Geography

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

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:

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

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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;

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

5. understand field work techniques and the study of a local area in the field.

DETAILED SYLLABUS
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TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
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I. PRACTICAL GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:
A. Maps Ai. define and identify different types and uses
of maps
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B. Scale and measurement of distances, Bi. apply the different types of scale to
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areas reduction and enlargement, directions, distances and area measurement;

bearings and gradients with reference to ii. understand conversion of scales
topographical maps. iii. apply the knowledge of scale to gradients,
map reduction and enlargement;
iv. apply the knowledge of directions and
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bearings to geographical features.

C. Map reading and interpretation; drawing Ci. illustrate the relief of an area
of cross profiles, recognition of intervisibility, through profile drawing;
recognition and description of physical and ii. interpret physical and human features from
human features and relationship as depicted topographical maps.
on topographical maps.

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D. Interpretation of statistical data; maps and Di. Compute quantitative information from
diagrams statistical data, diagrams and maps,
ii. interpret statistical data, diagrams and maps.

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E. Elementary Surveying; chain and prismatic, Ei. analyse the principle and procedure of each
open and close traverse, procedure, problems, technique;
advantages and disadvantages. ii. compare the advantages and disadvantages of

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the two techniques.

F. Geographic Information System (GIS): Fi. understand GIS and its uses.
components, techniques, data ii. understand the basic concepts and

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sources, applications components;
iii. express locations through the use of
latitudes, longitudes, zipcodes etc;
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map digitizing, map scanning as sources of
data;
v. explain areas of use: Defense, Agriculture,
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Rural Development etc;
vi. identify problems with GIS in Nigeria.
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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
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i. The earth in the solar system, in the solar system;

rotation and revolution; ii. understand the effects of the rotation and
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;
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iv. differentiate between latitudes and

longitudes;
v. relate lines of latitude to calculation of
distance;
vi. relate lines of longitude to calculation of
time;

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B The Earth Crust Bi. compare the internal and external

i. The structure of the earth (internal components of the earth;
and external) Relationships among the ii. understand the existing relationship among
four spheres. atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere in
terms of energy balance and water cycle;

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ii. Rocks: Types, characteristics, modes of iii. differentiate between major types of rocks
formation and uses and their characteristics;
iii. Earth’s movement: Tectonic forces iv. analyse the processes of rock formation and

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iv. Major Landforms: Mountains, Plateau, the resultant features;
Plains, Coastal landforms, karst v. indicate the uses of rocks;
topography and desert landforms vi. differentiate between tensional and
compressional forces and the resultant

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landforms;
vii. identify and describe the major landforms;
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C. Volcanism and Earthquakes Ci. explain the processes of volcanic eruptions
i. Landforms associated with volcanic and earthquakes;
activities ii. describe the different landforms associated
ii. Landforms of Igneous Rocks with both volcanic eruptions and earthquakes;
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iii. Origin and types of Volcanoes iii. give examples of major volcanic eruptions
iv. Some volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. and earthquakes in the world.
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D. Denudation processes in the tropics Di. identify the agents of denudation (water,
i. Weathering wind and waves);
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ii. Erosion ii. identify the landforms associated with each

iii. Mass movement process and agent.
iv. Deposition

E. Water Bodies Ei. locate oceans and seas on the globe;

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i. Oceans and seas (world distribution, ii. examine the characteristics and uses of
salinity and uses) oceans and seas;
ii. Ocean currents: types, distribution, causes iii. classify the types of ocean currents;
and effects; iv. account for the distribution of ocean
iii. Lakes: types, distribution and uses. currents;
iv. Rivers: Action of running water. v. evaluate the causes and effects of ocean
currents;

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vi. identify the types and location of lakes;

vii. indicate the characteristics and uses of lakes;
viii. identify the landforms of the different stages
of a river course.

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F. Weather and Climate Fi. differentiate between weather and climate;
i. Concept of weather and climate ii. identify the elements of weather and climate;
ii. Elements of weather and climate iii. identify the factors controlling weather and

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iii. Factors controlling weather and climate climate;
(pressure, air mass, altitude, continentality iv. compare Koppen’s and Greek’s classifications;
and winds) v. identify the major types of climate according
iv. Classification of climate (Greek and Koppen). to Koppen;

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v. Major climate types (Koppen), their vii. relate the weather instruments to their uses;
characteristics and distribution. viii. define climate change;
vi. Measuring and recording weather ix. understand the causes of climate change;
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parameters and instruments used. x. understand the effects and remedies of
vii. The basic science of climate change. climate change.

G Vegetation
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i. Factors controlling growth of plants Gi. 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
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iii. Major types of vegetation, their development;

characteristics and distribution, iii. identify the types, their characteristics
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iv. Impact of human activities on vegetation. and distribution;

iv. assess the impact of human activities
on vegetation;
v. identify the importance of vegetation.
H Soil
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i. Definition and properties Hi. classify soils and their properties;

ii. Factors and processes of formation ii. identify the factors of formation;
iii. Soil profiles iii. differentiate between the different types
iv. Major tropical types, their of soil horizons and their characteristics;
characteristics, distribution and uses; iv. compare the major tropical soil types and
v. Impact of human activities on soils. uses of soils;
v. account for the distribution and uses ofsoils;

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vi. assess the impact of human activities

on soils.

I Environmental Resources;
Ii. interpret the concept of environmental
i. Types of resources (atmospheric, land,
resources;

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soil, vegetation and minerals)
ii. relate environmental resources to their
ii. The concept of renewable and non-renewable
uses;
resources;

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iii. differentiate between the concepts of
renewable and non-renewable resources.

J Environmental interaction:
Ji. identify the components of land
i. Land ecosystem

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ecosystem;
ii. Environmental balance and human
ii. establish the interrelationship within the
interaction
ecosystem;
iii. Effects of human activities on land
ecosystem
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balance;
iv. analyse the effects of human activities on
land ecosystem.
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K Environmental hazards:
Ki. identify the natural hazards and their causes;
i. Natural hazards (droughts, earthquakes,
ii. relate the human-induced hazards to their
volcanic eruptions, flooding)
causes;
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ii. Man-induced (soil erosion, deforestation,

iii. locate the major areas where environmental
pollution, flooding and desertification)
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hazards are common and their effects;

iv. recommend possible methods of
prevention and control.

L Environmental Conservation:
Li. explain with examples environmental
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conservation;
ii. identify the resources for conservation;
iii. discuss the different methods of
environmental conservation;
iv. explain the need/importance of
environmental conservation.

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III. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:

A. Population Ai. define different concepts of population;
i. World population with particular ii. identify the characteristics of
reference to the Amazon Basin, N.E. population (growth rates and structure);
U.S.A., India, Japan and the West Coast iii. determine the factors and the patterns of

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of Southern Africa. population distribution;
ii. Characteristics – birth and death rates, iv. identify the factors and problems of
ages/sex structure. population growth;

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iii. Factors and patterns of population v. relate the types of migration to their
distribution; causes and effects;
iv. Factors and problems of population vi. account for the ways population constitute
growth. a resource.

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Settlement with particular reference to Bi. differentiate between types of
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Western Europe, the USA, Middle East settlements; (rural and urban);
and West 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
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ii. Rural settlement: classification, factors of urban settlements;
growth and functions; iv. identify the factors of settlement location
iii. Urban settlement – classification, v. identify the problems of urban centres;
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factors of growth and functions. vi. establish the interrelationship between rural
iv. Problems of urban centres and urban settlements.
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v. Interrelationship between rural and

urban settlements.

C Selected economic activities

i. Types of economic activities: primary, Ci. identify the types of economic activities;
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secondary, tertiary and quartnary; ii. differentiate between the types of

ii. Agriculture: types, system, factors and economic activities;
problems iii. assess the importance and problems of
iii. Manufacturing industries, types, agriculture as an economic activity;
locational factors, distribution and iv. compare the types of manufacturing
socio-economic importance and problems industries;
of industrialization in tropical Africa. v. identify the factors of industrial location;

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iv. Transportation and Communication types, vi. examine the socio-economic importance
roles in economic development and of manufacturing industries;
communication in tropical Africa. vii. give reasons for the problems of
v. World trade:-factors and pattern of industrialization in tropical Africa;
world trade, major commodities (origin, viii differentiate between the modes of

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routes and destinations). transportation and communication;
vi. Tourism: definition, importance, ix. assess the economic importance of
location, problems and solutions. transportation;

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x. give reasons for the problems of
transportation in tropical Africa;
xi. relate the factors to the pattern of world trade;
xii. classify the major commodities of trade in

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terms of their origins, routes and destination;
xiii. analyse tourism as an economic activity;
xiv. identify the problems of tourism and their
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IV. REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY Candidates should be able to:

A Broad outline of Nigeria Ai. describe the location, size and political
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i. Location, position, size, political division divisions of Nigeria;
(states) and peoples; ii. identify the boundaries and neighbours of
ii. Physical setting: geology, relief, Nigeria;
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landform, climate and drainage, iii. identify the ethnic groups and their
vegetation and soils; distributions;
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iii. Population: size, distribution, migration, iv. relate the components of physical settings to
(types, problems and effects); their effects on human activities;
iv. Natural resources: types (minerals, soils, v. account for the pattern of population
water, vegetation, etc.) distribution, uses distribution;
and conservation. vi. examine the types of migration, their
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problems and effects;

vii. identify the types of natural resources
and their distribution;
viii. indicate the uses and conservation of natural
resources.

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B. Economic and Human Geography: Bi. compare the farming systems practised in
i. Agricultural Systems: the major crops Nigeria;
produced, problems of agricultural ii. identify the crops produced and the problems
development in Nigeria. encountered;
ii. Manufacturing Industries: factors of iii. identify the types and location of the major

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location, types of products, marketing manufacturing industries;
and problems associated with iv. determine the factors of industrial location and
manufacturing; the problems associated with the industries;

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iii. Transportation and Communication: v. establish the relationship between transport
modes of transportation and and communication;
communication and their relative vi. relate the modes of transportation and
advantages and disadvantages; communication to their relative advantages

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iv. Trade: Regional and International and disadvantages;
Trade, advantages and disadvantages; vii. classify the major commodities of
v. Tourism: definition, importance, regional and international trade;
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problems and solutions. viii. identify the importance of tourism and
tourist centres;
ix. account for the problems of tourism and
their solutions.
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Ci. State the meaning, purpose and objectives;
C. ECOWAS ii. identify and locate the member countries;
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i. Meaning and objectives iii. understand the purpose/mandate of the

ii. Member states organization;
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iii. Advantages and disadvantages iv. evaluate the prospects and problems of the
iv. Problems and solutions. organization.
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RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Adeleke, B.O. Areola .O. 2002 and Leong, G.C.Certificate Physical and Human Geographyfor Senior Secondary
School(West African Edition), Ibadan: Oxford.

Balogun, O.Y. (2009) Senior Secondary Atlas, Nigeria: Longman, Nigeria.

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Bradshaw, M. et al (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.

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Collins New Secondary Atlas, Macmillan.

Emiela, S.A. (2014) Senior Secondary Geography (New Syllabus Edition), Geographical Bureau Nig. Ltd.

Fellman, D. et al (2005) Introduction to Geography (Seventh Edition) New York: McGraw Hill.

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Getis, A. et al (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.
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Iwena, O.A. (2018) Essential Geography for Senior Secondary Schools. Ibafo, Nigeria: Tonad Publishers Limited.

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

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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.

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Wisdomline Pass at Once JAMB.

Adegoke, M.A (2013),A Comprehensive Text on Physical, Human and Regional Geography.
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