AQA A-level Geography · 3.2.2

Relationships and connections

50 exam-style questions with answers for 3.2.2 Relationships and connections in AQA A-level Geography (spec 7037). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official AQA material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain what is meant by relationships and connections between places. [2 marks]
Answer:
The links between places created by flows of people, money, resources and ideas (1); these links, at scales from local to global, shape the character of places and tie them into wider regions and networks (1).
Question 2 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Describe the flows that shape the characteristics of places. [4 marks]
Answer:
Any four from: flows of people, such as migration, commuting and tourism (1); flows of resources, such as food, energy and raw materials (1); flows of money, such as investment, wages and remittances (1); flows of ideas and information through the media, internet and education (1); flows of goods through trade and supply chains (1).
Question 3 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how commuting flows at a local scale shape the character of a place. [3 marks]
Answer:
Commuter towns near London, such as in Surrey or Hertfordshire, have many residents working elsewhere (1); this affects the demographic mix, with higher incomes and high house prices, and emptier daytime streets (1); demand for transport and parking shapes infrastructure and land use (1).
Question 4 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how migration within a country can change the character of both origin and destination places. [3 marks]
Answer:
Young adults move from rural areas and small towns to cities for work and study, leaving older populations behind (1); cities gain younger, more skilled workers and become more diverse (1); origin areas lose services such as schools and shops, and some places face a brain drain to London and the south east (1).
Question 5 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how international migration changes the demographic characteristics of places. [3 marks]
Answer:
Migrants are often young adults, so the age structure becomes younger and the birth rate rises (1); the ethnic, language and religious mix of the area changes, and about one in six people in England and Wales were born abroad in the 2021 census (1); the places migrants leave lose workers but may gain remittances (1).
Question 6 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Using an example, explain how flows of ideas and culture change places. [3 marks]
Answer:
The Notting Hill Carnival grew from the Caribbean community in the 1960s after racial tensions in the area (1); it now attracts about a million visitors (1); the music, food and costume spread Caribbean culture into the identity of west London and Britain (1).
Question 7 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how remittances and other money flows change places. [3 marks]
Answer:
Migrants send money home, which receiving places such as the Philippines and Bangladesh use for housing, schools and small businesses (1); families may become dependent on income from abroad (1); investment and wages flowing into cities can raise prices and affect who can afford to live there (1).
Question 8 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how foreign investment in property has changed parts of London. [3 marks]
Answer:
Overseas buyers have bought homes as investments, raising prices (1); some local people are priced out and some luxury flats stand empty (1); the character of districts changes as local shops are replaced by services for wealthier residents (1).
Question 9 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how tourism flows can change the character of a place. [3 marks]
Answer:
Visitors support jobs, cafes, shops and attractions, such as in St Ives or at the Edinburgh festivals (1); homes may be converted to holiday lets and second homes, which reduces housing for locals (1); jobs are seasonal and low paid, and crowding can change how residents feel about their place (1).
Question 10 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Flows and connections
Explain how remote working has changed some places. [3 marks]
Answer:
After 2020, people able to work from home moved from big cities to rural and coastal places such as Cornwall and Norfolk (1); demand pushed up house prices and rents, and made housing less affordable for local people (1); city centres lost footfall and many town centre businesses suffered (1).
Question 11 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Past connections
Explain how past connections have shaped the character of places today. [3 marks]
Answer:
Liverpool and Bristol grew rich from Atlantic trade, and their docks, warehouses and buildings reflect it (1); links with the Caribbean and South Asia led to migration and diverse communities (1); the legacy, including the role of slavery, is debated, such as the toppling of the Colston statue in Bristol in 2020 (1).
Question 12 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Past connections
Describe the main waves of migration to the UK after 1945 and their effects on places. [4 marks]
Answer:
Caribbean workers arrived from 1948 on the Windrush and settled in places such as Brixton and Notting Hill (1); people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh came to work in mills, factories and transport in cities such as Bradford, Leicester and Birmingham (1); Ugandan Asians arrived in 1972 and many settled in Leicester (1); since 2004 workers from eastern Europe have moved to towns and farming areas across the UK (1).
Question 13 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Past connections
Explain how the arrival of the Windrush generation changed an area such as Brixton. [2 marks]
Answer:
Caribbean migrants settled in Brixton from 1948 because of cheap housing and links through family and friends (1); shops, music, churches and markets created a distinctive Caribbean cultural identity in the area (1).
Question 14 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Past connections
Explain how Felixstowe is embedded in regional, national and global scales. [3 marks]
Answer:
It is the UK's busiest container port, linked to ports around the world (1); lorries and trains carry goods to the Midlands and London (1); the local economy depends on global shipping trends and decisions by shipping lines (1).
Question 15 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain what is meant by external forces acting on places. [2 marks]
Answer:
Decisions and processes made outside a place at other scales (1); examples are national government policy, TNC decisions and the actions of international institutions (1).
Question 16 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how government immigration policy can change the characteristics of places. [3 marks]
Answer:
The 1948 British Nationality Act allowed Commonwealth citizens to settle in the UK, which led to growth of diverse communities in cities (1); later rules, including the points-based system, restrict who can come and change the kinds of workers arriving (1); asylum dispersal policy sends asylum seekers to cities such as Glasgow, which changes local populations (1).
Question 17 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how government regeneration policy since 1979 changed the character of London's Docklands. [4 marks]
Answer:
The London Docklands Development Corporation was set up in 1981 to attract private investment (1); an enterprise zone on the Isle of Dogs gave tax breaks and simplified planning (1); Canary Wharf developed from 1988 as a financial centre with offices and transport links (1); local people criticised the lack of affordable housing and jobs for those living nearby (1).
Question 18 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how the 2012 Olympic Games changed Stratford in east London. [4 marks]
Answer:
Industrial land was cleared and decontaminated to create the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (1); transport links were improved and the Westfield Stratford City centre opened in 2011 (1); the athletes' village became East Village, with homes and new businesses and jobs (1); critics argue many new homes are unaffordable and some local firms and residents were displaced (1).
Question 19 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how decisions by transnational corporations can change places. [3 marks]
Answer:
Nissan's factory in Sunderland, opened in 1986, brought thousands of jobs and supplier firms (1); vehicle assembly at Ford's plant in Dagenham ended in 2002, with loss of jobs and a decline in local spending (1); decisions are made elsewhere in response to global competition, so places have little control (1).
Question 20 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how external investment has changed the economy of Hull. [3 marks]
Answer:
Siemens Gamesa opened a wind turbine blade factory at Alexandra Dock in 2016, creating hundreds of jobs (1); Hull's year as UK City of Culture in 2017 attracted visitors and investment (1); the city remains one of the more deprived in England, so the benefits have been uneven (1).
Question 21 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · External forces
Explain how international institutions have affected places in the UK. [3 marks]
Answer:
EU Objective One funding from 2000 supported projects in Cornwall and Merseyside (1); UNESCO World Heritage listing brought tourism and conservation rules to places such as Bath (1); after Brexit, funding from the UK Government, such as the Levelling Up Fund, replaced EU funding, with different rules and priorities (1).
Question 22 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Define the term diaspora. [2 marks]
Answer:
A population that has spread from its original homeland to other places (1); it keeps cultural, family and economic links with the homeland (1).
Question 23 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Explain how an ethnic enclave forms and changes over time. [3 marks]
Answer:
Chain migration brings family and friends to the same area, where housing is affordable (1); shops, places of worship and services develop to meet cultural needs (1); as the second and third generations move to other areas, the enclave may change or become more mixed (1).
Question 24 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Describe how Southall's cultural landscape reflects its Punjabi community. [3 marks]
Answer:
Southall in west London has a large Punjabi Sikh community, which developed from the 1950s as people came to work in local factories and near Heathrow (1); the Broadway has shops selling saris, sweets and spices, and signs in Punjabi (1); gurdwaras, temples and Bollywood cinemas give it a distinctive identity, sometimes called Little India (1).
Question 25 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Describe how the demographic and cultural character of Leicester has changed. [3 marks]
Answer:
South Asian migrants arrived from the 1950s, and Ugandan Asians settled after 1972 (1); by the 2011 census, white British residents were less than half of the population (1); Belgrave Road, the Golden Mile, has Indian shops, restaurants and temples and Diwali celebrations are some of the largest outside India (1).
Question 26 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Explain how demographic change can lead to both social cohesion and tension. [3 marks]
Answer:
Shared spaces, schools and festivals can build understanding between groups (1); competition for housing, jobs and school places can cause tension, and segregation can reduce contact, as in Bradford before the 2001 disturbances (1); local policy and community groups can help to bring communities together (1).
Question 27 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Explain how studentification changes the character of an area. [3 marks]
Answer:
Students concentrate in terraced housing near universities, such as in Headingley, Leeds (1); landlords convert family homes into shared houses, and shops, bars and services change to suit students (1); long-term residents may move out and the area becomes quieter in the holidays, which can cause tension (1).
Question 28 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Explain how changes in the age structure of a place can affect services. [3 marks]
Answer:
An ageing population, as in seaside towns such as Clacton, increases demand for healthcare, social care and accessible housing (1); a young or growing population creates demand for schools, nurseries and jobs (1); services may close in places that lose young people, which makes the area less attractive (1).
Question 29 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
In a district with 80,000 residents, 20% were South Asian in 2001. By 2021 the population was 90,000 and 32% were South Asian. Calculate the increase in the number of South Asian residents. [3 marks]
Answer:
2001: 80,000 × 0.20 = 16,000 (1); 2021: 90,000 × 0.32 = 28,800 (1); increase of 12,800 (1).
Question 30 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Demographic and cultural change
Explain why some aspects of a place show continuity despite change. [2 marks]
Answer:
Historic buildings, markets and street patterns last for centuries, such as Spitalfields Market and its surrounding streets (1); they continue to be used by each new group of residents, creating layers of history (1).
Question 31 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Explain what is meant by deindustrialisation and its causes. [3 marks]
Answer:
The decline in the importance of manufacturing industry in an economy (1); causes include competition from lower-cost countries and the decisions of TNCs to relocate (1); automation and the decline of industries such as coal, steel and shipbuilding also reduced jobs (1).
Question 32 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Explain how deindustrialisation changed the character of Detroit. [4 marks]
Answer:
The population fell from about 1.85 million in 1950 to about 640,000 as car factories closed or moved (1); many people, especially wealthier residents, moved to the suburbs, leaving vacant houses and derelict factories (1); the city had fewer tax receipts and went bankrupt in 2013, with cuts to services (1); poverty and unemployment rose, particularly among the Black population (1).
Question 33 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Describe the signs of change and continuing inequality in Detroit today. [3 marks]
Answer:
Investment in the downtown area, including sports stadiums and tech and finance firms, has brought jobs and new housing (1); urban farms and the reuse of derelict land show community-led change (1); many neighbourhoods remain poor, with vacant property and high unemployment, so benefits are uneven (1).
Question 34 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Explain how Salford Quays has changed as the economy has shifted towards services. [3 marks]
Answer:
Manchester docks closed in 1982, leaving derelict land (1); the area was regenerated with the Lowry arts centre, apartments and the MediaCity site, which attracted the BBC in 2011 (1); local people have questioned whether they benefited, because many new jobs are filled by skilled workers from outside (1).
Question 35 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Explain how the closure of the steelworks at Redcar affected the local area. [3 marks]
Answer:
The steelworks closed in 2015, with the loss of around 2,000 jobs (1); the multiplier effect meant that suppliers, shops and services lost business (1); unemployment and deprivation rose, although attempts were made to attract new industries through the Teesside Freeport (1).
Question 36 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Economic change
Explain how a negative multiplier effect can lead to cumulative decline in a place. [3 marks]
Answer:
Job losses reduce local spending, so shops and services close (1); the area becomes less attractive and young, skilled people leave (1); investment is discouraged and a cycle of decline develops (1).
Question 37 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Social inequalities
Describe how the Index of Multiple Deprivation measures inequality. [3 marks]
Answer:
It combines seven domains: income, employment, education, health, crime, barriers to housing and services, and living environment (1); small areas are ranked from most to least deprived (1); the results can be mapped using GIS to show patterns of inequality (1).
Question 38 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Social inequalities
Explain how economic change has led to inequality within London's Docklands area. [3 marks]
Answer:
Canary Wharf created highly paid jobs in finance (1); many residents of nearby parts of Tower Hamlets did not have the skills for these jobs, and the borough has high levels of child poverty (1); luxury housing contrasts with older social housing nearby, which creates two different communities (1).
Question 39 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Social inequalities
Explain how gentrification has led to social inequality, using an example such as Elephant and Castle. [3 marks]
Answer:
The Heygate Estate was demolished between 2011 and 2014 and most residents were rehoused elsewhere (1); new apartments have been built at prices many local people cannot afford (1); the Latin American traders in the old shopping centre were displaced when it closed in 2020 (1).
Question 40 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Social inequalities
Explain the causes of regional inequality in the UK. [4 marks]
Answer:
Industries such as coal, steel and textiles in northern England, Wales and Scotland declined (1); London and the south east gained from finance, services and the concentration of investment (1); transport links and public spending favour the capital region (1); young, skilled people leave poorer regions, which reduces productivity (1).
Question 41 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Rural change
Explain how economic change and social inequality affect a rural area such as Cornwall. [4 marks]
Answer:
Traditional industries such as tin mining, fishing and farming have declined (1); jobs in tourism are often seasonal and low paid (1); second homes and holiday lets push up house prices, making it hard for local people to buy (1); young people leave, and gaps in services and transport add to disadvantage (1).
Question 42 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Rural change
Explain how second-home ownership changes rural places. [3 marks]
Answer:
Second homes raise house prices and reduce the supply of homes for local people (1); villages become quieter out of season and schools, shops and pubs may close (1); owners bring spending that supports some local businesses and jobs (1).
Question 43 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Rural change
Explain the causes and effects of counter-urbanisation and rural depopulation. [3 marks]
Answer:
Counter-urbanisation is the movement of people from cities to rural areas for lifestyle reasons and improved communications, which brings new residents and raises house prices (1); remote rural areas may lose young people to cities because of a lack of jobs, which causes an ageing population (1); both processes change services, social mix and community life (1).
Question 44 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Contrasting place
Describe the character of Dharavi in Mumbai. [3 marks]
Answer:
One of the largest informal settlements in Asia, with a very high population density (1); small workshops make leather goods, pottery and textiles and recycle waste, giving a large informal economy (1); homes are of poor quality, with limited sanitation and services, but the community is close-knit (1).
Question 45 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Contrasting place
Explain how global connections have shaped Dharavi. [3 marks]
Answer:
Migrants from rural India have moved there over many decades in search of work (1); goods made in Dharavi are sold across India and exported abroad (1); films and slum tourism have created images of Dharavi that influence how outsiders see it (1).
Question 46 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Contrasting place
Explain the issues surrounding the redevelopment of Dharavi. [3 marks]
Answer:
Dharavi occupies valuable land in central Mumbai, so developers and the government want to redevelop it (1); plans offer residents new flats but many workshops and jobs may not be included (1); residents worry about relocation, losing their businesses, and who qualifies for a new home (1).
Question 47 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Data and evaluation
Explain how quantitative and qualitative data can be used together to understand change in a place. [3 marks]
Answer:
Census data and maps show changes in population, ethnicity and employment over time (1); interviews and oral histories record residents' experiences of those changes (1); photographs and historic documents show how the place has looked and been used over time (1).
Question 48 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Data and evaluation
Explain how continuity and change in the nature of places affect the lives of students. [3 marks]
Answer:
Changes in local jobs and housing prices affect where students and their families can live and work (1); closure of services or opening of new ones changes daily routines and opportunities (1); changing cultural mix and the loss or creation of community spaces affect their sense of identity and belonging (1).
Question 49 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Data and evaluation
Assess the extent to which economic change leads to social inequality in places. [4 marks]
Answer:
Loss of industries creates unemployment and poverty in places such as Detroit and Redcar (1); new service industries often benefit skilled newcomers more than local residents (1); investment and gentrification raise prices and may displace poorer people (1); however, effects depend on policy and community responses, so inequality is not inevitable (1).
Question 50 · Spec 3.2.2.2.1 · Data and evaluation
Assess the extent to which external forces rather than local factors have shaped the character of a place you have studied. [6 marks]
Answer:
External forces include investment decisions by TNCs, such as in Sunderland or Dagenham (1); government policies on regeneration, planning and immigration reshape places (1); migration flows change the demographic and cultural mix of places (1); local factors such as location, physical geography and the existing built environment influence which external forces affect a place (1); community groups and local councils can resist or shape change (1); the balance varies by place, but in a globalised world external forces are often more powerful (1).

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