Case studies - iGCSE Geography

• Settlement and Service Provision


  An area and its population, services, and infrastructure
• Lozere


  • Location: South-East of France
  • Population: 73,000,2011
• Leicestershire


  • Location: East Midlands, bordered by Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire
  • Population:698268
• An Urban Area


  A densely populated city or town
• London


  • Location: London, the capital city of the United Kingdom, is located in the southeastern part of England. It is situated along the River Thames, which has historically been a significant factor in the city's growth and development.
  • Population: London is one of the most populous cities in Europe, with a population of over 8.9 million people (as of 2021). This population is diverse, representing a blend of cultures and ethnicities from around the world.
• Urban Sprawl


  The outward expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural or undeveloped land
• Between 2000 and 2013, London experienced significant urban sprawl, with approximately 9,911 hectares (97.9 square kilometers) of built-up area added to its urban extent.
• Problems Created by Urban Sprawl

  • Air and Noise Pollution
  • Deprivation and Inequality
  • Dereliction
  • Building on Greenfield Sites
  • Traffic and Congestion
• Solutions


  • Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ)
  • Improving Public Transport and Cycle Schemes
  • Brownfield Redevelopment
  • Green Infrastructure and Open Spaces
  • Community Engagement and Sustainable Urban Planning
• Rocinha


  A rapidly growing urban area in a developing country and migration to it
• Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


  • Location: Rocinha is located in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, nestled between the neighborhoods of São Conrado and Gávea. It is situated on a steep hillside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, making it one of the largest favelas (informal settlements) in Rio de Janeiro.
  • Population: Rocinha has experienced rapid population growth over the years. Estimates vary, but it is believed to be home to anywhere between 70,000 to 100,000 residents, making it a densely populated area within Rio de Janeiro.
• Causes of urban sprawl in Rocinha

  • High rural to urban migration
  • Economic Opportunities
  • Social Factors
  • Landlessness
  • Natural Disasters
• Problems caused by urban sprawl in Rocinha

  • Health problems
  • High unemployment
  • Poor education
  • Expensive land value
  • Poor transport links
• Solutions to urban sprawl in Rocinha

  • Self-help housing
  • Barra de Tijuca
  • Improving access to services
  • Increasing wealth and services
  • Forced evictions from squatter settlements
  • Counter-urbanisation
  • Rural development
• Earthquake


  A sudden and violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action.
• Japan Earthquake


  • Location: The earthquake occurred off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, Japan, with the epicenter located approximately 70 kilometers east-southeast of Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi.
  • Magnitude: The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale, making it one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Japan and one of the five strongest earthquakes worldwide since modern record-keeping began.
  • Date: March 11, 2011
  • Time: The earthquake struck at 2:46 PM local time.
  • Epicentre: The epicenter was located at approximately 38.297°N latitude and 142.372°E longitude, about 70 kilometers east-southeast of Sendai.
  • Deaths: The earthquake and subsequent tsunami led to significant loss of life, with approximately 15,896 confirmed deaths and thousands more injured or missing.
• Cause of the Japan Earthquake

  • Subduction Zone Activity
  • Tectonic Movement
  • Seismic Energy Release
  • Tsunami Generation
• Impacts of the Japan Earthquake

  • Social
  • Economic
  • Environmental
• Short-term Responses to the Japan Earthquake

  • Emergency Response and Rescue Operations
  • Evacuation and Sheltering
  • International Assistance
• Long-term Responses to the Japan Earthquake

  • Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development
  • Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction
  • Environmental Remediation
  • Community Resilience and Mental Health Support
• Volcano


  A rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
• Eyjafjallajökull Volcano


  • Location: The Eyjafjallajökull volcano is located in Iceland, situated beneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in the southern part of the country.
  • Type of Volcano: Eyjafjallajökull is a stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, characterized by steep-sided cones formed from layers of volcanic ash, lava, and other volcanic materials.
  • Dates: The Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption began on March 20, 2010, and continued with varying intensity until May 23, 2010.
  • Eruptions: The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull consisted of both explosive and effusive phases, with the initial phase producing explosive eruptions and significant ash plumes, followed by a more effusive phase characterized by lava flows.
• Causes of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Eruption

  • Interaction of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates beneath Iceland
  • Magma from the mantle rising to the surface
• Short-term Effects of the Eyjafjallajökull Eruption

  • Ash Plumes and Air Travel Disruption
  • Local Impacts
  • Glacial Meltwater Flooding (Jökulhlaups)
  • Environmental Impact
• Long-term Effects of the Eyjafjallajökull Eruption

  • Ash Deposition and Soil Fertility
  • Glacier Retreat and Landscape Changes
  • Tourism and Economic Impact
• Responses to the Eyjafjallajökull Eruption

  • Monitoring and Warning Systems
  • Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation Plans
  • Research and Study
  • Infrastructure Resilience
• River Tees


  A river located in Northern England, flowing through the counties of Durham and North Yorkshire
• Uses of the River Tees


  • Water Supply
  • Navigation
  • Recreation
  • Hydropower
• Landforms in the Upper Course of the River Tees

  • V-shaped valleys
  • Interlocking spurs
  • Waterfalls such as High Force
• Processes in the Upper Course of the River Tees

  • Erosional processes including hydraulic action, abrasion, and attrition
• Landforms in the Middle Course of the River Tees


  • Meanders
  • River cliffs
  • Slip-off slopes
• Processes in the Middle Course of the River Tees

  • Erosion and deposition
• Landforms in the Lower Course of the River Tees

  • Estuary
  • Mudflats
  • Salt marshes
  • Sand dunes
  • Floodplains
  • Ox-bow lakes
• Processes in the Lower Course of the River Tees

  • Deposition
• Hazards of the River Tees

  • Floods
  • Erosion
  • Pollution
• Opportunities of the River Tees


  • River fishing for trout, chub and bream
• Flood Management Strategies for the River Tees

  • Floodplain Management
  • Flood Defenses
  • Natural Flood Management
• Transnational Corporation


  A large company that operates in multiple countries, with production and sales facilities in different parts of the world
• Transnational Corporation


  • Operates in multiple countries
  • Has production and sales facilities in different parts of the world
• Transnational corporations are large companies that operate in multiple countries