the goods and services a country produces in a year Essentially it’s annual income. Apple is a love such as voice command, facial recognition…etc.
GDP per capita The total income divided by the total population. It gives the average salary within a country. TNC • The materials that make up an iPhone include 60 different metals, plastic and glass. These are
purchased from many countries.
It is important to use more • Not all people earn the same amount of money. Therefore ….per capita is not accurate. • The iPhone is created in factories mostly in China.
than one indicator as…. • There might be an anomalous result. • The iPhone is sold in many countries (such as USA, UK, France, Spain, Italy…etc.)
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Social and Economic Development
CAUSES OF THE DEVELOPMENT GAP REDUCING THE GAP: AID
Development gap The difference in development between HICs and LICs. Aid Another word for help. Richer countries give poorer countries aid to help them make a better future for themselves.
Landlocked Countries with no coastline = difficult to trade (import/export) with Bilateral aid Aid given from one government to another (the UK gives aid to Pakistan).
other countries = difficult to make money. For example, Mali, Africa,
is landlocked and has a GPD per capita of just $901. Multilateral aid Aid given through an international organisation (the World Bank, the UN)

Extreme climate Many LICs have extreme climates (extreme temperatures, too much or NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations are charities (e.g. Oxfam, WaterAid).
too little rain). Extreme climate make it difficult for LICs to grow crops
The DfID is… The Department for International Development is responsible for the UK’s bilateral aid.
= lack of food to eat or sell = poverty and famine. Between 1978 and
1998, Ethiopia had 15 droughts. How does the In 2018, the UK invested £14.5 billion in aid projects, such as for disaster relief, education, healthcare, access to services. To countries such as
UK provide aid? Ethiopia, Pakistan, Somalia and Nigeria.
Natural Hazards Many LICs suffer common natural hazards (droughts, floods, storms,
earthquakes). The country is so busy responding to the natural hazard Sustainable • Helps those that need it the most and helps in the long term.
they do not have money to invest in healthcare, education, aid… • Involves the locals and teaches people skills. Is cheap, using appropriate technology that can be easily maintained by locals.
infrastructure = lack of development. For example Bangladesh suffers
from annual floods which in August (2017) affected 6.9 million. Large scale projects are expensive and well-publicised schemes producing help to large areas. To help Ghana develop the Akosombo Dam was
built on the River Volta. It was to built to generate hydro-electricity, which is clean renewable energy formed by fast flowing water.
Conflict & Many wars occur in LICs = money is spent on the military and ✓ The dam produces clean renewable energy for locals to use and Ghana to sell = more money for healthcare, education, services
corruption weapons instead on improving healthcare, education, transportation Large scale aid
✓ The lake behind the dam gives water for irrigation = more crops to eat and sell.
or access to services. projects.
× Money was borrowed from USA on the condition that an American company Valco could use electricity from the dam at a very cheap price =
Lack of education Lack of education = people do not have the skills to work in high there is often little left for the locals = blackouts.
paying jobs. As a result many people are unemployed or have low × It cost £130 million and took 8 years to make. Also 80,000 people were forced to move due to flooding caused by the lake behind the dam.
paying jobs = low GDP. Small scale projects are government or charity funded. The provide specific improvements for a small area and prioritise training of locals so that
Lack of Waterborne diseases & tropical diseases (malaria) are common in they can become self-sufficient. To help Ghana to develop, WaterAid built water pumps in remote villages.
healthcare LICs due to poor sanitation (sewage gets into drinking water) and Small scale aid ✓ It was cheap (£1200 per water pump) and used appropriate technology locals could use.
mosquitoes. A lack of healthcare stops people getting better = cannot projects ✓ It involved the locals to decide where to build the pumps and trained locals how to use and fix it.
work/die from diseases/children miss school. In 2015, 89% of all ✓ Clean water = children can go to school, families have clean water to cook, drink and clean, there are less waterborne diseases.
malaria cases were in sub-Saharan Africa. × It is small scale so fewer people were helped.

QUALITY OF LIFE IN AN LIC: MALAWI QUALITY OF LIFE IN AN NEE: BANGLADESH QUALITY OF LIFE IN AN HIC: SINGAPORE

Malawi is a long thin country, located in east Africa. It is about ½ the size of the UK Bangladesh is located in southern Asia bordering India. Its population of 165 million, Singapore is an island located in south east Asia. It is very small (½ the size of
with a population of 17 million. One of its main physical features is Lake Malawi, with 98% identifying as Bengali. It has a high a population density. Greater London). Its population is 5.5 million, with a very high population density.
which is rich in fish = food and income for locals, however it is still very poor. Bangladesh currently is going through its Industrial Revolution = growth of factories Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with a large tertiary
➢ GPD per capita = $780. & manufacturing. It makes the 2nd most clothes in the world (after China). Most industry. Its employment structure is: 1% (primary), 16% (secondary), 83% (tertiary).
➢ Life expectancy = 55 years clothes shops in the UK get clothing made there. This earns Bangladesh over £14 Unfortunately, 15% of the population are poor: the wealth is not evenly distributed.
➢ Literacy rate = 61% billion a year and employs 4 million, helping Bangladesh to develop, improving It earns money by importing cheap raw materials from LICs and turning these into
90% of its population work in farming, exporting tobacco, sugar, tea & cotton. These healthcare, education & services. more expensive products in factories. These are exported (sold) = profit. Its main
are low value goods which do not make much money. It is also poor as it is ➢ GPD per capita = $1698. source of income, however, is from its tertiary industries ( finance, insurance).
landlocked making it difficult to trade with other countries. ➢ Life expectancy = 72 years ➢ GPD per capita = $57,700.
Quality of life: ➢ Literacy rate = 73% ➢ Life expectancy = 84 years
➢ Poor quality clothing, lack of footwear Quality of life in factories is not great: ➢ Literacy rate = 97%
➢ School: class sizes of 97 children, no table and chairs, lack of equipment, ➢ Low wages (£45 per month), long hours (14 hours a day, 7 days a week) Quality of life:
students sit on the floor ➢ Dangerous conditions: a number of factories have collapsed or caught fire. In ➢ Home: smart clothes, lots of delicious food, many families have a maid.
➢ Home: no electricity, children sleep on mats on the mud floor. 24th April, 2013, the Rana Plaza (a factory making clothes for Primark, Matalan) ➢ Great education – extracurricular activities and lots of facilities (swimming pools,
➢ Future: education for girls is rare. Most girls get married at 18 and have babies. collapsed killing 1100 workers. Physical & emotional abuse is also common. gym, basketball court)
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Weather and Climate
Weather The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time TYPES OF RAINFALL/PRECIPITATION
Climate The state of the atmosphere over a long period of time (typically the average conditions over a 30 yr period) Relief Rainfall When wind meets a hill meets a hill or mountain, it must rises over it.
Temperature How hot or cold it is. As the warm air rises, it cools, condenses to form clouds. The clouds become saturated (full of water)
and rain occurs.
It is measured using…. A thermometer. The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts depending on its temperature.
In the UK the prevailing wind comes from the south west (over the Atlantic Ocean). There are many
Unit… Degree centigrade (°C).
mountains on the west coast of the UK (Wales). As the moist air hits the UK it rises up over the
Air pressure It measures how heavy the air is – how closely packed the air molecules are. mountains = rainfall.
It is measured using…. A barometer.
Frontal Rainfall Where a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, the warm air mass rises over the cold air mass.
Unit… Millibars. The world’s air pressure ranges from 970 to 1040mb.
As the warm air rises, it cools, condenses to form clouds. The clouds become saturated (full of water)
Wind speed How fast the wind is blowing. and rain occurs.
It is measured using…. An anemometer. Cups on the anemometer spin in the wind. The number of rotations are counted to work out
wind speed. Front rainfall is the most common type of rainfall in the UK.
Unit… It is measured using knots or mph.

Wind direction Wind direction refers to the direction that the wind is blowing. Convectional The sun heats the ground, which then warms the air above it.
It is measured using…. A wind vane. A wind vane spins and faces the main direction that the wind is travelling in. Rainfall
As the warm air rises, it cools, condenses to form clouds. The clouds become saturated (full of water)
Unit… It is measured using compass directions.
and rain occurs.
Precipitation Precipitation is the amount of rain that falls.
In the UK we get convectional rainfall in the south east and inland, where the ground gets hottest.
It is measured using…. A rain gauge. A rain gauge catches precipitation over a period of time.
Unit… Measured in millimetres per day/month/year.

Cloud cover Cloud cover means how much of the sky is hidden by cloud. Weather forecasts:
It is measured using…. It is measured using in eighths or oktas. You determine this by looking at the sky and using the above chart. Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere. Most
Unit… Oktas or eighths. countries have a central organisation responsible for weather
forecasting. Data is collected over millions of weather stations.
Air Pressure Air pressures refers to the density of air molecules within the atmosphere. They use a variety of methods to collect data, including satellites,
aeroplanes, radars, ships and ocean buoys. This data is sent to
LOW PRESSURE is Warm air rises. When the air rises, there are less molecules in the lower
supercomputers which process the data, which meteorologists
caused when… atmosphere = low pressure.
then use to create charts and forecasts.
Common weather is… Clouds, rain and winds. As the warm air rises, it cools and condenses and forms clouds.
Eventually the clouds become saturated (full of water) & rain. Strong winds are common. • In Scotland there is heavy rain with temperatures between 9-
11°C. Winds are from the south. The maximum wind speed is 26
Where does it occur? The equator - the sun’s energy is concentrated over a smaller area. The average
mph.
temperature is 26°C. The warm air rises, cools, condenses to form clouds = precipitation
There is a lot of rain at the equator. This is where you find tropical rainforests. • In England there is cloud in the north and sunshine in the
southeast, with some rain in the southwest. Temperatures range
HIGH PRESSURE is Cooler air sinks. When air sinks, there are more molecules in the lower atmosphere = between 6-9°C. Wind speeds are as low as 3 mph an from the
caused when… high pressure. south east.
Common weather is… Sinking air = no water vapour condenses = clear skies, dry conditions • In Northern Ireland there is heavy rain and temperatures of 12°C,
➢ Summer: hot days, no clouds, dry, droughts. with 20 mph winds from the south west.
➢ Winter: cold days, frost and ice common.
Where does it occur? • In Wales there is cloud and heavy rain with winds of up to 17 mph
Air sinks at 30° N&S of the equator and at 90° N&S of the equator. This is from the south.
where we find hot and cold deserts.
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Weather and Climate
EFFECTS OF THE TEWKESBURY FLOOD EFFECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM DROUGHT
A river flood is when a river overflows its banks and water spreads across the surrounding land. It is caused due to heavy Between 2002 and 2009 south-east Australia experienced its worst drought in 125 years. This was known as the Millennium
precipitation. Tewkesbury, a market town in Gloucestershire (south west England), was badly affected by a flood in 2007. Drought. The dry and hot conditions resulted in desertification. This is when land becomes ‘desert like’ and too dry to grow
Following a very dry April, the summer of 2007 was one of the wettest on record. By the end of June, heavy rainfall overloaded crops on.
rivers, leading to flooding in some areas in Gloucestershire. However, during July the rains were even heavier. On 20th July, two
months' worth of rain fell in 14 hours. This resulted in widespread devastation. • Families had to sell their farms due to loss of crops & livestock.
• The rate of suicides among farmers increased.
• Buildings started to crack due to extreme temperatures forcing
• 2 people died Social impacts people to evacuate.
• 5000 homes and businesses were flooded = 825 homes were • The government imposed hosepipe bans and limited showers to just
evacuated. four minutes.
Social impacts
• 48 homes were without electricity for 2 days. • Water and food bills increased by 20%.
• 135,000homes were without drinking water for 2 weeks
• Transport lines were destroyed. • 40% of the land became desertified = crop yields dropped by 66%.
• The lack of food being produced in Australia = they stopped making
Economic money from exporting foods and have to spend more money
• Cost: £50 million
impacts importing food from other countries.
• Destruction to transport lines cost £25 million
Economic • The government spent millions on helping farmers cope with the effects of the drought.
• 5000 homes and businesses were flooded and 7500 businesses were
impacts • The tourism industry declined as people went to other countries.
without mains water for 17 days = businesses temporarily closed
down = unemployment and lack of earnings. • 40% of the land became desertified. The dry conditions led to dry soils that were vulnerable to soil erosion.
Environmental • Many livestock (animals) died due to a lack of water and food.
Environmental • Floodwater destroyed crops and contaminated groundwater. impacts • Many habitats were lost due to wildfires and lack of water = a dramatic loss in biodiversity as animal and plant
impacts • Habitats were lost. species died.
CLIMATE GRAPHS EXPLAINING GLOBAL CLIMATES
• Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time. The photo shows warm, dry weather in The higher you are above sea level, the colder it is. The temperature falls by about 1°C every 100 meters. Many
Plymouth, however it might have been raining an hour later. Altitude areas in the Alps (a mountain range in Europe) are 40°C colder than the coastal areas because they are 4000m
• Climate is the average weather in a place – what the weather is usually like. To work it out you high. This also explains why you can find snow on Mt Kilimanjaro which lies on the equator.
collect data over a long period & then calculate average measurements for each month.
Prevailing wind is the most common wind direction.
• If the prevailing wind direction is over water (sea/ocean), it brings rain.
Geographers collect climate data to use this to calculate average weather conditions each month (e.g. temperature and Prevailing
• If the prevailing wind direction is over land, it brings dry air.
precipitation). This data is plotted on a climate graph. Wind
In the UK, the prevailing wind is from the SW, over the Atlantic Ocean = moist (wet) air which is why we have lots of
A climate graph shows how precipitation and temperature change throughout the year. rain.

The temperature of water surrounding a country affects its temperature.

• If there are warm ocean currents, the temperature will be warm.
Ocean
• If there are cold ocean currents, the temperature will be cold.
Currents
In Britain we have warm ocean currents, which have travelled across the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico
where it is hot. This ocean current is called the North Atlantic Drift and it warms the coast of the UK.

Latitude means how far a place is from the equator.

• Far from the equator (e.g. poles) it is very cold. This is because the earth
is curved = many of the sun’s rays bounce off the earth’s surface.
Latitude Therefore there is indirect sunlight which shines at a low angle onto a
larger area.
• At the equator it is very hot. This is because there is direct sunlight
which shines directly onto a small area = hot.
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Rivers
Evaporation When the sun heats up water from the sea and it goes Drainage
The area of land in which water drains into a specific river.
into the air. Basin
Transpiration When the sun heats up water from the leaves of trees. Source The point where the river begins.
Condensation When water vapour cools and turns into clouds
Precipitation Tributary A stream or small river that joins a larger stream or big river.
Rain, hail, sleet and snow that falls from the clouds
Surface run-off When the water runs off the surface of the ground. Confluence A point where two streams or rivers meet.
Groundwater When water goes into the ground (infiltration) and
flow flows through the rocks/soil underground. Mouth The point where the river meets the sea or ocean.

River A channel of water which flows downstream. LANDFORMS FORMED BY EROSION

Social uses of the river ▪ Supplying water to people’s homes: Water is taken from the Thames, cleaned and piped to millions of homes. Dirty WATERFALL A waterfall is a steep fall of water, where water flows over a ledge of hard rock.
water is collected from homes, cleaned and put back in rivers. 1. Waterfalls occur in areas where hard rock overlies soft rock.
▪ Leisure activities: Rowing, canoeing, swimming, picnics, walking. Over 250,000 fishing licenses are brought each year 2. The soft rock erodes more quickly than the hard rock, creating a plunge
to fish along the Thames and its tributaries. pool and overhanging ledge.
▪ Transporting people: The Thames River Boats transport thousands of people to work everyday. Tourists also enjoy 3. Further erosion of the soft rock, makes the plunge pool deeper and the
Thames cruises. overhanging ledge unstable. Eventually the ledge falls into the plunge pool.
4. As the steps 1-3 are repeated, the waterfall retreats upstream.
Economic uses of the ▪ Use in industries:Factories (e.g. the Ford Factory in east London) uses water for cooling and washing factory
river machinery.
GORGE A gorge is a narrow, steep sided valley that is found immediately downstream
▪ Transporting goods to other countries: London Gateway Port is located in East London. It is used for importing and
from a waterfall.
exporting goods.
▪ Producing electricity to sell. In power stations, steam drives turbines. River water is used to cool tanks of steam. For
It is formed by the gradual retreat of a waterfall over hundreds or thousands of
example in the power station beside the Thames at Didcot.
years.
▪ Agriculture (farming) A lot of the River Thames passes through rural areas and farmland. Farmers use the river water
to water their crops in dry weather (irrigation).

Erosion The wearing away or breakdown of rocks by wind, water or ice. LANDFORMS FORMED BY EROSION and DEPOSITION
Hydraulic Action The force of water hits against the river channel and removes material. It is common with fast moving, high energy
water. MEANDER A bend in the river.
1. It starts with a slight bend.
Abrasion Sediment carried by the river hits the river channel and removes material. 2. Water moves faster on the outside of the bend and slower on the inside.
3. The fast water erodes the outside of the bend. The slower water
Corrosion Chemicals in the water dissolve rocks (e.g. limestone) deposits material on the inside of the bend.
Attrition Stones carried by the river hit into each other, gradually making the rocks smaller and smoother. Rocks in the upper A 4. Continued erosion and deposition makes the bend bigger.
course are large and more angular than rocks in the lower course.

Transportation Eroded material is carried by the river downstream.

OX-BOW LAKE U-shaped lakes formed when a meander is no longer connected to a river
Traction Large particles roll along the river bed.
1. Further erosion and deposition make the meander bend larger and the
Saltation Pebble-sized particles bounce along the river bed. neck of the meander (A) narrows.
2. Eventually the neck breaks through and the water takes the most direct
Suspension Small particles (silt and clay) are carried in the water. route, avoiding the meander.
3. As less water is flowing through the meander, the energy is reduced =
Solution Soluble materials dissolve in the water and are carried along.
deposition. The meander is blocked off and an oxbow lake is created.
Deposition Deposition takes place where a river does not have enough energy to carry sediment (its load). As a result it is dropped.
 KS3 Geography Knowledge: Rivers
An OS map is a very detailed map. They are split up into squares, known as grid squares. RIVER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
ALWAYS send
➢ A 4 figure grid reference directs you to a certain grid square.
to the BOTTOM
➢ A 6 figure grid reference directs you to a certain point within a grid square. LEFT corner.
Embankment Raised river banks, built next to rivers. There are high embankments that run along
How to read grid references: remember the rule along the corridor, up the stairs. X Advantages
the River Thames in London.
They are very effective at preventing flooding. They are built from concrete, which
4 FIGURE GRID REFERENCES 6 FIGURE GRID REFERENCES means they are strong and long lasting.
___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ Disadvantages During storms, water can sometimes go over the embankments. They are
1.Draw a X in the bottom left 1.What is the grid square? 03,17 expensive and unnatural to look at.
corner of the grid square. 2.To work out the 3rd number you
2.Along the corridor – go along the state how many 10ths across the Flood Relief A additional manmade river channel is built to divert water away from high value
horizontal axis until you reach the campsite is in 03, 17 = 033, 17 _ Channel land. The Jubilee River channel was a flood relief channel to reduce the amount of
line that the X is on. 3.To work out the 6th number you water in the River Thames in Windsor and Eton (west London).
3.Up the stairs – go along the state how many 10ths up the grid
Advantages Advantages: the relief channels prevent the main river from overflowing its banks
vertical axis until you reach the square the campsite is = 033, 174
= it is very effective.
line that the X is on. 1 = 16,46. 4.Therefore the six figure grid
reference is 033, 174 Disadvantages Disadvantages: it causes disruption as it is being built and can be very expensive.

FLOODING OF THE RIVER THAMES IN 2014 Afforestation Trees are planted in the drainage basin.
The River Thames is located in south east England. It is the second longest river in the UK, running 346km from its source to mouth. In February (2014), the Advantages Trees intercept rainfall and take water out of the soil. This reduces the amount
River Thames flooded. A river flood occurs when water overflows the river channel and spreads across the surrounding land. reaching rivers. Wooded areas look attractive and provide wildlife habitats.
The worst hit areas were from Datchet to Shepperton, to the west of London. Disadvantages The land cannot be used for other activities, such as farming. It is less effective
CAUSES OF THE FLOOD than embankments and flood relief channels at reducing the risk of flooding.
Slope If there is a steep slope, water flows quickly into the river = floods. The tributaries for the Thames River are in the
Land Use The government allocates areas of land to different uses, according to their level
steepness Cotswolds hills which increases the speed the water reaches the river channel.
Zoning of flood risk. Land closest to the river, at high risk, is used as parkland/playing
Intense rain = flooding. Between December (2013) to February (2014), the UK experienced very wet weather. The south- fields. Land further from the river is used for housing and industry.
Precipitation
east of England experienced over 200mm of rain, more than double the average for these months.
Advantages It reduces the cost of future floods..
Impermeable rock = more surface run off = water quickly reaches river channel = flood. London is built over clay which is Disadvantages It does not prevent the flood from occurring. It also only applies to new housing
Rock Type
impermeable.
developments. Finally it can reduce the value of existing homes that are said to be
A growth of settlements = the creation of more concrete surfaces, which are impermeable = more surface runoff = more in a high risk area.
Settlements
flooding. London and the surrounding area is growing. In 2013, 36,000 new homes were built in London alone.
The leaves of trees intercept rainfall as it falls to the ground = water takes longer to reach the river. If trees are cut down, Preparation The Environment Agency and local government educate people how to protect
Deforestation themselves from future floods. Moving valuables upstairs, using flood gates and
water quickly reaches the river = flood. Trees along the River Thames have been cut down as settlements grow.
sandbags to keep floodwater away.
EFFECTS OF THE FLOOD
Advantages It reduces the cost of future floods as people are better able to protect
• More than 1000 homes flooded, with families moving into temporary housing. Many people did not return home for 6 months. themselves and their belongings.
• Homes lost water services due to contamination Disadvantages It does not prevent the flood from occurring. House prices drop if they are
Social impacts
• Homes in Datchet, Singleton and East Marden experienced powercuts. deemed at risk of flooding.
• Crime rates increased as people stole from the evacuated homes.
• The flood cost £500 million. THAMES This is a barrier in east London. It has a set of giant steel gates that are raised
Economic • Transport lines were flooded, preventing commuters getting to work. BARRIER when there is a risk of high water levels in the Thames. It prevents the addition of
impacts • Local businesses were flooded, affecting jobs and local economies. water from the North Sea during high tides.
• Floodwater covered agricultural fields and destroyed crops. These crops could then not be exported (sold).
Advantages It is extremely effective at reducing the risk of flooding in London,
Environmental
• Habitats were flooded, affecting wildlife. Disadvantages It cost £534 million!
impacts