#3 MCQ Practice Exam AP Human Geo
This practice exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions designed to test your knowledge of key concepts in AP Human Geography. Select the best answer for each question.
Question 1
What concept in political geography best explains the irregular shape of the congressional district shown?
The map above shows the boundaries of Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District, often cited as one of the most gerrymandered districts in the United States. The district winds through disconnected suburban and urban areas and has been criticized for its irregular and fragmented shape.
Devolution
Federalism
Gerrymandering
Reapportionment
Question 2
What is the most likely political purpose behind drawing a district in this shape?
To ensure equitable ethnic representation
To promote balanced competition between parties
To dilute the voting strength of opposition voters across districts
To follow the boundaries of local physical geography
Question 3
Which of the following is a potential consequence of the practice illustrated in the map?
Higher voter turnout across all districts
A more geographically compact and fair map
Unequal representation and enhanced partisan advantage
Increased rural influence in urban areas
Question 4
Which of the following terms best describes the strategy of concentrating opposition voters into a single district to reduce their influence in other districts?
Cracking
Majority-minority districting
Redlining
Packing
Question 5
In the context of the map, which national political process directly enables the drawing of congressional district boundaries?
Electoral College allocation
Reapportionment following the U.S. Census
Federal judicial review
Ratification of constitutional amendments
Question 6
The pattern of deforestation shown in the image is most likely associated with which type of agricultural practice?
This satellite image shows deforestation in Rondônia, Brazil—a region within the Amazon rainforest. Lighter-colored, grid-like patches represent cleared forest land, largely converted for agriculture (such as cattle ranching and soybean farming). The remaining dark green areas are intact forest. Satellite imagery like this helps geographers and policymakers track land use change and its environmental impacts.
Shifting cultivation practiced by small-scale farmers
Sustainable forest management for timber exports
Commercial agriculture involving large-scale land clearing
Intensive wet rice cultivation in tropical lowlands
Question 7
Which of the following sustainability concerns is most directly linked to the land use change shown in the image?
Desertification due to overgrazing
Salinization from irrigation canals
Loss of biodiversity and carbon sequestration
Water pollution from pesticide runoff into oceans
Question 8
Which political or economic factor likely contributed to the pattern of land use change visible in this satellite image?
National policies promoting agricultural exports
Urban-to-rural migration in core countries
World Bank restrictions on tropical agriculture
Expansion of urban manufacturing centers
Question 9
The spatial pattern of deforestation visible in the satellite image most strongly reflects which geographic process?
Urban decentralization driven by suburban expansion
The diffusion of global agricultural practices through economic globalization
Local environmental determinism impacting rural land use
Centripetal forces reinforcing cultural landscape preservation
Question 10
Which of the following would be the most effective sustainability strategy to reduce the negative impacts seen in the image, while balancing economic development needs?
Implementing a complete ban on agricultural exports from tropical regions
Encouraging rural-urban migration to reduce pressure on forest land
Expanding intensive monoculture to boost productivity per acre
Supporting agroforestry and certification programs for sustainable production
Question 11
Which of the following strategies has most successfully preserved minority languages in Europe?
Replacing dominant languages in media and schools
Official government recognition and regional education policies
Prohibiting the use of national languages in minority regions
Promoting only oral transmission to avoid standardization
Question 12
The formation of the African Union and the European Union reflects which political trend in the modern world?
Territorial fragmentation
Increased local autonomy
Global supranational cooperation
Rejection of international institutions
Question 13
A geographer is studying a city where the median age has increased, fertility rates have declined, and the elderly population now makes up more than 20% of the population. Which of the following outcomes is most likely to occur in this city?
Increased demand for schools and childcare centers
A reduction in dependency ratio
Labor shortages in key service sectors
Higher rates of immigration from older age groups
Question 14
According to Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth, which of the following best characterizes the “Takeoff” stage?
A reliance on traditional agricultural practices
Government policies supporting infrastructure and manufacturing
High consumer demand for luxury goods and services
Global investment shifting into primary-sector development
Question 15
Which of the following best reflects Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory?
Core countries extract raw materials from periphery countries and export finished goods
Semi-periphery countries have the highest levels of GNI and HDI
Periphery countries dominate in high-tech innovation and capital investment
Core countries are characterized by subsistence farming and minimal infrastructure
Question 16
What is a primary advantage of using an isoline map rather than a choropleth map?
It compares multiple categories across a wide geographic scale
It shows absolute population values rather than averages
It uses color gradients to display thematic data by region
It reveals gradual changes in phenomena such as elevation or temperature
Question 17
In this cartogram, countries such as Canada and Australia appear significantly smaller than in most conventional world maps. What best explains this visual change?
The map shown is a population cartogram, in which each country is resized to reflect its total population rather than its physical land area.
These countries have very low population densities.
These countries have small populations relative to their land area.
These countries have experienced rapid population decline.
These countries are geographically isolated.
Question 18
Nigeria appears significantly enlarged in the cartogram. Which of the following best explains this?
Nigeria has a high population density due to its small size.
Nigeria has implemented strict pro-natalist policies.
Nigeria has one of the world’s highest total fertility rates.
Nigeria has recently expanded its national borders.
Question 19
China and India are visually dominant in the population cartogram. What geographic concept best explains this?
Demographic momentum
Population density
Urbanization
Doubling time
Question 20
Which of the following best identifies the primary goal of Country A’s policy?
Increase the birth rate to reach replacement-level fertility
Reduce population growth through government-mandated fertility limits
Encourage immigration to balance the age structure
Improve gender equality through family planning
Question 21
Country C is most likely to experience which of the following demographic trends?
Shrinking labor force and declining economic productivity
Rapid population growth and high youth dependency
Aging population and increased demand for elder care
Stable population size due to migration inflows
Question 22
Despite policy efforts, Country D continues to experience population decline. What does this suggest about the challenges of pro-natalist policies?
They typically lead to uncontrolled population growth
They are only effective in countries with high fertility to begin with
Cultural and economic factors may limit their effectiveness
Government support guarantees a return to replacement-level fertility
Question 23
Based on the zoning patterns visible on the map, which urban model does the city of Chicago most closely resemble?
Concentric Zone Model
Galactic City Model
Latin American City Model
Sub-Saharan African City Model
Question 24
The dense concentration of mixed zoning (commercial, industrial, and residential) near downtown Chicago most likely reflects which geographic process?
Decentralization of services to suburban areas
Edge city development
Urban land use intensification near the CBD
Environmental zoning protections
Question 25
The map shows more uniform land use patterns (mostly residential) in the outlying areas of the city. What factor most likely contributes to this pattern?
The spread of informal settlements
The dominance of tertiary sector jobs
Suburbanization and the rise of single-family zoning
The presence of brownfield redevelopment
Teach with AI superpowers
Why teachers love Class Companion
Import assignments to get started in no time.
Create your own rubric to customize the AI feedback to your liking.
Overrule the AI feedback if a student disputes.