IGCSE Environmental Management 0680 · Topic 7

Human population: past paper questions

52 real questionsasked in 10 of the last 10 exam series2019–2027usually: State, Suggest, Calculate, Describe, Explain

Real questions on human population

The newest 20 of 52 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0680/01 · Specimen 2027 · Q3a(i)[1]
State the percentage of the population aged 55–59 in LICs.
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0680/01 · Specimen 2027 · Q3a(ii)[1]
Explain why the percentages in the 55–59 age group might appear to be rounded.
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0680/01 · Specimen 2027 · Q3a(iii)[3]
Compare the population pyramids for LICs and HICs.
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0680/01 · Specimen 2027 · Q3b[2]
Complete the table to show whether the statements are true or false for population pyramids in LICs and HICs.
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0680/01 · Specimen 2027 · Q3c[3]
List three factors that can influence the birth rate of a country.
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0680/21 · October/November 2024 · Q1a[1]
Calculate the number of people who lived in Istanbul in 2022.
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0680/22 · October/November 2024 · Q1a[1]
Greece is the largest cotton-producing country in Europe. In 2022, there were 45 000 cotton farmers in Greece. Calculate the percentage of the population of Greece that were cotton farmers in 2022.
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0680/11 · May/June 2024 · Q5a[2]
Complete the bar chart using the data in the table.
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0680/21 · May/June 2024 · Q1a[1]
one fact from the source information that indicates New Zealand is a more economically developed country (MEDC).
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0680/22 · May/June 2024 · Q1a(i)[1]
Calculate the population density in Uzbekistan in 2021.
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0680/12 · October/November 2023 · Q4a[1]
The year in which the total world population is predicted to reach 10 billion.
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0680/12 · October/November 2023 · Q4b[2]
Why the 65+ age group is predicted to increase between 2020 and 2100.
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0680/12 · October/November 2023 · Q4c[2]
Two strategies a country can use to limit the size of the national population.
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0680/21 · May/June 2023 · Q1a[2]
Suggest two reasons why only a small number of people live in rural areas.
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0680/22 · May/June 2023 · Q1a(i)[2]
The diagram shows the population pyramid for Laos in 2021. Describe the shape of this population pyramid.
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0680/11 · October/November 2022 · Q2a[1]
The predicted increase in world population from 2000 to 2100.
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0680/11 · October/November 2022 · Q2b[3]
The trends in age distribution between 1950 and 2100.
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0680/11 · October/November 2022 · Q2c[2]
Reasons why the actual population pyramid in 2100 might be different from the predicted population pyramid in 2100.
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0680/12 · October/November 2022 · Q7a(i)[1]
State the maximum birth rate shown on the graph.
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0680/12 · October/November 2022 · Q7a(ii)[1]
Shade an area on the graph to show when the population is increasing.
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What examiners said

Some candidates analysed individual bars in the population pyramid instead of giving a description of the shape, as required by the question. Weaker responses stated ‘a pyramid’ – this was insufficient as the question stem informed candidates that the diagram is a population pyramid.
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 0680/22 Q1(a)(i) (Cambridge)

Many candidates gave the correct answer of 4 731 899 914 and a few converted the figure to a percentage, which was also credited.
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 0680/11 Q2(a) (Cambridge)

A sizeable minority found this question difficult. The key command of ‘describe the trend’ for the age distribution caused some confusion. When giving differences between the age distributions, those candidates who picked out the contrasts between 1950 and 2100 scored well (decrease in young people, increase in middle aged, increase in old people). Those who described the changing shape of the dia...
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 0680/11 Q2(b) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise human population

In the syllabus

1 0680.7.1.1 — Describe where people live in the world in terms of population density and population distribution, limited to: (a) sparsely populated place

Describe where people live in the world in terms of population density and population distribution, limited to: (a) sparsely populated places contain few people and densely populated places contain many people (b) population density: the number of people living in an area, usually measured in people per km2 (c) population distribution: how people are spread over an area.
Interpret population pyramids to describe population structure, limited to: (a) young and elderly dependent population (b) working population (c) female and male population.
Describe the income groups the World Bank uses to classify the economies of different countries, limited to: (a) low-income countries (LICs) (b) middle-income countries (MICs) (c) high-income countries (HICs).
Compare the population structure of an LIC and an HIC.

2 0680.7.1.2 — Interpret population pyramids to describe population structure, limited to: (a) young and elderly dependent population (b) working populatio

Interpret population pyramids to describe population structure, limited to: (a) young and elderly dependent population (b) working population (c) female and male population.

3 0680.7.1.3 — Describe the income groups the World Bank uses to classify the economies of different countries, limited to: (a) low-income countries (LICs)

Describe the income groups the World Bank uses to classify the economies of different countries, limited to: (a) low-income countries (LICs) (b) middle-income countries (MICs) (c) high-income countries (HICs).

4 0680.7.1.4 — Compare the population structure of an LIC and an HIC.

Compare the population structure of an LIC and an HIC.

5 0680.7.2.1 — Describe and explain the factors that affect changes in human populations, limited to: (a) birth rates: children per woman (b) death rates:

Describe and explain the factors that affect changes in human populations, limited to: (a) birth rates: children per woman (b) death rates: life expectancy (c) migration: emigration, immigration and push and pull factors (d) rural and urban migration (e) urbanisation.
Describe the impacts of human population growth, limited to: (a) informal urban settlements (b) megacities (c) availability of resources (d) energy usage (e) sanitation (f) water supply (g) management of waste (h) availability of land (i) facilities and infrastructure (j) air, land, light, noise, visual and water pollution (k) traffic congestion (l) changes in employment opportunities.

6 0680.7.2.2 — Describe the impacts of human population growth, limited to: (a) informal urban settlements (b) megacities (c) availability of resources (d)

Describe the impacts of human population growth, limited to: (a) informal urban settlements (b) megacities (c) availability of resources (d) energy usage (e) sanitation (f) water supply (g) management of waste (h) availability of land (i) facilities and infrastructure (j) air, land, light, noise, visual and water pollution (k) traffic congestion (l) changes in employment opportunities.

7 0680.7.3.1 — Describe strategies for managing human population size, limited to: (a) access to contraception (b) population policies: pro-natalist and an

Describe strategies for managing human population size, limited to: (a) access to contraception (b) population policies: pro-natalist and anti-natalist (c) access to education (d) access to healthcare (e) control of migration.
Discuss the benefits and limitations of strategies for managing human population size in 7.3.1.

8 0680.7.3.2 — Discuss the benefits and limitations of strategies for managing human population size in 7.3.1.

Discuss the benefits and limitations of strategies for managing human population size in 7.3.1.

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