Geography Syllabus from JAMB
The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2026 syllabus in Geography is to prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination. It is designed to test their achievement of the course objectives, which are to:
1. handle and interpret topographical maps, photographs, statistical data and diagrams, and basic
field survey;
2. demonstrate knowledge of man’s physical and human environment and how man lives and earns a living on earth surface with special reference to Nigeria and Africa;
3. show understanding of the interrelationship between man and his environment;
4. apply geographical concepts, skills, and principles to solving problems.
5. understand fieldwork techniques and the study of a local area in the field.
F. Geographic Information System (GIS):
Topics:
(a) Components.
(b) Techniques.
(c) Data.
(d) Sources.
(e) Applications
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. Understand GIS and its uses.
ii. Understand the computer system of data capturing and analysis
iii. Express locations through the use of latitudes, longitudes, zipcodes etc.
iv. Understand land surveying, remote sensing, map digitizing, map scanning as sources of data.
v. Explain areas of use: Defense, Agriculture, Rural Development etc.
vi. Identify problems with GIS in Nigeria.
II. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
A. The earth as a planet
Topics:
i. The earth in the solar system, rotation and revolution;
ii. The shape and size of the earth
iii. Latitudes and distances, longitudes and time
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. identify the relative positions of the planets in the solar system;
ii relate the effects of the rotation to the revolution of the earth;
iii provide proof for the shape and size of the earth;
iv differentiate between latitudes and longitudes;
v relate lines of latitude to calculation of distance;
vi relate lines of longitude to calculation of time;
B. The Earth Crust
Topics:
i. The structure of the earth (internal and external) Relationships among the four spheres.
ii. Rocks: Types, characteristics, modes of formation and uses
iii. Earth’s movement: Tectonic forces
iv. Major Landforms: Mountains, Plateaux, Plains, Coastal landforms, karst topography and desert landforms
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i Factors controlling growth of plants
ii The concept of vegetation e.g. plant communities and succession
iii Major types of vegetation, their characteristics and distribution,
iv Impact of human activities on vegetation.
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. trace the factors controlling the growth of plants;
ii analyse the process of vegetation development;
iii identify the types, their characteristics and distribution;
iv assess the impact of human activities on vegetation;
H. Soils
Topics:
i. Definition and properties
ii. Factors and processes of formation
iii. Soil profiles
iv. Major tropical types, their characteristics, distribution and uses;
v. Impact of human activities on soils.
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. classify soils and their properties;
ii. isolate the factors of formation;
iii. differentiate between the different types of soil horizons and their characteristics;
iv. compare the major tropical soil types and uses of soils;
v. account for the distribution and uses of soils;
vi. assess the impact of human activities on soils.
I. Environmental Resources;
Topics:
i Types of resources (atmospheric, land, soil, Vegetation and minerals)
ii The concept of renewable and non- renewable resources;
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. interpret the concept of environmental resources;
ii. relate environmental resources to their uses;
iii. differentiate between the concepts of renewable and non-renewable resources
J. Environmental interaction:
Topics:
i Land ecosystem
ii Environmental balance and human interaction
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. differentiate between types of settlements; (rural and urban)
ii. classify the patterns and functions of rural settlements;
iii. classify the patterns and functions of urban settlements;
iv identify the problems of urban centres;
v. establish the interrelationship between rural and urban settlements;
C. Selected economic activities
Topics:
i. Types of economic activities: primary, secondary, tertiary and quartnary;
ii. Agriculture: types, system, factors and problems
iii. Manufacturing industries, types, locational factors, distribution and socio- economic importance and problems of industrialization in tropical Africa.
iv. Transportation and Communication types, roles in economic development and communication in tropical Africa.
v. World trade-factors and pattern of world trade, major commodities (origin, routes and destinations).
vi. Tourism: definition, importance, location, problems and solutions.
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. identify the types of economic activities;
ii. differentiate between the types of economic activities;
iii. assess Agriculture as an economic activity;
iv. compare the types of manufacturing industries;
v. identify the factors of industrial location;
vi. examine the socio-economic importance of manufacturing industries;
vii. give reasons for the problems of industrialization in tropical Africa;
viii. differentiate between the types and means of transportation and communication;
ix. assess the economic importance of transport;
x. give reasons for the problems of transportation in tropical Africa;
xi. relate the factors to the pattern of world trade.
xii. classify the major commodities of trade in terms of their origins, routes and destination.
xiii. Analyse tourism as an economic activity.
IV. REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY
A. Broad outline of Nigeria
Topics:
i. Location, position, size, political division (states) and peoples;
ii Physical settling: geology, relief, landform, climate and drainage, vegetation and soils;
iii Population: size, distribution, migration, (types, problems and effects);
iv Natural Resources: types (minerals, soils, Water, vegetation etc) distribution, uses and conservation.
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. describe the location, size, and political divisions of Nigeria;
ii. identify the ethnic groups and their distributions;
iii. relate the components of physical settings to their effects on human activities;
iv. account for the pattern of population distribution;
v. examine the types of migration, their problems, and effects;
vi. identify the types of natural resources and their distribution;
vii. indicate their uses and conservation;
B. Economic and Human Geography:
Topics:
i. Agricultural Systems: the major crops produced, problems of agricultural development in Nigeria.
ii. Manufacturing Industries: factors of location, types of products, marketing and problems associated with manufacturing;
iii. Transportation and Communication: modes of transportation and communication and their relative advantages and disadvantages;
iv. Trade: Regional and International Trade, advantages and disadvantages;
v. Tourism: types, importance, problems, and solutions.
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. compare the farming systems practiced in Nigeria;
ii. identify the crops produced and the problems encountered;
iii. identify the types and location of the major manufacturing industries;
iv. determine the factors of industrial location and the problems associated with the industries;
v. establish the relationship between transport and communication;
vi. relate the modes of transportation and communication to their relative advantages and disadvantages;
vii. classify the major commodities of regional and international trade;
viii. identify reasons for tourism and tourist centres;
ix. account for the problems and solutions
C. ECOWAS
Topics:
i. Meaning and objectives
ii. Member states
iii. Advantages and benefits
iv. Disadvantages, problems, and solutions
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to:
i. State the meaning, purpose, and objectives;
ii. identify and locate the member countries;
iii. evaluate the prospects and problems of the organization.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Adeleke, B.O. Areola .O. 2002 and Leong, G.C. Certificate Physical and Human Geography for Senior Secondary School (West African Edition), Ibadan: Oxford.
Bradshaw, M. et al (2004) Contemporary World Regional Geography, New York: McGraw Hill
Bunet, R.B, and Okunrotifa, P.O.(1999) General Geography in Diagrams for West Africa, China: Longman.
Collins New Secondary Atlas, Macmillan
Fellman, D. et al (2005) Introduction to Geography (Seventh Edition) New York: McGraw Hill
Getis, A. et al (2004) Introduction to Geography (Ninth Edition) New York: McGraw Hill
Iloeje, N. P(1999) A New Geography of West Africa, Hong Kong: Longman
Iloeje, N.P(1982) A New Geography of Nigeria (New Education), Hong Kong: London
Nimako, D.A. (2000) Map Reading of West Africa, Essex: Longman.
Okunrotifa, P.O. and Michael S. (2000) A Regional Geography of Africa (New Edition), Essex: London.
Udo, R.K(1970) Geographical Regions of Nigeria, London: Longman.
Waugh, D. (1995) Geography an Integrated Approach (Second Edition), China: Nelson
Adegoke M.A (2013), A Comprehensive Text on Physical, Human and Regional Geography.
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
Authentic Geography Jamb Syllabus
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