Gaokao Geography: Physical and Human Geography Flashcards

The 'urban primacy' of cities like Bangkok, Thailand, or Lima, Peru, is often attributed to:

Answer: Highly centralized political and economic systems concentrating investment in the capital

Urban primacy in developing countries is often linked to centralized political structures where the capital city receives disproportionate infrastructure investment, foreign investment, and economic activity.

Which of the following correctly describes the formation of a 'floodplain'?

Answer: Flat areas adjacent to rivers formed by deposition of alluvium during successive floods

Floodplains are flat, low-lying areas bordering rivers, built up by repeated flooding events that deposit fine alluvial sediments (silt and clay), creating fertile soils ideal for agriculture.

Which factor MOST contributes to the high biodiversity of tropical rainforests compared to temperate forests?

Answer: Year-round warm temperatures and high rainfall providing stable, productive conditions for millions of years

Tropical rainforests have extremely high biodiversity because of stable year-round warmth and rainfall, which has allowed species to specialize and diversify over millions of years without seasonal die-off constraints.

The concept of 'comparative advantage' in international trade theory (Ricardo) implies that:

Answer: Trade is beneficial even when one country is less efficient at producing all goods, as long as relative efficiency differs

Ricardo showed that even if Country A is less efficient than Country B at producing everything, both benefit from specialization and trade if their relative (comparative) costs differ.

Which climatic feature is responsible for the formation of the world's major hot deserts (Sahara, Arabian, Australian) at approximately 20°–30° latitude?

Answer: Subsiding dry air associated with subtropical high-pressure belts (Hadley cell descending branch)

The descending limb of the Hadley circulation compresses and warms air adiabatically at 20°–30° latitude, creating the subtropical high-pressure belts characterized by clear skies, low humidity, and minimal precipitation.

A country's Human Development Index (HDI) is composed of indices measuring:

Answer: Life expectancy, education (years of schooling and expected schooling), and GNI per capita

The UNDP's HDI combines health (life expectancy at birth), education (mean years of schooling + expected years of schooling), and living standards (GNI per capita PPP) into a composite 0–1 index.

In the context of China's industrial geography, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region became a major manufacturing hub primarily because:

Answer: The establishment of Special Economic Zones attracted foreign investment combined with proximity to Hong Kong and low labor costs

Shenzhen and other PRD Special Economic Zones (SEZs) established in 1980 offered tax incentives, relaxed regulations, and cheap labor; combined with Hong Kong's capital and know-how, they became the 'world's factory' for electronics and consumer goods.