tsunami case study a level geography

• 0 Shopping Cart £ 0.00 -->

2018 Sulawesi, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Case Study

What caused the Sulawesi, Indonesian earthquake and what were the effects?

On Friday 28th September 2018 a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Palu, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, just before dusk wreaking havoc and destruction across the city and triggering a deadly tsunami on its coast. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit only six miles from the country’s coast.

A map to show the location of Palu

The shallow tremor was more powerful than a series of earthquakes that killed hundreds on the Indonesian island of Lombok this July and August.

Palu is located on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, 1,650 kilometres northeast of Jakarta, at the mouth of the Palu River. It is the capital of the province of Central Sulawesi, situated on a long, narrow bay .

A satellite image to show the location of Palu – Source Google Earth

The coastal city of Palu is home to 350,000 people.

Small foreshocks had been happening throughout 28th September in Palu. However, in the early evening, the Palu-Koru fault suddenly slipped, a short distance offshore and only 10km (6 miles) below the surface. This generated the 7.5 magnitude earthquake.

The impact of the earthquake was magnified because of the thick layers of sediment on which the city lies. Whereas bedrock shakes in an earthquake, sediment moves a lot more, behaving like a liquid. Poorly constructed houses cannot withstand movement of this magnitude.

Scientists don’t pay much attention to the Palu-Koru fault line, as far as tsunamis are concerned.  This is because the two plates are moving past each other, not with the vertical thrust required to form a tsunami.

Scientists are still trying to work out what happened to cause the tsunami. It is possible that the earthquake caused an underwater landslide which disturbed the water or there could be inaccuracies in the identification of the type of fault.

Once the wave started moving, Palu, at the end of a narrow 10km-long bay, was a sitting duck.

Tsunamis are no danger when out at sea. But when the waves come closer to land, their base drags on the seabed causing them to rise up.

Primary Effects

The quake destroyed thousands of homes in the city, as well as an eight-storey hotel, hospital and a large department store.

More before/after comparisons from around the #PaluTsunami and #PaluEarthquake captured by @planetlabs . Included rough lat/long. Keep an eye on https://t.co/Kz73HlYmGF as they often post the sat. imagery for responders, relief agencies et al. pic.twitter.com/1Vreovjt9b — Murray Ford (@mfordNZ) October 1, 2018

At least 2256 people have been confirmed dead, with more than 10,679 injured and 1075 missing.  200,000 people were in urgent need of assistance, about a quarter of them children.

The earthquake caused widespread liquefaction , which is when soil and groundwater mix. The ground becomes very soft, similar to quicksand. It causes foundations of buildings and other structures to sink into the ground.

In the case of Palu, buildings not only collapsed but some were moved by the liquefaction. This is why it is better to build on bedrock rather than on top of the soil.

The control tower and runway at Palu’s airport also sustained damage. Commercial flights were cancelled with only humanitarian and search and rescue flights permitted.

Secondary Effects

The earthquake triggered a tsunami reaching 6 metres in height. As the tsunami approached the coast it was reported to be travelling 250mph. The damage was as extensive: the main highway was cut off by a landslide and a large bridge washed away by the tsunami wave, which hit Palu’s Talise beach and the coastal town of Donggala.

Landslides, downed communications networks and collapsed bridges have made it hard for aid workers and rescuers to reach rural areas.

Due to hospitals being damaged, people received medical treatment in the open.

Strong aftershocks hit the island the day after the earthquake.

Immediate (Short Term) Response

A tsunami warning was issued by Indonesia’s geophysics agency (BMKG) when the earthquake was detected. However, the agency lifted the warning 34 minutes after it was first issued. The closest tidal sensor to Palu is around 200km (125 miles) away. The decision to lift the tsunami warning was based on this data.

Search and rescue teams were deployed to the worst-affected areas. Around 700 army and police officers were dispatched to assist in the emergency response.

The military sent cargo planes with aid from Jakarta and other cities. However, this was slow to arrive.

A large number of charities set up appeals to raise funds to support people in the affected area. Buckingham Palace reported that the Queen had made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for survivors, which raised £6m in a day when it was launched.

The RAF delivered thousands of shelter kits, solar lanterns and water purifiers to the disaster zone in addition to trucks and power generators to help get them to where they are needed.

At least 70,000 people gathered in evacuation sites across the island.

Long-term Response

Further reading.

Indonesia tsunami: UK charities launch a joint appeal – BBC News

Premium Resources

Please support internet geography.

If you've found the resources on this page useful please consider making a secure donation via PayPal to support the development of the site. The site is self-funded and your support is really appreciated.

Related Topics

Use the images below to explore related GeoTopics.

Lombok Indonesia Earthquake 2018 Case Study

Topic home, 2010 chile earthquake, share this:.

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

If you've found the resources on this site useful please consider making a secure donation via PayPal to support the development of the site. The site is self-funded and your support is really appreciated.

Search Internet Geography

Latest Blog Entries

Pin It on Pinterest

• Click to share
• Print Friendly

Case Study: How does Japan live with earthquakes?

Japan lies within one of the most tectonically active zones in the world. It experiences over 400 earthquakes every day. The majority of these are not felt by humans and are only detected by instruments. Japan has been hit by a number of high-intensity earthquakes in the past. Since 2000 there are have been 16000 fatalities as the result of tectonic activity.

Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the North American, Pacific, Eurasian and Philippine plates come together. Northern Japan is on top of the western tip of the North American plate. Southern Japan sits mostly above the Eurasian plate. This leads to the formation of volcanoes such as Mount Unzen and Mount Fuji. Movements along these plate boundaries also present the risk of tsunamis to the island nation. The Pacific Coastal zone, on the east coast of Japan, is particularly vulnerable as it is very densely populated.

The 2011 Japan Earthquake: Tōhoku

Japan experienced one of its largest seismic events on March 11 2011. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred 70km off the coast of the northern island of Honshu where the Pacific and North American plate meet. It is the largest recorded earthquake to hit Japan and is in the top five in the world since records began in 1900. The earthquake lasted for six minutes.

A map to show the location of the 2011 Japan Earthquake

The earthquake had a significant impact on the area. The force of the megathrust earthquake caused the island of Honshu to move east 2.4m. Parts of the Japanese coastline dr[[ed by 60cm. The seabed close to the focus of the earthquake rose by 7m and moved westwards between 40-50m. In addition to this, the earthquake shifted the Earth 10-15cm on its axis.

The earthquake triggered a tsunami which reached heights of 40m when it reached the coast. The tsunami wave reached 10km inland in some places.

What were the social impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

The tsunami in 2011 claimed the lives of 15,853 people and injured 6023. The majority of the victims were over the age of 60 (66%). 90% of the deaths was caused by drowning. The remaining 10% died as the result of being crushed in buildings or being burnt. 3282 people were reported missing, presumed dead.

Disposing of dead bodies proved to be very challenging because of the destruction to crematoriums, morgues and the power infrastructure. As the result of this many bodies were buried in mass graves to reduce the risk of disease spreading.

Many people were displaced as the result of the tsunami. According to Save the Children 100,000 children were separated from their families. The main reason for this was that children were at school when the earthquake struck. In one elementary school, 74 of 108 students and 10 out of 13 staff lost their lives.

More than 333000 people had to live in temporary accommodation. National Police Agency of Japan figures shows almost 300,000 buildings were destroyed and a further one million damaged, either by the quake, tsunami or resulting fires. Almost 4,000 roads, 78 bridges and 29 railways were also affected. Reconstruction is still taking place today. Some communities have had to be relocated from their original settlements.

What were the economic impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

The estimated cost of the earthquake, including reconstruction, is £181 billion. Japanese authorities estimate 25 million tonnes of debris were generated in the three worst-affected prefectures (counties). This is significantly more than the amount of debris created during the 2010 Haiti earthquake. 47,700 buildings were destroyed and 143,300 were damaged. 230,000 vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Four ports were destroyed and a further 11 were affected in the northeast of Japan.

There was a significant impact on power supplies in Japan. 4.4 million households and businesses lost electricity. 11 nuclear reactors were shut down when the earthquake occurred. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was decommissioned because all six of its reactors were severely damaged. Seawater disabled the plant’s cooling systems which caused the reactor cores to meltdown, leading to the release of radioactivity. Radioactive material continues to be released by the plant and vegetation and soil within the 30km evacuation zone is contaminated. Power cuts continued for several weeks after the earthquake and tsunami. Often, these lasted between 3-4 hours at a time. The earthquake also had a negative impact on the oil industry as two refineries were set on fire during the earthquake.

Transport was also negatively affected by the earthquake. Twenty-three train stations were swept away and others experienced damage. Many road bridges were damaged or destroyed.

Agriculture was affected as salt water contaminated soil and made it impossible to grow crops.

The stock market crashed and had a negative impact on companies such as Sony and Toyota as the cost of the earthquake was realised.  Production was reduced due to power cuts and assembly of goods, such as cars overseas, were affected by the disruption in the supply of parts from Japan.

What were the political impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

Government debt was increased when it injects billions of yen into the economy. This was at a time when the government were attempting to reduce the national debt.

Several years before the disaster warnings had been made about the poor defences that existed at nuclear power plants in the event of a tsunami. A number of executives at the Fukushima power plant resigned in the aftermath of the disaster. A movement against nuclear power, which Japan heavily relies on, developed following the tsunami.

The disaster at Fukushima added political weight in European countries were anti-nuclear bodies used the event to reinforce their arguments against nuclear power.

Privacy Overview

Pin it on pinterest.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Environmental hazards Case study: Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004

Understanding why natural hazards occur can help countries to manage or prevent their consequences. Case studies illustrate the impact of natural hazards in the short and long term.

Part of Geography Global issues

Case study: Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004

Indian ocean tsunami 2004.

A very common case study for earthquakes is the South-East Asian tsunami of 2004. Other case studies include Mexico 1985, San Francisco 1989, Kobe 1995 and Pakistan 2005.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

The causes and effects of the 2004 Asian tsunami

The underlying causes

On 26 December 2004 there was a massive and sudden movement of the Earth’s crust under the Indian Ocean. This earthquake was recorded at magnitude close magnitude The size or severity of something. For example, an earthquake. 9 on the Richter Scale close Richter scale The measure by which the strength of earthquakes is determined. and as it happened under the ocean, caused a devastating sea wave called a tsunami.

The epicentre close epicentre The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. of the earthquake occurred 200 kilometres west of the island of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The earthquake itself was caused by the subduction close subduction When one crustal plate is forced beneath the other. of the Indo-Australian plate under the Eurasian plate.

As the Indian plate (part of the Indo-Australian plate) moved underneath the Burma plate (part of the Eurasian plate) the crustal rocks stuck as they moved past one another. At 08:00 local time, the pressure build up was too great and the crustal rocks snapped, causing an earthquake.

When this happened the sea floor close sea floor The bottom of the ocean. was pushed upwards displacing a huge volume of water and creating the devastating tsunami waves.

Impact on landscape and population

• Some smaller islands in the Indian Ocean were completely destroyed.
• Coastal buildings were completely destroyed making people homeless.
• Fishing villages close fishing villages A small settlement where the main activity is catching fish. were completely destroyed.
• Lines of communication close lines of communication This refers to telephone cables and electricity power lines as well as roads and railways. , including phone lines, were cut off.
• Electricity power lines were cut off.
• Roads and railways were destroyed.
• Fires broke out due to severed water pipes.
• Approximately 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed, including many tourists close tourist Someone who travels for recreation or business purposes. on the beaches of Thailand.
• There was an outbreak of diseases such as cholera due to a lack of fresh water supplies.
• There was a lack of food as many fish died and farms were destroyed.
• Thousands of people were made homeless.
• Thousands of people lost their jobs as tourist hotels in Thailand were destroyed and fishing vessels were washed ashore.

More guides on this topic

• Climate change
• Natural regions
• Trade and globalisation
• Global tourism
• Video playlist

Related links

• BBC Weather
• BBC News: Science, Environment
• BBC Two: Landward
• SQA National 5 Geography
• Planet Diary
• Scotland's Environment
• Royal Geographical Society

• Population Change
• The Demographic Transition Model
• Population Pyramids
• China's One Child Policy - Case Study
• Kerala, India - Case Study
• Le Code de la Famille - Case Study
• Kindertransport - Case Study
• Quiz - Population Change
• Ways of Dividing up the World
• Measuring Development
• Hurricane Ivan - Case Study
• Cahora Bassa Dam - Case Study
• Bulgaria and Ireland - Case Study
• Quiz - The Development Gap
• Reasons for Tourism's Growth
• Ayia Napa - Case Study
• Importance of Tourism
• Tourism in the UK
• Blackpool - Case Study
• The Lake District - Case Study
• Antarctica - Case Study
• Cotton Tree Lodge - Case Study
• Quiz - Tourism
• Food Chains and Webs
• Biomes and Climates
• Climate and Location
• Stratification
• Adaptations
• Epping Forest (Case Study)
• Location and Climate
• Malaysia (Case Study)
• The Thar Desert (Case Study)
• The Sonoran Desert (Case Study)
• Quiz - Living World
• Land Processes that Shape the Coastline
• Marine Processes that Shape the Coastline
• Barton-on-Sea - Case Study
• Landforms from Deposition
• Maldives Case Study
• Minehead - Case Study
• Studland Bay - Case Study
• Keyhaven Marshes - Case Study
• Quiz - Coastal Zone
• The Structure of the Earth
• Plate Margins
• The Andes - Case Study
• Ocean Trenches
• Sichuan Earthquake - LEDC Case Study
• Kobe Earthquake - MEDC Case Study
• Prediction. Protection and Preparation
• Mount St Helens - Case Study
• Monitoring Volcanoes
• The Yellowstone Supervolcano - Case Study
• Indian Ocean Tsunami - Case Study
• Quiz - Restless Earth

The Indian Ocean Tsunami, ​December 26th 2004 ​Case Study

How it was caused.

• The Indo-Australian Plate slid below the Eurasian Plate.
• According to the US Geological Survey it measured 9.1 on the Richter Scale. 

Effects of the Tsunami

• Estimates suggested more than 220,000 people died, 650,000 were seriously injured and up to 2 million made homeless.
• Public buildings including schools and hospitals were wiped out in some areas.
• Many people posted photos in affected areas in vain hope that a loved one had survived.
• Emergency teams and rescue services were swamped by the scale of the disaster.
• Injured people were left untreated for days as wounds turned gangrenous and conditions worsened.
• Bodies littered the streets before being buried in mass graves.
• Wide stretch of eastern and southern coastline devastated by massive waves.
• Districts of Mutur and Trincomalee inundated by waves as high as 6m.
• Port of the capital, Colombo shut by flash floods.
• High waves and floods inundate islands.
• Two-third of low-lying capital, Male, under water. 
• Province of Aceh on northern tip of Sumatra island badly hit, including provincial capital Banda Aceh, where 1,500 settlements were believed to have been wiped out.
• Dozens of buildings destroyed in the initial earthquake before flood waters washed over the region.
• People reported to have been swept away from beaches near the northern city of Penang.
• Western coast of southern Thailand badly affected included Phuket and Phi Phi island.
• Large areas of eastern coast swamped by waves.
• Deaths reported in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kerala State.

Immediate Responses

• Fresh water, water purification tablets, food, sheeting and tents poured in aid.
• Medical teams and forensic scientists arrived.
• The UK government promised £75 million and public donations of £100 million followed.

Long-Term Responses

• A year later £372 million had been donated by the British public, but only £128 million had been spent by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) - there were organisational issues following the collection of such a large sum of money.
• Rebuilding is progressing, and the DEC has spent more than £40 million on projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and plans were made to spend a further £190 million the following year building 20,000 houses.
• The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System was set up in June 2006, as before there had been no early-warning system.
• Ensuring people know how to respond, and that local authorities have plans in place are essential to its success.  

Case Study: Japan 2010 Tsunami

Impacts of the japan earthquake in 2011.

Japan is a developed country in east Asia. Japan's geography is dominated by islands. The country is a high-risk area for tectonic hazards.

What caused the 2011 Japan tsunami?

• There was an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 in northeast Japan on the 11th March 2011.
• The earthquake is known as the Tohoku earthquake.

Primary impacts

• 1 million buildings were damaged and over 120,000 buildings were completely destroyed.
• Many buildings sunk into the ground because of liquefaction, which is when waterlogged soil acts like a liquid.

Secondary impacts

• The tsunami that was caused by the earthquake caused thousands of deaths (it is hard to know how many people died in the earthquake or the tsunami and lots of people are still missing).
• More than 150,000 people became homeless and in 2017, 6 years on, 50,000 people still had no homes.
• The tsunami damaged the Fukushima nuclear power station. Electricity could no longer reach Fukushima and there was a nuclear meltdown at the plant, releasing toxic nuclear waste into the local area.
• Railways lines were destroyed by the tsunami.

Long-term impact and response

• Economists estimate that the total damage done by the earthquake and tsunami is $200 bn. This is the largest amount of damage caused by any natural disaster ever.
• Japan was a high income country and had a new tsunami warning system. But, studies suggest that only 58% paid any attention to the tsunami warning.
• In the 12 months after the Tohoku earthquake, there were 5,000 aftershocks in Japan.

1 Geography Skills

1.1 Mapping

1.1.1 Map Making

1.1.2 OS Maps

1.1.3 Grid References

1.1.4 Contour Lines

1.1.5 Symbols, Scale and Distance

1.1.6 Directions on Maps

1.1.7 Describing Routes

1.1.8 Map Projections

1.1.9 Aerial & Satellite Images

1.1.10 Using Maps to Make Decisions

1.2 Geographical Information Systems

1.2.1 Geographical Information Systems

1.2.2 How do Geographical Information Systems Work?

1.2.3 Using Geographical Information Systems

1.2.4 End of Topic Test - Geography Skills

2 Geology of the UK

2.1 The UK's Rocks

2.1.1 The UK's Main Rock Types

2.1.2 The UK's Landscape

2.1.3 Using Rocks

2.1.4 Weathering

2.2 Case Study: The Peak District

2.2.1 The Peak District

2.2.2 Limestone Landforms

2.2.3 Quarrying

3 Geography of the World

3.1 Geography of America & Europe

3.1.1 North America

3.1.2 South America

3.1.3 Europe

3.1.4 The European Union

3.1.5 The Continents

3.1.6 The Oceans

3.1.7 Longitude

3.1.8 Latitude

3.1.9 End of Topic Test - Geography of the World

4 Development

4.1 Development

4.1.1 Classifying Development

4.1.3 Evaluation of GDP

4.1.4 The Human Development Index

4.1.5 Population Structure

4.1.6 Developing Countries

4.1.7 Emerging Countries

4.1.8 Developed Countries

4.1.9 Comparing Development

4.2 Uneven Development

4.2.1 Consequences of Uneven Development

4.2.2 Physical Factors Affecting Development

4.2.3 Historic Factors Affecting Development

4.2.4 Human & Social Factors Affecting Development

4.2.5 Breaking Out of the Poverty Cycle

4.3 Case Study: Democratic Republic of Congo

4.3.1 The DRC: An Overview

4.3.2 Political & Social Factors Affecting Development

4.3.3 Environmental Factors Affecting the DRC

4.3.4 The DRC: Aid

4.3.5 The Pros & Cons of Aid in DRC

4.3.6 Top-Down vs Bottom-Up in DRC

4.3.7 The DRC: Comparison with the UK

4.3.8 The DRC: Against Malaria Foundation

4.4 Case Study: Nigeria

4.4.1 The Importance & Development of Nigeria

4.4.2 Nigeria's Relationships with the Rest of the World

4.4.3 Urban Growth in Lagos

4.4.4 Population Growth in Lagos

4.4.5 Factors influencing Nigeria's Growth

4.4.6 Nigeria: Comparison with the UK

5 Weather & Climate

5.1 Weather

5.1.1 Weather & Climate

5.1.2 Components of Weather

5.1.3 Temperature

5.1.4 Sunshine, Humidity & Air Pressure

5.1.5 Cloud Cover

5.1.6 Precipitation

5.1.7 Convectional Precipitation

5.1.8 Frontal Precipitation

5.1.9 Relief or Orographic Precipitation

5.1.10 Wind

5.1.11 Extreme Wind

5.1.12 Recording the Weather

5.1.13 Extreme Weather

5.2 Climate

5.2.1 Climate of the British Isles

5.2.2 Comparing Weather & Climate London

5.2.3 Climate of the Tropical Rainforest

5.2.4 End of Topic Test - Weather & Climate

5.3 Tropical Storms

5.3.1 Formation of Tropical Storms

5.3.2 Features of Tropical Storms

5.3.3 The Structure of Tropical Storms

5.3.4 Tropical Storms Case Study: Katrina Effects

5.3.5 Tropical Storms Case Study: Katrina Responses

6 The World of Work

6.1 Tourism

6.1.1 Landscapes

6.1.2 The Growth of Tourism

6.1.3 Benefits of Tourism

6.1.4 Economic Costs of Tourism

6.1.5 Social, Cultural & Environmental Costs of Tourism

6.1.6 Tourism Case Study: Blackpool

6.1.7 Ecotourism

6.1.8 Tourism Case Study: Kenya

7 Natural Resources

7.1.1 What are Rocks?

7.1.2 Types of Rock

7.1.4 The Rock Cycle - Weathering

7.1.5 The Rock Cycle - Erosion

7.1.6 What is Soil?

7.1.7 Soil Profiles

7.1.8 Water

7.1.9 Global Water Demand

7.2 Fossil Fuels

7.2.1 Introduction to Fossil Fuels

7.2.2 Fossil Fuels

7.2.3 The Global Energy Supply

7.2.5 What is Peak Oil?

7.2.6 End of Topic Test - Natural Resources

8.1 River Processes & Landforms

8.1.1 Overview of Rivers

8.1.2 The Bradshaw Model

8.1.3 Erosion

8.1.4 Sediment Transport

8.1.5 River Deposition

8.1.6 River Profiles: Long Profiles

8.1.7 River Profiles: Cross Profiles

8.1.8 Waterfalls & Gorges

8.1.9 Interlocking Spurs

8.1.10 Meanders

8.1.11 Floodplains

8.1.12 Levees

8.1.13 Case Study: River Tees

8.2 Rivers & Flooding

8.2.1 Flood Risk Factors

8.2.2 Flood Management: Hard Engineering

8.2.3 Flood Management: Soft Engineering

8.2.4 Flooding Case Study: Boscastle

8.2.5 Flooding Case Study: Consequences of Boscastle

8.2.6 Flooding Case Study: Responses to Boscastle

8.2.7 Flooding Case Study: Bangladesh

8.2.8 End of Topic Test - Rivers

8.2.9 Rivers Case Study: The Nile

8.2.10 Rivers Case Study: The Mississippi

9.1 Formation of Coastal Landforms

9.1.1 Weathering

9.1.2 Erosion

9.1.3 Headlands & Bays

9.1.4 Caves, Arches & Stacks

9.1.5 Wave-Cut Platforms & Cliffs

9.1.6 Waves

9.1.7 Longshore Drift

9.1.8 Coastal Deposition

9.1.9 Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes

9.2 Coast Management

9.2.1 Management Strategies for Coastal Erosion

9.2.2 Case Study: The Holderness Coast

9.2.3 Case Study: Lyme Regis

9.2.4 End of Topic Test - Coasts

10 Glaciers

10.1 Overview of Glaciers & How They Work

10.1.1 Distribution of Glaciers

10.1.2 Types of Glaciers

10.1.3 The Last Ice Age

10.1.4 Formation & Movement of Glaciers

10.1.5 Shaping of Landscapes by Glaciers

10.1.6 Glacial Landforms Created by Erosion

10.1.7 Glacial Till & Outwash Plain

10.1.8 Moraines

10.1.9 Drumlins & Erratics

10.1.10 End of Topic Tests - Glaciers

10.1.11 Tourism in Glacial Landscapes

10.1.12 Strategies for Coping with Tourists

10.1.13 Case Study - Lake District: Tourism

10.1.14 Case Study - Lake District: Management

11 Tectonics

11.1 Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics

11.1.1 The Theory of Plate Tectonics

11.1.2 The Structure of the Earth

11.1.3 Tectonic Plates

11.1.4 Plate Margins

11.2 Volcanoes

11.2.1 Volcanoes & Their Products

11.2.2 The Development of Volcanoes

11.2.3 Living Near Volcanoes

11.3 Earthquakes

11.3.1 Overview of Earthquakes

11.3.2 Consequences of Earthquakes

11.3.3 Case Study: Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake

11.4 Tsunamis

11.4.1 Formation of Tsunamis

11.4.2 Case Study: Japan 2010 Tsunami

11.5 Managing the Risk of Volcanoes & Earthquakes

11.5.1 Coping With Earthquakes & Volcanoes

11.5.2 End of Topic Test - Tectonics

12 Climate Change

12.1 The Causes & Consequences of Climate Change

12.1.1 Evidence for Climate Change

12.1.2 Natural Causes of Climate Change

12.1.3 Human Causes of Climate Change

12.1.4 The Greenhouse Effect

12.1.5 Effects of Climate Change on the Environment

12.1.6 Effects of Climate Change on People

12.1.7 Climate Change Predictions

12.1.8 Uncertainty About Future Climate Change

12.1.9 Mitigating Against Climate Change

12.1.10 Adapting to Climate Change

12.1.11 Case Study: Bangladesh

13 Global Population & Inequality

13.1 Global Populations

13.1.1 World Population

13.1.2 Population Structure

13.1.3 Ageing Populations

13.1.4 Youthful Populations

13.1.5 Population Control

13.1.6 Mexico to USA Migration

13.1.7 End of Topic Test - Development & Population

14 Urbanisation

14.1 Urbanisation

14.1.1 Rural Characterisitcs

14.1.2 Urban Characteristics

14.1.3 Urbanisation Growth

14.1.4 The Land Use Model

14.1.5 Rural-Urban Pull Factors

14.1.6 Rural-Urban Push Factors

14.1.7 The Impacts of Migration

14.1.8 Challenges of Urban Areas in Developed Countries

14.1.9 Challenges of Urban Areas in Developing Countries

14.1.10 Urban Sustainability

14.1.11 Case Study: China's Urbanisation

14.1.12 Major UK Cities

14.1.13 Urbanisation in the UK

14.1.14 End of Topic Test- Urbanisation

14.1.15 End of Topic Test - Urban Issues

15 Ecosystems

15.1 The Major Biomes

15.1.1 Distribution of Major Biomes

15.1.2 What Affects the Distribution of Biomes?

15.1.3 Biome Features: Tropical Forests

15.1.4 Biome Features: Temperate Forests

15.1.5 Biome Features: Tundra

15.1.6 Biome Features: Deserts

15.1.7 Biome Features: Tropical Grasslands

15.1.8 Biome Features: Temperate Grasslands

15.2 Case Study: The Amazon Rainforest

15.2.1 Interdependence of Rainforest Ecosystems

15.2.2 Nutrient Cycling in Tropical Rainforests

15.2.3 Deforestation in the Amazon

15.2.4 Impacts of Deforestation in the Amazon

15.2.5 Protecting the Amazon

15.2.6 Adaptations of Plants to Rainforests

15.2.7 Adaptations of Animals to Rainforests

16 Life in an Emerging Country

16.1 Case Studies

16.1.1 Mumbai: Opportunities

16.1.2 Mumbai: Challenges

17 Analysis of Africa

17.1 Africa

17.1.1 Desert Biomes in Africa

17.1.2 The Semi-Desert Biome

17.1.3 The Savanna Biome

17.1.4 Overview of Tropical Rainforests

17.1.5 Colonisation History

17.1.6 Population Distribution in Africa

17.1.7 Economic Resources in Africa

17.1.8 Urbanisation in Africa

17.1.9 Africa's Location

17.1.10 Physical Geography of Africa

17.1.11 Desertification in Africa

17.1.12 Reducing the Risk of Desertification

17.1.13 Case Study: The Sahara Desert - Opportunities

17.1.14 Case Study: The Sahara Desert - Development

18 Analysis of India

18.1 India - Physical Geography

18.1.1 Geographical Location of India

18.1.2 Physical Geography of India

18.1.3 India's Climate

18.1.4 Natural Disasters in India

18.1.5 Case Study: The Thar Desert

18.1.6 Case Study: The Thar Desert - Challenges

18.2 India - Human Geography

18.2.1 Population Distribution in India

18.2.2 Urabinsation in India

18.2.3 The History of India

18.2.4 Economic Resources in India

19 Analysis of the Middle East

19.1 The Middle East

19.1.1 Physical Geography of the Middle East

19.1.2 Human Geography of the Middle East

19.1.3 Climate Zones in the Middle East

19.1.4 Climate Comparison with the UK

19.1.5 Oil & Natural Gas in the Middle East

19.1.6 Water in the Middle East

19.1.7 Population of the Middle East

19.1.8 Development Case Studies: The UAE

19.1.9 Development Case Studies: Yemen

19.1.10 Supporting Development in Yemen

19.1.11 Connection to the UK

19.1.12 Importance of Oil

19.1.13 Oil & Tourism in the UAE

20 Analysis of Bangladesh

20.1 Bangladesh Physical Geography

20.1.1 Location of Bangladesh

20.1.2 Climate of Bangladesh

20.1.3 Rivers in Bangladesh

20.1.4 Flooding in Bangladesh

20.2 Bangladesh Human Geography

20.2.1 Population Structure in Bangladesh

20.2.2 Urbanisation in Bangladesh

20.2.3 Bangladesh's Economy

20.2.4 Energy & Sustainability in Bangladesh

21 Analysis of Russia

21.1 Russia's Physical Geography

21.1.1 Russia's Climate

21.1.2 Russia's Landscape

21.2 Russia's Human Geography

21.2.1 Population of Russia

21.2.2 Russia's Economy

21.2.3 Energy & Sustainability in Russia

Jump to other topics

Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring

Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home

Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs

30+ school subjects covered

Formation of Tsunamis

Coping With Earthquakes & Volcanoes