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A-Level Geography Past Papers & Drilling (Paper 2): Population, Water and Cities
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL DRILLING MOCK · CAMBRIDGE A-LEVEL GEOGRAPHY (9696) PAPER 2 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Written to the 9696 syllabus (2027-2029): Paper 2 Human Geography, 60 marks in 1 h 30 min, Section A three structured questions of 15 marks and Section B one essay from a choice of three, 15 marks; 50% of the AS Level and 25% of the A Level. This drilling paper covers population and migration, then water resources with their management, and urban areas too, with invented data, worked answers and technique.
What is in Cambridge A-Level Geography (9696) Paper 2?
Direct answer: Paper 2 Human Geography has Section A with three structured questions worth 45 marks (15 each) and Section B with one essay from a choice of three worth 15 marks: 60 marks in 1 h 30 min, 50% of the AS Level and 25% of the A Level. The topics are population and migration, then water resources together with their management, and finally urban areas with their management.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Physical Geography) | Section A: three structured questions worth 45 marks (15 each); Section B: one essay from a choice of three, 15 marks | 60 · 50% AS / 25% A Level | 1 h 30 min |
| Paper 2 (Human Geography) | Section A: three structured questions worth 45 marks (15 each); Section B: one essay from a choice of three, 15 marks | 60 · 50% AS / 25% A Level | 1 h 30 min |
| Paper 3 (Global Environments, A Level) | two topics from four; each topic has one compulsory structured question of 10 marks and one essay from two, 20 marks | 60 · 25% A Level | 1 h 30 min |
| Paper 4 (Global Themes, A Level) | two topics from four; each topic has one compulsory structured question of 10 marks and one essay from two, 20 marks | 60 · 25% A Level | 1 h 30 min |
Paper 2 technique: 60 marks in 1 h 30 min is about 1.5 minutes per mark. For population, natural increase is births minus deaths, total growth adds net migration, and dependency ratios divide dependants by the working-age group; for water, compare availability per person with the 1700 m3 threshold and take the shortfall as a percentage of demand; for urban questions divide population by area for density and use the rule of 70 for doubling time.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original drilling mock: the questions follow the Cambridge 9696 Paper 2 structure (60 marks, 1 h 30 min, Section A three structured questions of 15 marks and Section B one essay of 15 marks) and the answers are our own, not Cambridge past papers or marking references.
The population, water and urban data were invented for drilling and are not official statistics for any real city or country; every numeric answer was recomputed programmatically.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Physical Geography) | 60 · 50% AS / 25% A Level | about 25 min per question | data questions first, essay last |
| Paper 2 (Human Geography) | 60 · 50% AS / 25% A Level | about 25 min per question | population and water figures first, essay last |
| Paper 3 (Global Environments, A Level) | 60 · 25% A Level | about 45 min per topic | structured question first, 25 min for the essay |
| Paper 4 (Global Themes, A Level) | 60 · 25% A Level | about 45 min per topic | data question first, 25 min for the essay |
How are dependency ratios and population growth calculated?
Direct answer: natural increase = births – deaths = 26,000 – 17,000 = 9,000; net migration = 22,000 – 9,000 = +13,000; total growth = 22,000, or 0.9%; young dependency = 441,000 / 1,739,500 x 100 = 25.4, old dependency 15.5 and total dependency 40.8.
Paper 2: Sections A and B (4 questions, 60 marks)
Section A questions 1-3 are structured questions of 15 marks each (population and migration, then water resources with their management, and urban areas as well); Section B question 4 is the 15-mark essay, which the official paper offers as a choice of three. Allow the full 1 h 30 min.
Question 1 (15 marks)
Section A, Question 1: Population and migration (15 marks)
Invented population data: mid-year population 2,450,000; births 26,000 and deaths 17,000 in the year; immigration 22,000 and emigration 9,000; ages 0-14 = 441,000, 15-64 = 1,739,500 and 65+ = 269,500.
(a) Calculate the natural increase and the natural increase rate per thousand. (5 marks)
(b) Calculate net migration and the total population growth rate. (4 marks)
(c) Calculate the young, old and total dependency ratios and state one policy implication. (6 marks)
Question 2 (15 marks)
Section A, Question 2: Water resources and management (15 marks)
Invented data: available water 2.7 km3 a year for a mid-year population of 2,450,000; demand 1300 million litres a day, supply 1150 million litres a day, of which 780 million litres is domestic.
(a) Calculate the annual availability per person and use the 1700 m3 water-stress threshold to judge the level of stress. (5 marks)
(b) Calculate the daily shortfall in million litres and as a percentage. (4 marks)
(c) Calculate the domestic share of supply and suggest two demand management measures. (6 marks)
Question 3 (15 marks)
Section A, Question 3: Urban areas and management (15 marks)
Invented data: urban population 2,160,000, built-up area 12,400 hectares of which 5,208 hectares is residential; population growing 2.0% a year; 1,200,000 trips a day, 45% of them by public transport.
(a) Calculate the population density per hectare. (3 marks)
(b) Calculate the residential share of the built-up area and estimate the doubling time with the rule of 70. (6 marks)
(c) Calculate the number of public transport trips and evaluate one urban management strategy. (6 marks)
Question 4 (15 marks)
Section B, Question 4: essay (15 marks)
Model essay title: “Evaluate the effectiveness of urban management strategies (land-use zoning and transit-oriented development) in reducing urban problems.”
Extension drills: population structure and water footprint (2 questions, not part of the 60 marks)
Two extension items cover population structure and per capita water use; allow 15 minutes.
Question 1 (5 marks)
Extension Question 1: reading population structure (5 marks, not part of the 60-mark paper)
In a city 18% of people are aged 0-14, 71% are 15-64 and 11% are 65 or over. Calculate the total dependency ratio and identify the population structure.
Question 2 (5 marks)
Extension Question 2: water footprint (5 marks, not part of the 60-mark paper)
A city of 2,450,000 people uses 150 litres per person per day. Calculate annual use in million m3 and compare it with available water of 2700 million m3 a year.
How is water stress judged?
Direct answer: availability per person = 2.7 x 10^9 / 2,450,000 = about 1102 m3, below the 1700 m3 threshold, so the area is water stressed; the shortfall is 1300 – 1150 = 150 million litres a day, or 11.5% of demand.
Paper 2 model answers
Question 1
(a) Natural increase = 26,000 – 17,000 = 9,000; rate = 9,000 / 2,450,000 x 1000 = about 3.7 per thousand. (5 marks)
(b) Net migration = 22,000 – 9,000 = +13,000; total growth = 9,000 + 13,000 = 22,000, a rate of 22,000 / 2,450,000 x 100 = about 0.9%. Migration accounts for roughly three-fifths of growth, so population policy has to address both fertility and immigration. (4 marks)
(c) Young dependency = 441,000 / 1,739,500 x 100 = about 25.4; old dependency = 269,500 / 1,739,500 x 100 = about 15.5; total = about 40.8. As old dependency rises, health and long-term care spending grows, so community care and retirement protection need to expand early. (6 marks)
Question 2
(a) Availability per person = 2.7 x 10^9 / 2,450,000 = about 1102 m3 per person per year, below the 1700 m3 threshold, so the area is water stressed. (5 marks)
(b) Shortfall = 1300 – 1150 = 150 million litres a day, which is 150 / 1300 x 100 = about 11.5% of demand. (4 marks)
(c) Domestic share = 780 / 1150 x 100 = about 67.8%. Demand measures: an increasing block tariff plus water audits so heavy users face the marginal cost, and a retrofit programme of efficient fittings, water-efficiency labelling and recycled water for flushing and irrigation, with smart meters to find leaks early. (6 marks)
Question 3
(a) Density = 2,160,000 / 12,400 = about 174 people per hectare. (3 marks)
(b) Residential share = 5,208 / 12,400 x 100 = 42.0%; with the rule of 70 the doubling time is 70 / 2.0 = about 35 years, so housing, water and transport demand all double within that period unless policy changes. (6 marks)
(c) Public transport trips = 1,200,000 x 45% = 540,000 a day. Evaluation: transit-oriented development that concentrates high-density housing within 500 m of rail stations can raise the public transport share and cut road demand, but it depends on affordable fares, feeder networks and where jobs are; housing without employment or services simply creates extra commuting. Zoning can separate polluting industry, yet rigid zoning pushes up house prices and lengthens journeys to work. (6 marks)
Question 4
Line of argument: both strategies relieve specific problems, but their success is limited by governance capacity, finance and affordability, so they must be paired with housing, employment and environmental policy.
(1) Land-use zoning: separating housing, industry and commerce cuts pollution and traffic conflict; in the example here residential land is 42.0% of the built-up area, and if housing is pushed outwards commuting distances and road demand rise, increasing carbon emissions.
(2) Transit-oriented development: public transport already carries 45% of 1,200,000 daily trips, that is 540,000 trips; concentrating density around stations raises this share and lowers road use per person.
(3) Limits: both tools can push up house prices, cause gentrification and break community networks, and with population growing 2.0% a year (a doubling time of about 35 years) spatial planning alone cannot meet housing demand.
(4) Evaluation: effectiveness depends on combining affordable housing, accessible jobs and public transport subsidy, and on monitoring density, modal share and journey times; a plan that ignores equity simply relocates the problem. (15 marks)
Extension answers
Question 1
Dependants = 18 + 11 = 29 and workers = 71, so the total dependency ratio is 29 / 71 x 100 = about 40.8. With young and old shares similar and a large working-age group this is a mature (contracting) structure, facing an ageing workforce and low birth rate at the same time.
Question 2
Annual use = 150 x 2,450,000 x 365 = 134,137,500,000 litres = about 134 million m3, roughly 5% of the 2700 million m3 available. Domestic use is a small share of total demand, so agriculture, industry and leakage matter more for savings.
How should the time be shared across the four questions?
Direct answer: 60 marks in 1 h 30 min: about 25 minutes for each Section A question, 15 minutes for the Section B essay and 5 minutes to check units and concluding sentences.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural increase rate as a percentage | Writing 0.37% for the per-thousand rate | The rate is per thousand | 3.7 per thousand |
| Total growth without migration | Leaving out net migration of 13,000 | Total growth = natural increase + net migration | 22,000 or 0.9% |
| Dependency ratio over total population | Using 2,450,000 as the denominator | The denominator is the working-age group, 1,739,500 | total dependency 40.8 |
| Water stress judged on supply alone | Reporting only the 1150 million litre supply | The shortfall percentage is taken against demand | 11.5% shortfall |
| Doubling time by multiplying the rate | Estimating 2.0 x 10 | Use the rule of 70, that is 70 / growth rate | 35 years |
How to use this paper
First drill: the four questions in 1 h 30 min, taking the three data questions in Section A first.
Mark it: check every ratio, percentage and unit, watching whether the denominator is demand or supply.
Second drill: redo three to seven days later, finishing inside 70 minutes with a full evaluation.
What should I do after drilling this paper?
Direct answer: log the questions where the denominator or the concluding sentence went wrong, redo the paper in three to seven days, then move on to Paper 3 Global Environments and Paper 4 Global Themes.
FAQ
Is this a Cambridge past paper?
No. This is not a Cambridge past paper: the questions, data and answers are TutorZone originals, not marking references.
What is in Cambridge A-Level Geography 9696 Paper 2?
Three structured human geography questions (population and migration, then water resources with their management, and finally urban areas) worth 45 marks plus a 15-mark essay, in 1 h 30 min, worth 50% of the AS Level and 25% of the A Level.
What format do data questions need?
Write the formula, substitute the values, give the unit and finish with a concluding sentence; an answer without method or unit loses marks even when the number is right.
How do I practise the essay evaluation?
State a line of argument in one sentence, support it with two or three data-based points, then compare the strategies and set out their limits instead of listing benefits only.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cambridge A-Level Geography 9696 syllabus (2027-2029) | Confirm the question count, marks, time and topic coverage of Paper 2 |
| Cambridge 9696 subject page with specimen papers | Download the official specimen papers to check the structure and command words |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-alevel-geography-9696-paper-1-mock-2027/ | A-Level Geography Paper 1 Physical Geography drilling mock |
Related: practice area · A-Level Geography 9696 drilling guide (paper order and pacing) · Paper 1 Physical Geography drilling mock · Paper 3 Global Environments drilling mock · Paper 4 Global Themes drilling mock
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