Cambridge IGCSE Pakistan Studies: The Land of Pakistan — Practice Questions (0448)

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: The Land of Pakistan study guide and Power practice questions

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What do these questions practise? Section 1 The land of Pakistan in Cambridge IGCSE Pakistan Studies 0448 Paper 2: (a) location, (b) administrative areas and cities, (c) natural topography and drainage, and (d) climate, including the monsoon and the influence of relief and climate on human activity. Paper 2 questions on this section usually start from a map, so practise with a blank outline map of Pakistan beside you.

Section A: location and map skills

1. Name the line of latitude that passes through the south of Pakistan close to Karachi, and state whether it lies north or south of the city. [2]

2. Name four countries that share a border with Pakistan. [4]

3. Name the sea that forms Pakistan’s southern coastline. [1]

4. Name the city that is Pakistan’s capital and the city that lies next to it. [2]

5. Name two cities in Balochistan and two in Sindh named in the syllabus. [4]

Section B: topography and drainage

6. Name two mountain ranges in the north of Pakistan and one plateau in the south-west. [3]

7. Name three tributaries of the Indus that join it from the east. [3]

8. Name the river that joins the Indus from the west near Attock. [1]

9. Name one desert in Sindh and one in Punjab. [2]

10. Explain how steep slopes in the northern mountains affect the way land is used. [3]

11. Explain why mountains and deserts make it difficult to build road and rail networks. [4]

Section C: climate

12. Explain the causes of the summer monsoon. [5]

13. Describe the characteristics of the climate of the arid region of Pakistan. [3]

14. Explain why winter rainfall is higher in the north-west than in the south of Pakistan. [3]

15. Explain why day length in summer is longer in Gilgit than in Karachi. [2]

16. “Heavy monsoon rain brings more problems than benefits to Pakistan.” To what extent do you agree? [6]

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Answers

1. Tropic of Cancer [1], which lies south of Karachi [1].

2. Any four: India, China, Afghanistan, Iran [4].

3. Arabian Sea [1].

4. Islamabad [1]; Rawalpindi [1].

5. Balochistan: Quetta and Gwadar [2]. Sindh: Karachi and Hyderabad [2].

6. Mountains, any two: Himalaya, Karakoram, Hindu Kush [2]. Plateau: Balochistan Plateau [1].

7. Any three: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej [3].

8. Kabul River [1].

9. Sindh: Thar [1]. Punjab: Thal [1].

10. Steep slopes have thin soils that are easily eroded, so large-scale farming is difficult [1]. Farmers cut terraces to create flat fields for crops such as maize and fruit [1]. Steeper land is left for forest or for grazing sheep and goats [1].

11. In mountains, steep gradients mean roads and railways must zigzag or be tunnelled, which is costly [1]; landslides, snow and earthquakes block routes and raise maintenance costs [1]. In deserts, shifting sand covers tracks and roads [1], and very high temperatures and the lack of water make construction and maintenance difficult; low population means little demand to justify the cost [1].

12. In summer the land heats up much faster than the sea [1]. Hot air rises over the land, creating an area of low pressure over the subcontinent [1]. The sea stays cooler, so higher pressure lies over the Indian Ocean [1]. Moist winds blow from the sea towards the low pressure [1]. As they rise over land and hills they cool and condense, giving heavy rain, mainly in July and August [1].

13. Very hot summers and mild or cool winters [1]; very low and unreliable rainfall, under about 250 mm a year [1]; high evaporation and a large daily range of temperature [1].

14. Western depressions enter Pakistan from the west in winter [1] and bring rain and snow mainly to the north-west and northern mountains [1]. They have weakened or lost moisture by the time they reach the south, which stays dry [1].

15. Gilgit is at a higher latitude, further north than Karachi [1]. In the Northern Hemisphere summer, places further from the equator have longer days [1].

16. Benefits: monsoon rain supplies most of the country’s rainfall [1], fills reservoirs such as Tarbela and Mangla for irrigation and hydel power [1], and waters kharif crops such as rice [1]. Problems: floods damage crops, homes, roads and railways [1]; disease spreads in standing water [1]; erosion and landslides in hilly areas [1]. A supported judgement, for example that the benefits outweigh the problems if dams and flood defences store and control the water, is needed for full marks. Maximum 6.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how the mountains were formed? No. The 0448 syllabus says knowledge of the formation of Pakistan’s natural topography is not required, but you must use the right vocabulary to describe mountains, plateaux, floodplains and deserts.

Which rain types should I explain? You must understand the causes of the monsoon. You should know the distribution of convectional rain and depressions, but the syllabus does not require you to explain their causes.

Based on the Cambridge IGCSE Pakistan Studies 0448 syllabus for examination in 2026, Paper 2 Section 1.