Geography case studies

Geography Case Studies
Niger – Rapid Population Growth
Landlocked LEDC in western Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world.
1960 population: 1.7 million, 2008 population: 13 million.
Average fertility 7.1 children per woman.
Population estimated to hit 56 million by 2050. (growth rate 2.9%)
Problems: lack of housing, shortage of food and water, overwhelmed healthcare services, over
half the population is under 15)
Solutions: Government attempting to raise number using family planning from 5% to 20% by
2015, Plan to raise marriage age to 18.
China – Anti-Natalist Policies
After WWII Chairman Mao wanted a big population to make China powerful, but this was
unsustainable and during the ‘Cultural Revolution’ an estimated 30 million died of starvation.
Between 1963 and 1970 average fertility was 5.8 children per woman and the birth rate was
around 40 per 1000 people per year.
The ‘Longer, Later, Fewer’ policy encouraged people to have less children but a stricter policy
was needed to have an effect.
In 1979 the ‘One Family, One Child’ policy was introduced, and the legal age for men to marry
was raised to 22.
Application to the government was required to marry and have a child, but if this was done the
family were entitled to free education, healthcare and jobs.
Women with more than one child could be forced to have an abortion and older, trusted women
in society were given the task of reporting them (granny police).
There were exceptions to the rule such as people in rural areas and ethnic minorities.
Under the policy average fertility fell to 1.7 children per woman and population growth fell to 1%
in 2006. China’s population is expected to peak and then decline in the next 20 years.
Problems: Ageing population in the future, male/female imbalance (86 girls per 100 boys), baby
trafficking
Russia – Population Decrease
2007 population: 143 million, 2050 population (est): 111 million
Education and rights for women are good so many women prefer professional careers to raising
families (average fertility per woman 1.1)
Death rates are high, especially amongst men due to alcohol (Male life expectancy 59 years)
More than 1,000,000 Russians have AIDs
Emigration is high as many seek a better lifestyle in the west.
In 2006 president Putin proposed doubling monthly child support payments to 1500 roubles
($55) and paying those who chose to have a second child 250000 roubles ($9200).
Singapore – Prenatal Policies

In 1965 Singapore gained independence and initially wanted to reduce birth rate but then
realised it needed a young workforce to develop the economy.
The birth rate, at 1.1, is one of the lowest in the world.
Initially promoted ‘Stop at Two’ and gave $7000 to less educated women to be sterilized after
two children
The government encouraged immigration and this has led to 36% of the population being foreign
nationals, and up to 80% of workers being foreign in some sectors like industry.
To increase the birth rate the government increased maternity leave to 12 weeks, pledged to
cover the cost of maternity leave for the first four children, increasedchild benefits, and gave tax
rebates when a third child was born.
Dating companies were also sponsored by the government to encourage people to get married
and have children.
If the birth rate does not increase Singapore will become dependent on foreign workers, see an
increase in thedependency ratio and ultimately face economic decline.
The EU – Migration
In 2004 the A8 countries joined the EU, allowing them freedom of travel and permission to work
anywhere inside the EU.
600,000 migrants moved from eastern Europe to the UK (62% from Poland) to look for work.
Most of these were unskilled, with 40,000 being factory workers, 12,000 kitchen assistants and
9000 farm workers, and only 130 being IT experts, 95 plumbers and 10 barristers.
Benefits: migrants willing to work long hours for low pay, learn new skills, spend money boosting
the economy and do dirty jobs.
Problems: less jobs for British people, pressure on services, money taken out of the country,
racial tension.
China – Internal Migration
Currently the majority of China’s 1.3 billion people live in the south and south east of the
country, where there is flat land and fertile soil, as opposed to the barren mountainous north.
As the country develops more and more people are moving out of primary and secondary
industry and looking for work in the tertiary sector. To do this they look for work in the cities in
the populated areas of the country.
By 2025 there will be 350 million more people in China’s cities, and by 2030 a total of a billion
people will live in urban areas, including 221 megacities containing 50,000 skyscrapers.
Benefits include that less pressure on the land for farming and increased industry in cities.
Problems include increased pollution, overcrowding and services being put under stress. In rural
areas services are less likely to be improved and less food is produced (China has to import food).
Atlanta – Urban Sprawl
In 1970 Atlanta had a population of 1.4 million but by 2006 this had risen to 5, 138,000. Between
2000 and 2006 1 million people moved to the city, 1/3rd
being births, the rest from other places.
Because of the urban sprawl to house this population pollution is now the 4th
worst in the USA,
with 90% of residents driving to work on 50,000km of roads.

Between 1982 and 2002 38% of Atlanta’s green space was built on and the city loses 125
hectares of trees per day.
Removal of these trees and the large amounts of concrete encourages a ‘heat island’ over the
city, where temperatures are 10o
C hotter than in the countryside and the city has got the
nickname ‘Hotlanta’.
Water is also a problem as impermeable services prevent surface water draining away, leading to
flash floods, and suburbs along the Chattahoochee river increase run off and pollute drinking
supplies, putting stress on sanitation systems.
To improve the situation, there is a plan to develop the inner city rather than continue
expanding, by building ‘green’ buildings such as the university campus and a 35 mile ‘Beltline’
public transport system.
‘Atlanta Station’ is being built on a former steel mill site and will provide 5000 loft units as well as
offices , flats and a car park, where residents can leave their car and walk or cycle to walk.
To counter environmental problems, trees such as maple and oak are now being planted by
volunteers.
Cairo – Urban Problems
In the 1950’s Cairo’s population was 2 million, by 2000 this had risen to 18 million, leading to
many urban problems.
Lack of housing: illegal settlements now cover 80% of Cairo, 2-3 million people now live amongst
the tombs of old Cairo, and 500,000 people live in huts on top of buildings in the city.
Traffic congestion: there are 1 million cars in Cairo, up from 100,000 in 1970, and many drivers to
not follow the rules of the road
Lack of jobs: there are few jobs for unskilled workers, salaries for skilled workers are low and
many people are forced to work in the informal sector.
Pollution: air pollution is caused by traffic, water is polluted by illegal dumping of waste and
inadequate sewers pollute water courses.
Solutions include: dormitory towns built around the city, the poorest areas are undergoing
redevelopment, a new metro system was built, the sewage system has been repaired (Greater
Cairo Waste Water Product), and a ring road was built encircling the city.
Reading – CBD and Inner City Planning
By the 1990’s Reading’s inner city was becoming run down and unattractive to shoppers and
visitors.
The Oracle Shopping Centre was built in 1999, providing larger, more modern shops and
increasing the city’s sphere of influence, boosting the local economy.
Building was encouraged by the local authority by approving planning permission for projects.
Broad Street was pedestrianized, making the Oracle Shopping Centre more accessible and
making the area more attractive to shoppers.
Benches and street art were added to the CBD, making the area more attractive.
While the Oracle was built the traditional high street was untouched, meaning the two shopping
area compliment each other and the area is now a secondary high order shopping centre.

Haiti – Earthquake
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, with an average GDP per capita of $1200
and literacy rate of 52.9%. 86% of people in the capital, Port-au-Prince, live in slum conditions.
At 16.53 local time on 12th
Jan 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit with an epicentre just 25km
west of capital Port-au-Prince, near the town of Léogâne, at a depth of 13km.
It is believed plates slipped on the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system.
By 24th
Jan at least 52 aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or greater hit the country and an estimated
220,000 were killed.
250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings were destroyed or severely damaged,
including Port-au-Prince cathedral, the national assembly building and the presidential palace.
Much aid was received, and the total figure stood at $2.5 billion by March 21 2010, with a
further $ 1.3 billion pledged. The USA alone donated $466 million.
Despite much aid and humanitarian relief efforts from organisations such as the Red Cross and
the US government disease became a problem in the aftermath of the Earthquake, with the final
death toll standing at 316, 000 by 12th
Jan 2011 due to this disease.
Mount Nyiragongo, DR Congo – Volcano
Stratovolcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the eastern border with Rwanda.
Located on the Albertine Rift, where the African plate is breaking under tension.
Has erupted at least 34 times since 1882, most notably on 17th
January 2002, where a 13km
fissure opened up on the south flank of the volcano, causing a lava stream 500m wide to flow
into the town of Goma. (The lava is unusually viscous due to low silica levels in the rock – mafic)
Small earthquakes were felt for three months after the eruption, due to the earth settling after
the movement of a large weight of lava.
400,000 had been evacuated in the run up to the eruption but 147 were killed, mainly due to
carbon monoxide poisoning. 15% of Goma (4500 buildings) was destroyed and the airport was
damaged.
The lava flow stopped just short of Lake Kivu, which would have caused lethal levels of carbon
dioxide and methane to be released, like at Lake Nyos, Cameroon, in 1986 where 1700 people
and 3500 livestock were destroyed.
New Orleans, USA- Hurricane (Katrina)
Katrina began as a tropical storm, with the National Hurricane Centre in Miami giving its first
warning on 23rd
August 2005. On the 25th
Katrina became a hurricane (winds 85+ mph) and rose
steadily up to a category five hurricane (winds 156+ mph) before hitting New Orleans as a
category four storm (29th
August). The next day wind speeds had fallen to just 30mph by 11A.M.
The storm had already killed when it hit New Orleans as two people were killed when the storm
crossed Florida (falling trees)
Levees in the city burst flooding 80% of the city and 1800 people were killed. Power lines were
cut and several buildings collapsed.
20,000 people were evacuated to the Superdome but the evacuation order from Mayor Ray
Nagin came late, meaning many elderly and poorer people remained in the city (some feared
being looted).

U.S. government was criticised for its slow response to the disaster, with disease having become
a problem in the city (infected water supply).
Even today the effects of the hurricane can still be seen with schools and hospitals still being
closed. This is probably because New Orleans is one of the poorest places in the USA.
The population of New Orleans fell by around 30% and the final estimate for the cost of the
hurricane stands at $2.7 billion, with $1.3 billion worth of exports also lost.
Drought – Australia
Fall in rainfall led to reduction of monthly flow of water into Murray River.
Reservoirs running low such as Sydney which is down to 40% capacity (supplies 3.6 million
people).
Towns lose population as farming becomes impossible, such as Bourke in New South Wales, 778
km North West of Sydney.
Abattoirs and wool plant consumption down by 30%.
Water restrictions imposed in Sydney and Melbourne punishable by imprisonment.
Dry ground leads to increase in forest fires, e.g. Black Saturday Bushfires February to March
2009, where 450,000 hectares of land were burned, 2000+ homes were destroyed and 179
people were killed.
Madagascar - Rainforests
Madagascar is the world’s fourth smallest island and ninth poorest country, and is covered by
around 115,000sq km of rainforest, accounting for just under 1/5th
of the total land surface area.
Typical rainforest climate, with temperatures of around 30o
C from November to February,
dropping to around 18o
C in June, July and August. High rainfall all year round but highest in
December (over 300mm of precipitation) and lowest in June, July and August (50mm). Average
annual rainfall of around 1750mm.
Trees are very tall (60m) to compete for light and have long shallow roots to obtain minerals.
And for stability. They have waxy leaves and drip tips to avoid being rotted by the high levels of
precipitation.
Specially adapted plants include Epiphytes which begin to grow in the canopy layer and then
drop roots down to the ground and strangler figs, which grow around host trees smothering
them, so the fig takes its space in the crowded rainforest.

There are many species of animals in the rainforest; with most being small due to high
competition for food (smaller animals need less food).
Fungi also flourish as death is common, so these decomposers have a food source as well as
good conditions (warm, wet).
North Africa – Deserts
The Sahara Desert in Northern Africa has a similar surface area to that of the USA, and 25% of
this area is covered by sand (ergs). The rest consists of gravel plains (reg) and areas of barren
rock (hamada).
Temperatures vary from 23o
C in December and January to 35o
C in May and June. Rainfall is low
all year round peaking in July (77mm) and dropping to 0 between November and February. The
average annual rainfall is just 200mm.
Plants are adapted by having long shallow roots to find moisture and thorny leaves to minimise
water loss through transpiration. Many have thick stems to store water (e.g. cacti)
Animals tend to be small so can lose heat easily (surface area to volume ratio) and many live
underground (e.g. fennec fox). The camel is the exception, being able to store water and food in
its hump and having large hooves to avoid sinking in the sand.
Mozambique – Flooding
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in Southern Africa with a population of 19 million
and GDP per capita of $800.
Many people live on the floodplains of the Limpopo, Zambezi and Save Rivers, where the fertile
soils provide a living through agriculture.
In early 2000 heavy rainfall led to flooding on the 9th
February and torrential rain continued for 2
days. On 11th
February the banks of the Limpopo river burst and on 22nd
February Cyclone Eline
hit the coast near Beira. Following further heavy rainfall flash floods on 27th
February inundated
low lying farmland around Chokwe and Xai-Xai. The Zambezi river was 2.5m above flood level for
over five weeks.
The capital Maputo was flooded as was the road connecting the next largest city, Beira.
180,000 fled the floods, with some being evacuated in January. A food distribution centre was
set up at Caia and three accommodation centres were set up near Marromeu, containing 24,000
people.
Overall, around 800 people died and 20,000 cattle were lost. 1,400km2
of farmland was affected.
Niger – Desertification
The Sahel is a belt of semi-arid land running through Africa (including Niger), with a length of
5,400km and surface area of 3 million km2
. It receives between 200 and 600mm of precipitation
annually and mainly consists of savannah but is under threat from desertification.
2/3rd
of Niger is already desert and hundreds of villages have been abandoned as the desert
creeps up on them.
The desertification has several causes, including population growth in the area (3% growth per
year, population set to double in 20 years), deforestation (people collecting firewood),

overgrazing and rising temperatures and reduced rainfall (climate change). Abandonment of
traditional farming methods is also blamed, and it is believed drought acted as a catalyst to the
process after 1973.
The desertification can lead to famine as fertile land is lost, violence as resources are competed
for and dust storms. Villages are also forced to move south as the desert creeps up on them.
The government is researching into deforestation but at first made the mistake of not
communicating with locals, meaning trees planted to act as a shelter break were chopped down
as villagers felt the government was trying to take their land.
Bottom up schemes are now being proposed such as the planting of trees and using tassas for
farming (women).
Large scale solutions include introducing solar cookers to reduce deforestation and a giant
shelter break ‘The Great Green Wall’ has been proposed, 15km wide and stretching across Africa,
filled with trees and shrubs to halt desertification.
New Zealand – Commercial Agriculture
Pastoral farming is successful in New Zealand as the wet, warm climate is ideal for growing grass
for grazing animals.
The country is also fairly mountainous which makes arable farming difficult, but does not affect
pastoral farming.
Harwood’s Farm in North Canterbury is over 1500 hectares in size, mostly hilly but with 250
hectares of irrigated flat land. This land is used to grow high quality grass to be used as animal
feed in the winter months when snow covers the ground.
There are 6800 sheep (Corriedales) on the farm including 3500 ewes and 55 rams, which give a
balanced income of meat ($76000) and wool ($65000).
1400 head of cattle (Herefords) are kept and sold for meat, giving an annual income of $175000.
Rabbits are a pest on the farm and are culled to stop them eating the grass.
Inputs Processes Outputs Feedback
Stock Feeding Meat Stock
Fertiliser Slaughtering Wool Experience
Land Growing Money Money
Machinery Harvesting Experience Land
Staff Breeding New stock Machinery
Medicine Selling
Brazil – Subsistence Agriculture
The Erigbaagsta are an Amazonian tribe who rely on shifting ‘slash and burn’ cultivation for food.
Firstly, they select an area of rainforest to cultivate and cut down the vegetation, except some
large trees to stop soil erosion. The cut down greenery is burned releasing nutrients as ash into
the soil, and then the fertile soil is used for growing crops such as manioc, maize and cassava.
The tribe compliments these crops with food obtained through hunting and gathering in the
rainforest, such as monkey meat.
After two to three years the soil fertility declines and the tribe moves away to a new patch of
rainforest, and will not return to the same site for at least fifty years.

The lifestyle of the Erigbaagsta is now under threat due to deforestation.
Inputs Processes Outputs Feedback
Basic tools Clearing Crops Seeds
Seeds Burning Meat Tools
Growing Seeds Experience
Weeding
Harvesting
Hunting
Gathering
Dafur, Sudan – Food Shortages
Sudan is located in north east Africa, east of Chad and south of Egypt. Most populated areas are
east of the River Nile as rainfall is more reliable here, and irrigation from the Nile means soils are
more fertile.
Civil conflict has occurred in the country since 1956, mainly between Muslims in the north and
Christians in the south.
In 2003 the people of the Dafur region in the west of the country rose up against the
government. 200,000 people were killed and 2 million people were displaced and forced to move
into illegal camps.
These camps hold 130,000 people but there are no toilets, medical facilities or water supplies,
meaning disease is a problem.
Food shortages are an issue and have led to malnutrition and starvation, and despite aid being
sent the government has not distributed this as it says it wants people to return to their villages.
The people in the camps say they are afraid to do this as they claim their villages have been
destroyed and they will be killed.
Niger – Food Aid ‘Plumpy’ nut’
In Niger malnutrition is a big problem, with 1/5th
of children dying from it and ½ having stunted
growth. There is a ‘hunger season’ just before the harvest and the grain grown by villagers is low
quality (used as birdseed in the US) so does not provide enough nutrients for adults or children.
Plumpy’ nut is a ready to eat vitamin rich food source made of peanut butter, powdered milk,
sugar and added vitamins.
Advantages of it include that it needs no preparation, is cheap ($1 per day), can be easily stored
(long shelf life) and is tasty, so children happily eat it by themselves.
Since its introduction in Niger, nutrition has improved and hospitals are no longer overcrowded,
less children are dying from malnutrition and general health has improved (immunity to disease).
The situation can be further improved by helping children before their condition gets too serious
and making more Plumpy’ nut to feed more children.
Bangalore, India – High Tech Industry
Bangalore is one of India’s largest industrial cities, and has become involved in high tech industry
due to its highly educated workforce, good transport links and pleasant climate conditions.

In 1991 the Software Technology Park was created and several multinational software and IT
companies have relocated there.
Bangalore International Technology Park has an area of 28 hectares and is located 18km from
the city and 12km from the international airport. It has 1.5 million m2
of office, production and
commercial space and a residential block of 51 apartments. The site has a dedicated power
plant, water supply and air conditioning unit with reliable access to voice and data
communication. There is also a car park for 950 cars and 400 motorbikes.
Despite the high tech industry there is still much poverty in Bangalore, and great inequalities
between rich and poor.
Pakistan – Steel Industry
After partition from India in 1947 Pakistan realised it needed to set up an iron and steel industry
to support the new country, or it would become dependent on imports from other countries.
However it was many years before this project came about, but on 2nd
July 1968 the Pakistan
Steel Mills Corporation was set up as a private limited company, and sought Soviet finance and
expertise to construct a coastal-based integrated steel mill at Karachi.
Between 1973 and 1981 20 steel plants and the associated infrastructure were built at Pipri, a
town 40km from Karachi, and finally on 15th
January 1985 the steel mill complex was completed
and formally opened, becoming the largest industrial complex in Pakistan.
The site is spread over 18600 hectares, 10000 for the steel works, 8070 for the workers township
and 200 for the water reservoir.
Pipri was chosen for the site because of the abundance of flat unused land and natural harbour
of Port Qasim, through which Iron ore, manganese and coke can be imported, while limestone is
available from the nearby Makli Hills. It is also connected to the main Karachi-Kotri railway and
there is plenty of skilled and unskilled labour in the area. Finally Pipri thermal power station and
Koranga thermal power station provide power to the steelworks and are two of the largest
power stations in the country.
In 2006 the Pakistani government sold its 75% share in the steelworks to a Russian-led
consortium for $ 362 million after much debate, especially as with rising steel prices, the plant’s
profits were set to soar. Nevertheless, the works still produces a quarter of Pakistan’s steel.
The Alps – Tourism (MEDC)
The skiing industry in the Alps is under threat due to global warming, since increased
temperatures reduce snowfall and melt snow quicker.
The alpine tourism industry makes $65 billion annually, with a large proportion of this coming
from skiing, but banks are beginning to refuse to lend money to lower altitude ski resorts which
are most effected by global warming.
Many ski resorts are promoting alternate activities such as GPS treks and ice skating to counter
revenue lost from skiing.
Compagnie die Alpes, a Paris based operator of 14 ski resorts across Europe have increased the
amount of artificial snow they use from 11% in 1997 to almost 25% now, and have cleared ski
slopes of stones and obstacles, so they can be used with just 15-20cm of snow, rather than the
usual 70cm.

The problem with artificial snow is that it draws water from drinking supplies and the snow it
creates melts just as quickly as ordinary snow. Using the machines needs lots of energy,
contributing to the climate change issue.
Dubai – Tourism (MEDC)
Dubai is one of the seven emirates in the UAE, and the city is a busy urban area in a sparsely
populated desert.
The hot climate attracts tourists, with average daily temperatures around 30o
C in January rising
to above 40o
C in July. Rain is rare and occurs on average only about five days per year.
There are many luxury hotels and resorts such as the Burj Al Arab and more and more tourist
attractions are being planned and built.
There is currently a 5 hectare water park (Wild Wadi), 1500 capacity indoor ski centre and Dubai
Desert Safaris are very popular.
Tourism now makes up over 30% of Dubai’s GDP, with hotels reporting over 6.5 million guests in
2006, generating revenues of more than $3 billion.
It is likely the dramatic increase In tourism in Dubai occurred as the city’s economy boomed,
leading to the building of many of the facilities.
Machu Picchu, Peru – Tourism (LEDC)
Machu Picchu is located 7970 feet above sea level in the Cusco region of Peru, 310 miles south of
the capital Lima.
It is a 15th
century Inca settlement and possibly sacred religious site, and has been granted
UNESCO World Heritage status. In 2007 it was also voted one of the 7 new wonders of the world
in an internet poll.
Because of its heritage and beautiful scenery in the Andes mountains the site became a popular
tourist attraction in the 1990s, with over 4000 visitors per day. However tourists brought serious
problems to the site.
Heavy footfall on the 26km long Inca trail leading to the site trampled plants and has led to soil
erosion due to removal of roots. This has led to landslides, scarring the scenery. Human waste
and litter has also become a problem due to the lack of toilets and litter bins, and the arrival of
rich tourists has increased crime.
To resolve these issues, a cap of 2500 visitors per day has been imposed on the trail and it is
closed from November to April, the rainy season. Modern steps have been introduced on parts
of the trail and camping is now only allowed in designated areas. The price of access to the trail
has been increased to reduce the number of visitors.
Tuvalu – Climate Change
Tuvalu is made up of nine tiny islands in the south Pacific, with a total landmass of just 26km2
. It
has a population of 11,000, 4,000 of whom live in the capital Funafati. Most of the population
rely on fishing or seasonal work in New Zealand for most of their income.
Local temperature records only date back to 1977 but there has been a clear increase in winter
and summer temperatures since records began, and a reduction in rainfall.

The highest point in Tuvalu is just 4.5m above sea level and increasingly higher peak sea level
events have been recorded in Funafati.
The Tuvalu Red Cross Society was established in 1981 and has 100 volunteers in Funafati, and
assists with disaster response and preparation, supported by other Red Cross societies from
abroad.
The New Zealand Red Cross Society donated a ‘Talking Suitcase’ satellite phone system to imprve
communication which has been used on several occasions, such as during the March 2007 Pacific
wide tsunami alert.
The climate change and disaster management officer received training in the Pacific Emergency
Response Team curriculum in October 2006, and trained 17 volunteers on the islands. When
large waves struck a low lying part of Funafati in April 2007, the volunteers used this training to
evacuate over 100 people from the flooded houses.
The Tuvalu Red Cross Society now also makes regular radio broadcasts, educating people on
climate change, health, disaster preparedness and promotes its activities to children and young
people.
Costa Rica – Sustainable Management
Costa Rica has 2,391,000 hectares of rainforest, but deforestation is a big problem, with 173,000
hectares being lost since 1990. To help protect and manage the rainforest sustainably national
parks were set up.
Costa Rica has 29 national parks covering 12.5% of the total land area. The parks contain many of
the country’s 208 species of mammals, 850 birds, 220 reptiles, 132 amphibians and over 9000
species of plants.
The protected rainforests attract tourists, bringing money into the country, and in 2007
Tortuguero National Park alone had over 45,000 visitors.
Locals are kept happy as they are allowed to farm the rainforest sustainably, harvesting bananas
and cocoa, and small scale forestry takes place using naturally fallen trees.
Whilst these management schemes are currently effective, there are concerns in the long term
that tourism could damage the forests, especially as there are no limits on visitor numbers, and
as the population increases farming in the rainforest will be unsustainable due to the limited
space.
Lesotho – Water Resources
Lesotho is a landlocked LEDC completely surrounded by South Africa. It has a population of 1.8
million and life expectancy of just 34.
In the east of the country are mountainous highlands which receive heavy rainfall (1020mm per
year), meaning the valleys are ideal for building dams and reservoirs.
In 1988 the Lesotho Highlands Water Project was started, funded by several sources including
the Lesotho government and the World Bank.
When completed in 2027 the project will divert 40% of the Senqu/ Orange river water through
five large scale dams, three of which (the Katse, Mohale and Mashai) have already been
completed.

The project will give Lesotho a larger water supply than it needs, so excess can be sold to South
Africa, bringing income to the country. The dams are also expected to bring tourists, again
bringing income to the country.
Some people are opposed to the project, especially amongst the 30,000 relocated and
opposition government, who claim Lesotho could become dependent on South Africa for
income.
Democratic Republic of the Congo – Fuelwood
2.6 billion people in LEDC’s rely on fuelwood for cooking and heating, especially where other
technologies are impractical. In places where there is no oil or gas, not enough money for
nuclear or solar technology and unsuitable conditions for HEP or geothermal energy fuelwood
may be the only option.
In 2010, Africa alone used 485 million cubic metres of fuelwood, over a third of the world total,
and this is expected to rise to 545 million cubic metres by 2030.
DR Congo is situated on the equator and 80% of its citizens live in poverty, with 70% relying on
subsistence agriculture for survival. Commercial logging removed much of the country’s forests
but then in 1998 civil war broke out, forcing refugees to live and hide in the forests, meaning the
country is rapidly running out of supplies of fuelwood.
Today villagers often have to walk up to 7km to collect enough wood for a day and 30% of
incomes are spent on the resource.
Deforestation for fuelwood is also a problem as removal of vegetation leads to soil erosion and
desertification.
A possible solution is to burn dried animal dung but this is used as fertiliser, so crop yields would
be reduced.
Connah’s Quay Gas Turbine Power Station, UK – Thermal Power Station
Connah’s Quay is located in North Wales by the Dee Estuary (a site of international importance
for wildfowl and waders). There are several small settlements close to the power station, such as
Shotton and Oakenholt.
The site has four single shaft generators producing 330MW of power each, totalling 1420MW of
power, enough for half of Wales. A gas treatment plant is also on site so any gas not used in the
power station can be exported to the National Transmission System.
Gas for the site is delivered through a 27km pipeline from Liverpool Bay via the Point of Ayr gas
terminal.
81 people work at the site, mainly working as supervisors as most physical tasks have been
mechanised.
Hoover Dam, USA – Hydro-Electric Power
The Hoover dam is located on the border between Nevada and Arizona in the western United
States. The nearest major settlement is Boulder City (population 15,000).
It was completed in 1936 at a cost of $811 million, with employment on the site peaking at 5400.
2,480,000m3
of concrete was used in building the 221x379m dam and 19 turbines are on site,
generating electricity when the spillways are opened.

The reservoir has a capacity of 19.5km3
of water and a maximum depth of 180m.
The annual power output of the dam is around 2.08 gigawatts, and most of this is used to power
Boulder City and Los Angeles.

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