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BGCSE Geography (Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education) practice questions

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Question 1The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which body of water lies to the west of Andros Island and separates it from the Florida coast?

  1. The Providence Channel
  2. The Tongue of the Ocean
  3. The Straits of Florida Correct answer.
  4. The Great Bahama Bank

Explanation

The Straits of Florida is the deep channel running between the Florida peninsula and the western edge of the Bahama Banks. Andros sits along that western margin, so the strait lies directly west of it. The other features are internal to the Bahamian archipelago rather than the passage to Florida.

Question 2The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

The Bahamas lies in which broad climatic belt, giving it warm temperatures and a distinct wet season?

  1. Mediterranean
  2. Tropical savanna and tropical marine Correct answer.
  3. Cool temperate maritime
  4. Arid desert

Explanation

The islands sit between roughly 20 and 28 degrees north, placing them in the tropical zone moderated by surrounding ocean. This produces a tropical marine climate with a warm wet season and a cooler dry season. Rainfall totals and seasonal timing fit tropical savanna patterns rather than temperate or desert ones.

Question 3The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

What type of rock makes up most of the land surface of the Bahama Islands?

  1. Limestone Correct answer.
  2. Volcanic basalt
  3. Shale
  4. Granite

Explanation

Bahamian land is built almost entirely of calcium carbonate sediments and rock formed from the accumulation of marine organisms. These deposits hardened into limestone, which is why the islands are prone to karst weathering. The underlying basement is deep and does not reach the surface.

Question 4The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Blue holes in the Bahamas are best described as which feature?

  1. Submerged vertical caves formed in limestone Correct answer.
  2. Coral reefs exposed at low tide
  3. Freshwater marshes behind the beach ridge
  4. Sand dunes piled by trade winds

Explanation

Blue holes are deep, roughly circular flooded shafts and caverns dissolved out of carbonate rock by chemical weathering. They may open inland or lie offshore beneath the sea. Their striking blue colour comes from the depth and clarity of the water column.

Question 5The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which island of The Bahamas is the largest by land area?

  1. Grand Bahama
  2. Abaco
  3. Eleuthera
  4. Andros Correct answer.

Explanation

Andros is the largest Bahamian island and one of the largest in the Caribbean region. It is also notable for its extensive wetlands and barrier reef. The other listed islands are substantial but smaller in area.

Question 6The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

The Bahamas experiences a pronounced wet season mainly between which months?

  1. December to March
  2. May to October Correct answer.
  3. February to April
  4. November to January

Explanation

Summer heating strengthens convection and draws moist tropical air over the islands, producing the main rainy period from about May through October. The cooler months are drier because the subtropical high brings more stable sinking air. This seasonal rhythm also overlaps with the Atlantic hurricane season.

Question 7The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which natural hazard most commonly threatens Bahamian islands during late summer?

  1. Tropical cyclones Correct answer.
  2. Blizzards
  3. Glacier melt floods
  4. Dust storms

Explanation

Tropical cyclones form over warm Atlantic waters and can track across the archipelago between roughly June and November. Warm sea surface temperatures provide the energy these storms need. Their storm surge and high winds are the leading environmental hazards for the islands.

Question 8The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

What is the dominant vegetation type on the drier, windward coasts and rocky limestone areas of The Bahamas?

  1. Temperate deciduous forest
  2. Coniferous pine forest only
  3. Coastal coppice and scrub Correct answer.
  4. Mangrove swamp

Explanation

Thin soil, salt spray and strong winds on exposed limestone favour low, salt-tolerant coppice and scrub vegetation. This community includes many drought-resistant shrubs and small hardwoods. Taller forests require deeper soil or shelter that these coasts lack.

Question 9The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Why are Bahamian soils generally thin and poorly suited to intensive farming?

  1. They are deeply frozen for much of the year
  2. They are thin and drain rapidly through limestone Correct answer.
  3. They are mainly coarse volcanic ash
  4. They are highly saline everywhere

Explanation

Most soil has accumulated in small pockets on a porous limestone surface, so it is shallow and loses water quickly. Soluble minerals leach downward through the rock, leaving limited fertility. Farming therefore depends on careful management and localised deeper soils.

Question 10The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

The Tongue of the Ocean is best described as which of the following?

  1. A deep submarine trough between Andros and New Providence Correct answer.
  2. A narrow sand spit
  3. A shallow freshwater lake
  4. A raised coral terrace

Explanation

The Tongue of the Ocean is a deep, steep-sided submarine canyon or trough that cuts into the Bahama Banks. It lies between Andros to the west and New Providence and Exuma Sound to the east. Its great depth and clear water make it distinctive among Bahamian marine features.

Question 11The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

A student notices that the eastern coasts of many Bahamian islands are rockier while western coasts often have broad sandy beaches. Which process best explains this pattern?

  1. Trade winds and waves approaching mainly from the east Correct answer.
  2. Glacial erosion from the north
  3. River deposition from inland
  4. Tidal bores entering from the west

Explanation

Prevailing easterly trade winds drive waves against eastern shores, eroding rock and removing fine sediment. Sheltered western shores allow sand and carbonate mud to accumulate, building wider beaches. The result is the typical windward-rocky, leeward-sandy arrangement.

Question 12The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Mangrove communities in The Bahamas are most likely to be found in which setting?

  1. Dry sand dunes far from water
  2. Exposed rocky headlands
  3. Sheltered muddy tidal creeks and lagoons Correct answer.
  4. High inland ridges

Explanation

Mangroves need calm water, soft muddy substrate and regular tidal flooding to establish. Sheltered creeks, lagoons and leeward shorelines provide these conditions. Their tangled roots also trap sediment and help stabilise the coastline.

Question 13The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

What role do coral reefs play in protecting Bahamian coastlines?

  1. They raise sea level near the shore
  2. They increase beach erosion by reflecting waves
  3. They reduce wave energy before waves reach the shore Correct answer.
  4. They prevent all hurricane formation

Explanation

Reef structures break and dissipate wave energy offshore, so weaker waves reach beaches and settlements. This reduces erosion and storm damage along protected coasts. The reef also builds sand as coral and shells break down.

Question 14The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which statement best explains why the Bahamas has relatively small temperature ranges between summer and winter?

  1. It is surrounded by ocean that moderates temperature Correct answer.
  2. It receives no sunshine in winter
  3. It lies far inland
  4. It has high mountain ranges

Explanation

Large water bodies heat and cool more slowly than land, so surrounding ocean keeps island temperatures moderate year round. Maritime air masses also bring similar conditions across seasons. This produces a smaller annual temperature range than continental locations at the same latitude.

Question 15The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Karst landscapes in The Bahamas are characterised by which set of surface features?

  1. Sinkholes, solution pits and caverns Correct answer.
  2. U-shaped glacial valleys and moraines
  3. Fold mountains and deep fault valleys
  4. Sand dunes and loess deposits

Explanation

Karst develops where soluble carbonate rock is dissolved by slightly acidic water. This creates sinkholes, pitted surfaces, underground drainage and caves. The Bahamas shows these features widely because limestone underlies nearly all the land.

Question 16The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Why is rainwater able to pass quickly into the ground on many Bahamian islands?

  1. The rock is porous and jointed limestone Correct answer.
  2. The surface is solid granite
  3. The soil is frozen
  4. The islands are covered by thick clay

Explanation

Limestone is permeable and is cut by joints and solution channels, so water drains downward rather than running off. This recharge feeds the freshwater lens that supplies wells. It also means surface streams are rare.

Question 17The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

What is the freshwater lens found beneath many Bahamian islands?

  1. A surface pond behind the dunes
  2. A layer of ice within the rock
  3. A body of fresh groundwater floating above denser salt water Correct answer.
  4. A current of fresh water in the open sea

Explanation

Rain soaking into porous limestone forms a lens of lighter fresh water that sits above denser seawater within the rock. Its thickness depends on recharge and on how much water is pumped out. Over-extraction can draw salt water upward into wells.

Question 18The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which human action is most likely to cause saltwater intrusion into a Bahamian well field?

  1. Protecting nearby mangroves
  2. Allowing rainwater to soak into the soil
  3. Pumping groundwater faster than it is recharged Correct answer.
  4. Planting native coppice on the ridge

Explanation

The freshwater lens is balanced by recharge from rainfall. When pumping exceeds that recharge, the boundary between fresh and salt water rises toward the well. This contaminates the supply with salt water.

Question 19The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

The Bahama Banks are best described as which type of feature?

  1. Deep oceanic trenches
  2. Volcanic island arcs
  3. Shallow carbonate platforms Correct answer.
  4. Continental mountain belts

Explanation

The banks are broad, shallow submarine platforms built up from carbonate sediment and reef material. Their clear, warm, shallow water supports reefs, seagrass and sand production. They are separated by deeper channels and troughs.

Question 20The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Inland blue holes on islands such as Andros are often connected to the sea. What does this connection help explain?

  1. The formation of sand dunes nearby
  2. The growth of pine forest around the rim
  3. The presence of tidal movement within the holes Correct answer.
  4. The absence of any living organisms

Explanation

Where a blue hole links to the sea through fractures in the limestone, tides propagate into the shaft. This produces measurable rises and falls in water level within the hole. The connection also allows marine organisms to enter.

Question 21The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which combination best explains why the Bahamas has few permanent surface rivers?

  1. Steep mountains and volcanic rock
  2. Low rainfall and frozen ground
  3. Thick clay soils and dense forest
  4. High evaporation and permeable limestone Correct answer.

Explanation

Even where rainfall is substantial, water sinks rapidly through porous and jointed limestone instead of flowing across the surface. High evaporation during warm months further reduces surface flow. Together these conditions prevent the development of lasting rivers.

Question 22The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

A low-lying Bahamian settlement faces rising sea levels and stronger storm surge. Which adaptation is most directly suited to reducing wave damage along its shore?

  1. Restoring mangrove and reef buffers Correct answer.
  2. Filling mangrove creeks with concrete
  3. Removing offshore reefs for sand
  4. Building taller houses on the same shoreline

Explanation

Mangroves and reefs absorb wave energy and trap sediment, forming natural buffers against surge and erosion. Restoring them addresses the hazard at its source along the coast. Hard structures and removal of natural defences tend to worsen exposure.

Question 23The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which factor most strongly controls the seasonal migration of rainfall across the Bahamian archipelago?

  1. Movement of the subtropical high and the trade wind belt Correct answer.
  2. Melting of polar ice sheets
  3. Changes in Earth's rotation speed
  4. Local volcanic eruptions

Explanation

The seasonal shift of the subtropical high and associated trade winds governs how much moist unstable air reaches the islands. When the high weakens and retreats, convection and rainfall increase. When it strengthens, sinking air keeps conditions drier.

Question 24The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Why do Bahamian hurricanes typically weaken after they pass over an island and continue across shallow bank water?

  1. Coral reefs absorb the storm's pressure
  2. The islands are too cold for storms
  3. The trade winds reverse direction permanently
  4. Shallow water and land reduce the supply of heat and moisture Correct answer.

Explanation

Tropical cyclones draw energy from warm, deep ocean water and from evaporation. Passing over land or shallow bank water cuts off that moisture and heat supply, so the storm loses strength. Friction over land also slows surface winds.

Question 25The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

The distribution of pine forest on islands such as Abaco and Grand Bahama is most closely linked to which condition?

  1. Saline coastal flats
  2. Deeply flooded mangrove mud
  3. Acidic sandy soils and periodic fire Correct answer.
  4. High mountain slopes

Explanation

Bahamian pine stands grow on sandy, acidic soils that are drier and better drained than coppice sites. Periodic fire helps maintain the open pine canopy by clearing competing broadleaf growth. These conditions occur mainly on the northern islands.

Question 26The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which warm ocean current flows along the eastern side of the Bahamian archipelago and helps keep its climate mild?

  1. The Labrador Current
  2. The Humboldt Current
  3. The Gulf Stream Correct answer.
  4. The Canary Current

Explanation

The Gulf Stream is a warm current that flows through the region near the Bahamas, carrying warm tropical water northward. Its warmth helps moderate air temperatures over the islands, contributing to the mild, frost-free climate. Cold currents such as the Canary and Humboldt flow in other oceans far to the east and west.

Question 27The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which type of rock forms the foundation of most Bahamian islands?

  1. Basalt
  2. Limestone Correct answer.
  3. Slate
  4. Granite

Explanation

Bahamian islands are built mainly of limestone, which forms from the accumulation of calcium carbonate skeletons and shells of marine organisms. Over time these deposits were cemented into solid rock, producing the low, flat islands of the archipelago. Granite, basalt and slate are igneous or metamorphic rocks associated with other settings.

Question 28The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

A Bahamian island receives steady trade winds from the east. Which side of the island would most likely have the highest rainfall?

  1. The central inland plateau
  2. The eastern, windward side Correct answer.
  3. The southern tip only
  4. The western, leeward side

Explanation

Trade winds carry moist air from the ocean, and as this air is forced to rise over higher ground on the windward side it cools and releases rain. The leeward side lies in the rain shadow and receives less moisture. This produces a contrast between wetter windward coasts and drier leeward areas.

Question 29The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

Which process best explains how the Bahama Banks formed as broad shallow platforms?

  1. Glacial scouring during ice ages
  2. Erosion by large rivers cutting deep valleys
  3. Volcanic eruptions building tall cones
  4. Long-term accumulation of carbonate sediment by marine organisms Correct answer.

Explanation

The Bahama Banks are shallow submarine platforms built up over long periods from carbonate sediments produced by corals, algae and shelled organisms. These deposits accumulated in warm, clear, shallow water where such organisms thrive. The result is wide, flat, shallow banks rather than deep basins.

Question 30The Bahamas: Physical Geography and Natural Environments

A developer plans to build on a low Bahamian cay where the freshwater lens is thin. Which feature would most increase the risk of saltwater contamination of the well?

  1. Pumping water faster than the lens can recharge Correct answer.
  2. Reducing daily water use in the buildings
  3. Collecting rainwater in cisterns
  4. Planting native shrubs around the well

Explanation

The freshwater lens floats above denser saltwater because fresh water is less dense. If groundwater is pumped out faster than rainfall can recharge it, the lens thins and saltwater rises into the well. Conservation measures and rainwater collection reduce this pressure rather than increase it.

Question 31The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which island in The Bahamas has the largest population?

  1. Abaco
  2. Eleuthera
  3. Grand Bahama
  4. New Providence Correct answer.

Explanation

New Providence holds the great majority of the national population because Nassau, the capital and chief port, is located there. Its concentration of government, banking, tourism and services draws migrants from the Family Islands. Grand Bahama is the second most populous district, but its numbers are far smaller.

Question 32The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

What is the term for the movement of people from rural Family Islands to Nassau and Freeport?

  1. Counter-urbanisation
  2. International emigration
  3. Transhumance
  4. Internal migration Correct answer.

Explanation

Internal migration is movement within a single country's borders, such as islanders relocating to an urban centre in search of work. International emigration crosses national boundaries, as when Bahamians move to the United States. Transhumance and counter-urbanisation describe entirely different population movements.

Question 33The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas, is located on which island?

  1. San Salvador
  2. Andros
  3. New Providence Correct answer.
  4. Grand Bahama

Explanation

Nassau lies on the north coast of New Providence, the small island that contains the seat of government and the country's main port. Andros is the largest island by area but is sparsely settled. Grand Bahama hosts the second city, Freeport, while San Salvador is a small, lightly populated island in the east.

Question 34The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which economic activity has historically been the main pull factor drawing Bahamians to urban centres?

  1. Salt raking
  2. Tourism and related services Correct answer.
  3. Subsistence farming
  4. Commercial fishing

Explanation

Tourism, together with banking and other services, generates most jobs and is concentrated in Nassau and Freeport. People migrate toward these centres because wage employment and services are available there. Farming, fishing and salt raking are rural activities that generally push people away rather than attract them.

Question 35The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

What does the term 'dependency ratio' measure in a population?

  1. The number of dependants relative to the working-age population Correct answer.
  2. The proportion of households headed by women
  3. The share of the population born abroad
  4. The rate at which births exceed deaths

Explanation

The dependency ratio compares people outside the working ages, usually children and the elderly, with those of working age. A high ratio means each worker supports more dependants, which strains services and household income. Birth and death rates and migration statistics are separate measures of population change.

Question 36The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which group of islands in The Bahamas is generally known as the Family Islands?

  1. Only the islands north of Abaco
  2. Only the islands settled before 1800
  3. Only the islands with international airports
  4. All islands other than New Providence and Grand Bahama Correct answer.

Explanation

In Bahamian usage the Family Islands, also called the Out Islands, are all the islands apart from the two urban centres of New Providence and Grand Bahama. They are typically smaller, more rural and less densely settled. The label is not based on location, airports or the date of settlement.

Question 37The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

A Bahamian family moves from a small fishing settlement in Exuma to Nassau so the parents can find hotel work. Which term best describes this movement?

  1. Rural-to-urban internal migration Correct answer.
  2. Seasonal circulation
  3. International emigration
  4. Forced displacement

Explanation

The movement stays within The Bahamas and shifts people from a rural settlement to an urban centre, so it is rural-to-urban internal migration. Emigration would require crossing a national border. The move appears permanent and motivated by employment rather than seasonal or forced circumstances.

Question 38The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which statement best explains why the Family Islands have lower population densities than New Providence?

  1. They have cooler climates
  2. They receive more international immigrants
  3. They have fewer employment opportunities and limited services Correct answer.
  4. They are all located outside the national territory

Explanation

Sparse settlement persists on most Family Islands because jobs, higher education and specialist health care are concentrated in Nassau and Freeport. Young adults migrate outward, leaving ageing populations behind. Climate and legal status do not differ in a way that would explain the density gap.

Question 39The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

A country's population pyramid has a broad base and narrows sharply toward the top. What does this pattern indicate?

  1. A population with no natural increase
  2. An ageing population with few children
  3. A youthful population with high birth rates Correct answer.
  4. A population dominated by elderly dependants

Explanation

A wide base shows that a large share of the population is in the youngest age groups, which reflects high birth rates. The narrow top indicates relatively few elderly people. This youthful structure is typical of many Caribbean societies and creates high demand for schools and youth services.

Question 40The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

What is a major consequence for Family Islands of continued out-migration of young adults?

  1. A sharp rise in the birth rate
  2. A decline in the number of empty houses
  3. A rising proportion of elderly residents and falling school rolls Correct answer.
  4. A rapid increase in the working-age population

Explanation

When young adults leave, the remaining population skews older and fewer children are born locally, so schools lose pupils and close. The labour force shrinks and services become harder to sustain. Birth rates fall rather than rise, and abandoned housing tends to increase.

Question 41The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which factor most often acts as a push factor encouraging Bahamians to emigrate abroad?

  1. Family reunification abroad
  2. Attractive climate overseas
  3. High wages in destination countries
  4. Limited local job opportunities Correct answer.

Explanation

Push factors are negative conditions at home that encourage departure, and scarce well-paid work is a classic example. High wages, a pleasant climate and family ties abroad are pull factors that attract migrants to a destination. Distinguishing the two helps explain migration streams.

Question 42The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Why is The Bahamas' population described as unevenly distributed?

  1. Most people live on a few islands while many islands remain sparsely settled Correct answer.
  2. Most people live on the smallest islands
  3. Every island has an identical population density
  4. The population is spread evenly across all islands

Explanation

Uneven distribution means population is concentrated in particular places rather than spread uniformly. In The Bahamas, New Providence and Grand Bahama hold most residents while numerous islands have small, scattered communities. Identical densities or even spread would contradict this pattern.

Question 43The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

A census records 30,000 children under 15, 60,000 people aged 15 to 64, and 10,000 people aged 65 and over. What is the dependency ratio per 100 working-age people?

  1. 150
  2. 67 Correct answer.
  3. 100
  4. 50

Explanation

Dependants are the under-15 and over-65 groups, totalling 40,000, while the working-age group is 60,000. Dividing 40,000 by 60,000 and multiplying by 100 gives about 67 dependants per 100 workers. Adding all groups or using only one dependent group would give a different, incorrect figure.

Question 44The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which statement best describes the settlement pattern of most Bahamian islands?

  1. No permanent settlement outside New Providence
  2. A single large inland city on each island
  3. Dense settlement across entire island interiors
  4. Scattered small settlements, often on the coast Correct answer.

Explanation

Most Family Islands have small coastal settlements, frequently near harbours, beaches or historic Loyalist towns, with sparse interiors. Coastal siting supports fishing, trade and tourism. The interiors are generally thinly settled, and many islands have several separate communities rather than one inland city.

Question 45The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which historical event brought significant numbers of Loyalist settlers and their enslaved workers to The Bahamas in the late 1700s?

  1. The abolition of the slave trade
  2. The construction of Freeport harbour
  3. The granting of Bahamian independence
  4. The American War of Independence Correct answer.

Explanation

After the American War of Independence, Loyalists who remained loyal to Britain relocated to The Bahamas, bringing enslaved Africans and establishing plantations on several islands. This influx reshaped settlement and demography. Abolition, Freeport's development and independence occurred much later.

Question 46The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

What is the main reason Freeport grew into a major population centre on Grand Bahama?

  1. Deliberate development as a free trade and tourism centre Correct answer.
  2. Its high mountain terrain
  3. Its large oil reserves
  4. Its position as the national capital

Explanation

Freeport was purpose-built in the 1950s and 1960s around a deep-water harbour, with incentives for trade, industry and tourism. Jobs in these sectors attracted migrants from other islands and abroad. The Bahamas lacks significant mountain terrain and oil reserves, and the capital is Nassau.

Question 47The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

A government wishes to slow rural-to-urban migration. Which policy would most directly address a root cause of the movement?

  1. Increasing the number of buses in the capital
  2. Expanding the Nassau container port
  3. Creating employment and services in Family Island settlements Correct answer.
  4. Building more high-rise hotels in Nassau

Explanation

Rural-to-urban migration is driven largely by the search for jobs and services, so creating opportunities in source areas tackles the cause. Investments confined to Nassau reinforce the pull of the capital. Effective strategies therefore decentralise employment, education and health care.

Question 48The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which combination of features would most likely be found in a Bahamian settlement founded as a Loyalist plantation town?

  1. A ring of high-rise hotels around a casino
  2. A grid of streets, a harbour and an Anglican church Correct answer.
  3. A mining camp beside a bauxite pit
  4. A modern container terminal and freeport zone

Explanation

Loyalist-era towns such as those on Eleuthera and Abaco typically show a street grid, a sheltered harbour for shipping, and a church as a focal point. High-rise resorts, bauxite camps and freeport terminals belong to twentieth-century development. The historic layout reflects the colonial plantation economy.

Question 49The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Why does a youthful population structure place particular pressure on government spending in The Bahamas?

  1. It removes the need for a labour force
  2. It requires heavy investment in schools, clinics and youth training Correct answer.
  3. It guarantees a falling birth rate
  4. It reduces the need for any public services

Explanation

A large cohort of children and young people requires schools, health care and training, which consume public funds before those cohorts become taxpayers. This creates a dependency burden on the working population. It does not eliminate service needs or guarantee demographic change.

Question 50The Bahamas: Population, Settlement and Migration

Which statement best explains why census data are important for planning migration policy in The Bahamas?

  1. They record where people live, their ages and their places of birth Correct answer.
  2. They predict the exact weather for the coming year
  3. They set the rate of taxation automatically
  4. They replace the need for any future surveys

Explanation

A census collects information on residence, age, sex and birthplace, allowing planners to identify migration streams and the needs of different islands. This evidence guides decisions on schools, housing and health services. A census does not forecast weather, fix tax rates or make later surveys unnecessary.