AP Human Geography Questions ALL MATERIAL (CollegeBoard)

Debt-for-nature swaps are financial transactions in which a portion of a developing country’s foreign debt is forgiven in exchange for local investments in environmental conservation measures. Which of the following explains the significance of debt-for-nature programs?

• The programs utilize a dependency theory-based approach to improve local economic development.

• The programs provide a sustainable-development approach to reducing uneven levels of development between countries.

• The programs combat the economic decline of deindustrialization and improve service and technology development.

• The programs combat the economic decline of deindustrialization and improve service and technology development.

• The programs invest in environmental education that informs youth populations about preserving economic resources for future use.

Answer explanation

The debt-for-nature programs require debtor governments to promote environmental sustainability and, in turn, reduce the loan payment and tax burden on the citizens of less developed countries.

As a less developed country’s economy evolves, the size of the primary sector, the size of the secondary sector, and the size of the tertiary sectors fluctuate. Which of the following statements best describes the highest level of job-opportunity change as countries shift from the periphery to the semiperiphery level of development?

• Primary sector employment increases as the country’s domestic demand for food and energy increases.

• Primary sector employment increases as the country’s economy becomes increasingly export oriented.

• Tertiary sector employment grows more quickly than any other sector because of foreign direct investment.

• Secondary sector employment increases as the demand for manufactured products increases.

• Secondary and tertiary sector employment declines as factories and offices are increasingly automated.

Answer explanation

As development occurs the number of jobs in the secondary sector increases as resource processing and manufacturing become the main source of the country’s economic productivity.

In 1798 Thomas Malthus argued that populations grew exponentially while food supplies grew arithmetically. Consequently, Malthus argued that food shortages would develop until famine and other checks slowed population growth. What statement correctly explains why Malthus’ prediction did not come true in 1800s Europe?

• Urbanization resulted in smaller household sizes, and the mechanization of agriculture increased food production.

• Immigration to Europe and the abolition of slavery resulted in a more productive agricultural labor force.

• Rising education levels among women and increased numbers of single-person households reduced fertility and the demand for food.

• Antinatalist population policies placed limits on the number of children per family and reduced the demand for food.

• Global trade in manufactured food products increased the food supply and offset the demand for food.

Answer explanation

Malthus did not foresee the impact of urbanization on fertility rates during the Industrial Revolution or the positive impact of farm mechanization on food production that would occur during the 1800s.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals do not mention population growth, but most of the goals will affect population growth. Which of the following statements correctly explains a link between the Sustainable Development Goals and population growth?

• Reducing infant mortality rates can lead to a desire to have a smaller family.

• Reducing poverty and hunger increases population growth as it makes larger families possible.

• Gender equality and empowering women leads to fewer women in the paid labor force.

• Combating communicable diseases and improving maternal health means more potential mothers survive and have additional children.

• Economic development strategies make it possible to support larger families.

Answer explanation

Correct. Lower infant mortality rates are associated with lower natural increase rates as parents choose to have smaller families.

What changes could local governments, businesses, and corporations make to reverse Japan’s national birth patterns?

• Decreasing transportation costs to allow workers to commute from locations farther outside of densely populated urban centers

• Adding low-cost or zero-cost infant day care and preschool centers to allow mothers to return to the workforce

• Reducing the time off allowed for maternity leave and incentivizing working mothers to return to the workforce

• Enforcing a two-child policy for all families, requiring a minimum of two children per family to become eligible to receive school services and work benefits

• Increasing access to family planning clinics and making doctor’s office visits free for women patients

Answer explanation

Correct. The high cost of infant day care and preschool programs is a barrier for many families who wish to have children.

Which of the following accurately describes the city population data in the table?

• Bangkok is both a metacity and a primate city.

• Hanoi is both a world city and a primate city.

• Ho Chi Minh City is both a megacity and a primate city.

• Hanoi is both a capital city and a primate city.

• Bangkok is both a megacity and a primate city.

Answer explanation

Correct. Bangkok is a megacity, as it has a population over 10 million. And Bangkok is over twice the size of Chon Buri, the next largest city in Thailand, which makes Bangkok a primate city.

What is a common impact of urbanization regardless of a country’s level of economic development?

• Urbanization means a loss of agricultural production due to the loss of farmland and farmworkers.

• Urbanization leads to a more egalitarian society as the difference between urban and rural lifestyles is reduced.

• Urbanization creates a larger cultural and economic gap between urban and rural areas.

• Urbanization creates a labor force with a diversity of job skills and compensation levels.

• Urbanization creates socially and economically diverse cities that have little social conflict.

Answer explanation

A diversity of job types and income opportunities characterizes urban areas, and facilitates further economic and population growth.

Which of the following best describes the difference in urban transportation issues faced by cities in different parts of the world?

• Extreme traffic congestion during rush hour is a largely North American issue due to high levels of automobile ownership.

• High rates of ridership on public transit in western Europe and Japan reflect lower income levels compared to the United States.

• Most less developed countries continue to avoid urban transportation issues, but government planners fear development will bring transportation problems.

• The relatively low population density of North American cities encourages automobile use, sprawl, and traffic congestion.

• Many cities around the world are successfully fighting traffic congestion by building more limited-access expressways.

Answer explanation

By global standards, North American cities are low density and automobile dependent, leading to frequent traffic congestion problems.

Which of the following is a likely outcome of gerrymandering?

• Splitting areas of majority group voters across a number of legislative representatives' districts

• Packing areas of minority group voters into a single legislative representative’s district

• Disrupting electronic polling machines or the data networks run by elections officials

• Placing a legislative representative’s districts in a row pattern while drawing a new electoral map

• Supporting political party candidates with campaign funds intended to be used in particular geographic areas

Answer explanation

Packing minority voters into a single legislative district focuses their voting power to elect a single representative. As a result, neighboring districts are far more likely to elect several candidates who represent the majority.

In 2017 the Ivory Coast exported $5.6 billion worth of cocoa beans and cocoa-derived products, such as cocoa butter. This represented 55 percent of the country’s exports and was worth four times the country’s combined gold and oil exports in that year. Which of the following best explains the international trade economy of the Ivory Coast?

• High level of dependency on a single agricultural commodity that increases national economic development and increases foreign direct investment

• High level of dependency on a single agricultural commodity that increases national economic risks during times of global economic crisis

• Low level of dependency on primary-sector production and resource processing that will increase the country’s level of development

• Low level of dependency on a single agricultural commodity that decreases national economic risks during times of global economic crisis

• Low level of dependency on a single agricultural commodity that increases national economic development and increases foreign direct investment

Answer explanation

By focusing much of its economic production on cocoa beans, the country is at risk if a global economic downturn adversely affects international consumer spending.