Which of the following factors is a major boost to tourism?

A. Adequate publicity about natural scenery

B. Variation in mode of transportation

C. Higher dependency ratio of the population

D. Specialization in labour force

More Hydroelectric Power projects should be constructed in Tropical Africa because

D. there is an increasing demand for power

B. there are absence of waterfalls on rivers

D. there is an increasing demand for power

Industries are broadly classified into

A. primary, secondary and tertiary

B. mining, furniture making and cocoa processing

C. fishing, mining and food processing

D. primary, secondary and manufacturing

The sparse population in the middle belt of West Africa can be traced to all the following except

D. Arab slave trade in the north

A smaller range of temperature is recorded along the coast than the continental interior on the same latitudes because of the

A. moderating influence of the sea

B. moderating influence of the sea

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WAEC (WASSCE) 2023

2023 WAEC (WASSCE) Geography Past Questions and Answers

The 2023 WAEC (WASSCE) Geography past questions with answers: 33 objective questions from the 2023 paper in the DeeepSolve question bank, each with its answer behind "Show answer". Try each question before you check, then practise the paper as a timed WAEC-style CBT.

Practise this paper as a timed WAEC-style CBT All WAEC (WASSCE) Geography years

Questions

1.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
2.
Which of the following landforms is associated with parallel faulting?
1. A.Inselberg
2. B.Dyke
3. C.Gorge
4. D.Rift valley
Show answer
Answer: D. Rift valley
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3.
Which of the following is a wind deposited landforms?
1. A.Rock pedestal
2. B.Yardang
3. C.Deflation hollow
4. D.Loess
Show answer
Answer: D. Loess
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for a landform made by wind deposition (where material is dropped), not by wind erosion (where material is removed or worn away).
Step 2: Explain the concept Wind shapes the land in two main ways:
Erosion through deflation (lifting and blowing away loose material) and abrasion (sandblasting rock surfaces).
Deposition, when the wind loses energy and drops the material it carries. This gives features such as sand dunes and loess.
Step 3: Check each option
A. Rock pedestal: Formed by abrasion, which wears away the base of a rock more than the top. This is an erosional feature.
B. Yardang: A streamlined ridge of rock carved by wind abrasion. This is also erosional.
C. Deflation hollow: A depression left after the wind blows away loose material. This is erosional too.
D. Loess: A fine, yellowish, fertile windblown silt that settles in thick layers, often far from its source. It is a depositional feature. In Nigeria, the fine dust carried by the Harmattan from the Sahara is a similar kind of windblown material.
Step 4: Answer Only loess is formed by wind depositing material, so the correct option is D.
Tip: Think of how each name sounds. "Deflation" means material is taken away, and "pedestal" and "yardang" are rocks left standing after being carved. Loess is the one that is laid down as a blanket of dust. Other depositional wind features to remember are sand dunes and sand ripples.
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4.
Which of the following is not a problem facing transportation development in Tropical Africa?
1. A.Climatic variation
2. B.Inadequate capital
3. C.Difficult terrain
4. D.Poor planning
Show answer
Answer: A. Climatic variation
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5.
The sun is vertically overhead at the tropic of Capricorn on
1. A.June 21st
2. B.September 23rd
3. C.March 21st
4. D.December 22nd
Show answer
Answer: D. December 22nd
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6.
What is the highest contour line in the mapped area?
1. A.400 metres
2. B.600 metres
3. C.500 metres
4. D.300 metres
Show answer
Answer: B. 600 metres
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7.
Which of the following factors is a major boost to tourism?
1. A.Adequate publicity about natural scenery
2. B.Variation in mode of transportation
3. C.Higher dependency ratio of the population
4. D.Specialization in labour force
Show answer
Answer: A. Adequate publicity about natural scenery
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8.
More Hydroelectric Power projects should be constructed in Tropical Africa because
1. A.there is scanty rainfall
2. B.there are absence of waterfalls on rivers
3. C.skilled labour is scarce
4. D.there is an increasing demand for power
Show answer
Answer: D. there is an increasing demand for power
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9.
The distance between Umughara and Ndifu Achara as the crow flies is approximately
1. A.8 km
2. B.18 km
3. C.11 km
4. D.23 km
Show answer
Answer: A. 8 km
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10.
Town C is located on latitude 15oE while Town D is located on latitude 60oE. If the local time in Town C is 7.00am., what will be the local time in Town D?
1. A.4.00 p.m
2. B.4.00 a.m
3. C.10.00 a.m
4. D.10.00 p.m
Show answer
Answer: C. 10.00 a.m
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question says "latitude," but 15°E and 60°E are actually longitudes (latitudes are measured north or south of the equator, not east or west). Longitude determines local time differences.
Concept: The Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, so:
15° of longitude = 1 hour
1° of longitude = 4 minutes
Places to the east are ahead in time (the sun rises there first), and places to the west are behind.
Solution:
Difference in longitude = 60°E − 15°E = 45°
Time difference = 45° ÷ 15° per hour = 3 hours
Town D is further east, so it is ahead of Town C: 7:00 a.m. + 3 hours = 10:00 a.m.
Answer: The local time in Town D is 10:00 a.m., which is option C.
Tip: Remember "East is Earlier in the day, so you add; West is Wait, so you subtract." Also, always divide the longitude difference by 15 to get hours. If both towns are on the same side of the Greenwich Meridian (both E or both W), subtract their longitudes. If they are on opposite sides, add them.
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11.
What is the population density of a country with a total population of 140,000,000 and a total land area of 500,000 km2?
1. A.280 persons per km2
2. B.200 persons per km2
3. C.350 persons per km2
4. D.500 persons per km2
Show answer
Answer: A. 280 persons per km2
AI explanation
Analyze the question You are asked for population density, which tells us how many people live on average in each square kilometre of a country.
The concept
Population density = Total population ÷ Total land area
Solution
Total population = 140,000,000
Land area = 500,000 km²
Population density = 140,000,000 ÷ 500,000
Cancel the zeros (divide both by 100,000):
= 1,400 ÷ 5
= 280 persons per km²
Checking the options
A. 280 persons per km², which matches our working.
B. 200 would need a population of 100,000,000.
C. 350 would need a population of 175,000,000.
D. 500 would need a population of 250,000,000.
Tip For density questions, cancel the same number of zeros from the top and bottom first, then divide. This makes the arithmetic quick and reduces mistakes in the exam hall. Also remember that the unit is always "persons per km²", which is people divided by area.
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12.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
13.
Great Britain and Germany are trading partners of West African countries from
1. A.North America
2. B.West Europe
3. C.South America
4. D.The Far East
Show answer
Answer: B. West Europe
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question asks which world region Great Britain and Germany belong to, since they are described as trading partners of West African countries.
Explain the concept: Trading partners are grouped by region. Great Britain (the UK) and Germany are both European countries. Europe is divided into regions such as Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern Europe. Britain and Germany are classed as part of Western Europe, which is the region with the industrial economies that trade heavily with West Africa.
Step-by-step solution:
Locate the countries. Great Britain and Germany are both in Europe.
Check option A (North America). This region includes the USA, Canada and Mexico. Britain and Germany are not there, so it is wrong.
Check option B (West Europe). Britain and Germany are both Western European industrial nations. They import West African raw materials such as cocoa, crude oil, timber and palm produce, and export machinery, vehicles and manufactured goods to West Africa. This fits.
Check option C (South America). This region includes Brazil and Argentina, so it is wrong.
Check option D (The Far East). This region includes Japan, China and South Korea, so it is wrong.
Answer: The correct option is B. West Europe.
Exam tip: For "trading partners" questions, link each country to its continent first. Britain, Germany, France and the Netherlands are Western Europe. Japan, China and South Korea are the Far East. The USA and Canada are North America. This usually eliminates the wrong options quickly.
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14.
Volcanoes that have not erupted for a very long time but may erupt at future time are termed as
1. A.extrusive
2. B.dormant
3. C.intrusive
4. D.active
Show answer
Answer: B. dormant
AI explanation
Analyze the question The question asks for the term used for volcanoes that haven't erupted for a long time but could still erupt in the future.
Explain the concept Volcanoes are classified by how likely they are to erupt:
Active volcano: Erupting now, or has erupted recently (in historic times) and is expected to erupt again. Examples: Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius.
Dormant volcano: "Sleeping." It has not erupted for a very long time, but it is still capable of erupting in the future. Example: Mount Fuji (often cited).
Extinct volcano: It is not expected to erupt again. Example: Mount Kilimanjaro's Kibo cone is sometimes treated as dormant, while many old volcanic peaks are extinct.
"Extrusive" and "intrusive" are not volcano classifications. They describe igneous rocks and landforms:
Extrusive: Magma cools on the Earth's surface (e.g., basalt, lava flows).
Intrusive: Magma cools beneath the surface (e.g., granite, batholiths, dykes, sills).
Step-by-step solution
The key phrase is "have not erupted for a very long time", so it is not currently erupting. That rules out active (D).
The phrase "may erupt at a future time" means it is not dead, so it is not extinct (not offered anyway).
"Extrusive" and "intrusive" refer to rock or landform formation, not volcano status, so A and C are out.
The term that fits is dormant.
Answer: B. dormant
Exam tip Link the word to its meaning: dormant = sleeping (think "dorm", where you sleep). A sleeping volcano can wake up. Extinct means dead, and active means awake and erupting.
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15.
Industries are broadly classified into
1. A.primary, secondary and tertiary
2. B.mining, furniture making and cocoa processing
3. C.fishing, mining and food processing
4. D.primary, secondary and manufacturing
Show answer
Answer: A. primary, secondary and tertiary
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks how industries are broadly classified. It is asking for the main categories, not examples of specific industries.
Step 2: Explain the concept In Geography (Economic Geography), industries are grouped by the kind of economic activity they carry out:
Primary industries: extract or harvest raw materials directly from nature. Examples: farming, fishing, mining, lumbering, and crude oil extraction.
Secondary industries: turn raw materials into finished or semi-finished goods. Examples: manufacturing, cocoa processing, furniture making, and textile production.
Tertiary industries: provide services. Examples: banking, transport, teaching, trade, and healthcare.
(Some books add quaternary and quinary industries, but the three above are the basic broad classification.)
Step 3: Check each option
A. primary, secondary and tertiary: These are the three broad categories. ✔
B. mining, furniture making and cocoa processing: These are examples of specific industries, not a classification. Mining is primary, while the other two are secondary. ✘
C. fishing, mining and food processing: These are also examples. Fishing and mining are primary, and food processing is secondary. ✘
D. primary, secondary and manufacturing: Manufacturing is part of the secondary category, so it is not a separate class. ✘
Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. primary, secondary and tertiary.
Exam tip: Remember the order P-S-T, which follows the production chain: Produce raw materials → Shape them into goods → Transport and sell them or provide services. If the options list specific examples such as mining or fishing instead of category names, they are usually distractors for a "broad classification" question.
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16.
Stone crushing is an economic activity at
1. A.Noyo
2. B.Ameka
3. C.Umughara
4. D.Agub
Show answer
Answer: D. Agub
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17.
The likely occupation of the people of Ndifu Achara settlement is
1. A.trading
2. B.gold mining
3. C.rice farming
4. D.lumbering
Show answer
Answer: B. gold mining
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18.
At what stage is River Aboye?
1. A.Middle stage
2. B.Youthful stage
3. C.Initial stage
4. D.Mature stage
Show answer
Answer: A. Middle stage
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19.
An isotherm is a line drawn on a map joining places of equal
1. A.pressure
2. B.cloud cover
3. C.temperature
4. D.rainfall
Show answer
Answer: C. temperature
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20.
Which of the following rocks is produced by the solidification of magma within the earth crust?
1. A.Plutonic rock
2. B.Metamorphic rock
3. C.Sedimentary rock
4. D.Extrusive rock
Show answer
Answer: A. Plutonic rock
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which rock forms when magma solidifies within the earth's crust (not on the surface).
Step 2: Explain the concept Rocks are grouped by how they form:
Igneous rocks form from cooled and solidified magma or lava. They are divided into two types: • Intrusive (plutonic) rocks: magma cools slowly beneath the surface, inside the crust. The slow cooling gives large crystals. Examples: granite, gabbro, diorite. • Extrusive (volcanic) rocks: lava cools quickly on the surface. This gives small crystals or a glassy texture. Examples: basalt, obsidian, pumice.
Sedimentary rocks form from the deposition and compaction of sediments (e.g. sandstone, limestone).
Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks are changed by heat and pressure (e.g. marble, slate).
Step 3: Solve by elimination
A. Plutonic rock: forms from magma that solidifies deep within the crust. ✔
B. Metamorphic rock: formed by changes to existing rock, not by magma solidifying. ✘
C. Sedimentary rock: formed from sediments. ✘
D. Extrusive rock: formed from lava that solidifies on the surface, not within the crust. ✘
Answer: Plutonic rock, which is option A.
Tip: Think of "Pluto," the god of the underworld. Plutonic = deep underground (intrusive), while extrusive = exits onto the surface. Also remember that magma is molten rock below the surface, and lava is molten rock above it.
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21.
The area covered by the map is approximately
1. A.1400 Km2
2. B.900 Km2
3. C.1950 Km2
4. D.1010 Km2
Show answer
Answer: A. 1400 Km2
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22.
Which of the following towns is not intervisible from Agubia?
1. A.ABADA
2. B.Nsuba
3. C.Ameka
4. D.Ndifu Achara
Show answer
Answer: B. Nsuba
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23.
The part of the earth crust covered by water bodies is known as the
1. A.sial
2. B.stratosphere
3. C.atmosphere
4. D.hydrosphere
Show answer
Answer: D. hydrosphere
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the name given to the part of the earth that is covered by water bodies such as oceans, seas, rivers, lakes and ponds.
Step 2: Explain the concepts Let's look at each option:
Sial: The upper layer of the earth's crust, made mostly of silica and aluminium (Si + Al). It forms the continents, so it is rock, not water.
Stratosphere: A layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere. It contains the ozone layer and has nothing to do with water bodies on the earth's surface.
Atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding the earth.
Hydrosphere: The water part of the earth, which includes oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, underground water and even ice caps. The word comes from the Greek hydro meaning "water".
Step 3: Solve The question is about the part of the earth's surface covered by water. Only the hydrosphere fits this description.
Sial is rock (continental crust), so it is eliminated.
Stratosphere and atmosphere are gaseous layers, so they are eliminated.
Hydrosphere refers to all the water bodies, so it is correct.
Answer: D. hydrosphere
Exam Tip: Remember the "spheres" using their Greek prefixes:
Litho = rock → lithosphere
Hydro = water → hydrosphere
Atmo = vapour/gas → atmosphere
Bio = life → biosphere
If you see "water" in a question about the earth's spheres, think hydro, as in "hydroelectric power" and "dehydration".
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24.
Which of the following features is associated with the upper course of a river?
1. A.Levee
2. B.Meander
3. C.Delta
4. D.Waterfall
Show answer
Answer: D. Waterfall
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which feature belongs to the upper course (also called the youthful stage) of a river.
Step 2: Key concept A river has three main courses:
Upper course (youth): Near the source, usually in highlands. The land is steep, so the river flows fast and has strong vertical erosion (downcutting). Typical features: V-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, rapids, waterfalls, gorges, and potholes.
Middle course (maturity): The gradient is gentler. Lateral (sideways) erosion and transportation increase. Typical features: meanders, floodplains, and levees begin to appear.
Lower course (old age): Very gentle gradient, and the river deposits a lot of material. Typical features: wide floodplains, levees, ox-bow lakes, braided channels, estuaries, and deltas.
Step 3: Check each option
A. Levee: Formed by deposition during floods on the banks of the middle and lower course. ❌
B. Meander: Winding bends formed by lateral erosion and deposition in the middle and lower course. ❌
C. Delta: Formed by deposition where the river enters a sea or lake, which is the lower course. Think of the Niger Delta. ❌
D. Waterfall: Forms when a river flows over a band of hard rock onto softer rock. The soft rock erodes faster, creating a drop. This happens in the steep upper course. Examples are Erin-Ijesha (Olumirin) Waterfall in Osun State and Farin Ruwa Waterfall in Nasarawa. ✅
Step 4: Answer The feature associated with the upper course is the waterfall, which is option D.
Exam tip: Remember "Upper = Up and Down." Upper-course features come from downward (vertical) erosion: V-valleys, waterfalls, rapids, gorges. Features with bends or spreading out, such as meanders, levees, ox-bow lakes, and deltas, belong to the middle and lower courses.
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25.
What is the temperature around an aeroplane flying at an altitude of 4000 metres if the temperature on the earth surface is 40 oC?
1. A.26 oC
2. B.66 oC
3. C.14 oC
4. D.12 oC
Show answer
Answer: C. 14 oC
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26.
The sparse population in the middle belt of West Africa can be traced to all the following except
1. A.concentration of industries
2. B.inter-ethnic war
3. C.tsetse fly infestation
4. D.Arab slave trade in the north
Show answer
Answer: A. concentration of industries
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27.
The scale of the map in Representative Fraction(RF) is
1. A.1:25,000
2. B.1:100,000
3. C.1:200,000
4. D.1:50,000
Show answer
Answer: D. 1:50,000
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28.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
29.
The bearing of Ameka from Aba Omege road junction is approximately
1. A.40o
2. B.22o
3. C.90o
4. D.220o
Show answer
Answer: C. 90o
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30.
A smaller range of temperature is recorded along the coast than the continental interior on the same latitudes because of the
1. A.moderating influence of the sea
2. B.moderating influence of the sea
3. C.higher insolation inland
4. D.higher evaporation inland
Show answer
Answer: A. moderating influence of the sea
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31.
The feature marked P in the mapped area can best be described as a
1. A.knoll
2. B.valley
3. C.mountain
4. D.ridge
Show answer
Answer: D. ridge
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32.
Which of the following is an important line of longitude?
1. A.Antarctic Circle
2. B.Arctic Circle
3. C.Prime Meridian
4. D.Tropic of Cancer
Show answer
Answer: C. Prime Meridian
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which option is a line of longitude. Each option is either a line of latitude or a line of longitude, so we need to tell them apart.
Step 2: Explain the concept
Lines of latitude (parallels) run east-west, parallel to the Equator. They measure distance north or south of the Equator.
Lines of longitude (meridians) run north-south from pole to pole. They measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian (0°).
Step 3: Check each option
A. Antarctic Circle is a line of latitude at about 66½°S.
B. Arctic Circle is a line of latitude at about 66½°N.
C. Prime Meridian is a line of longitude at 0°, passing through Greenwich, London. It is the reference line for measuring longitude, and it also passes through Ghana.
D. Tropic of Cancer is a line of latitude at about 23½°N.
Step 4: Answer Only the Prime Meridian is a line of longitude.
Tip: Latitude lines are like the rungs of a ladder, running side to side, so "lat" sounds like "ladder." Any line named a "Circle" or a "Tropic" (Arctic, Antarctic, Cancer, Capricorn) is latitude. The word "Meridian" always means longitude.
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33.
When weathering occurs on hillslopes, rock debris usually pile up at the bottom of the hill slope to form
1. A.creep
2. B.pebbles
3. C.levee
4. D.screes
Show answer
Answer: D. screes
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question asks what forms when weathered rock debris collects at the foot (bottom) of a hillslope.
Concept: Weathering breaks rock down in place. On steep slopes, especially in areas with frost action or strong temperature changes, the loosened fragments fall or roll downslope under gravity. They collect at the base as a sloping heap of angular rock fragments called scree (also called talus).
Check each option:
A. Creep: This is the very slow downhill movement of soil and regolith. It is a process, not a landform of piled-up debris at the base.
B. Pebbles: These are small, rounded stones shaped by water abrasion in rivers or beaches. They are not specifically formed by debris piling at a hill's foot.
C. Levee: This is a raised bank along a river, formed by deposition during floods. It has nothing to do with hillslope weathering.
D. Screes: These are accumulations of angular rock fragments at the bottom of a slope or cliff. This matches the question exactly.
Answer: The correct option is **D.
Tip: Think of "scree" as "scree-ching down" the slope. Scree is angular and sits at the foot of a slope, while pebbles are rounded and are linked to water. Whenever you see "debris at the bottom of a slope," think scree or talus.
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