Spatial patterns and processes
Describe location, distribution, scale, and change precisely, then explain the interacting physical and human processes that produce the pattern.
IB Humanities • SL
IB Geography SL
Use this IB Geography SL study guide to browse the syllabus topic structure, study materials, and practice resources.
Structured practice
IB Geography SL Question Bank
Jump straight into grouped unit practice without losing your place in the syllabus overview.
1 Changing Population
1.1 Population and Economic Development Patterns
1.2 Changing Populations and Places
2 Global Climate- Vulnerability and Resilience
2.1 Causes of Global Climate Change
2.2 Consequences of Global Climate Change
3 Global Resource Consumption and Security
3.1 Global Trends in Consumption
3.2 Impacts of Changing Trends in Resource Consumption
Overview
Course overview
How to study IB Geography SL
IB Geography SL integrates human, physical, and environmental geography through spatial patterns, processes, perspectives, and located case evidence. All students study changing population, global climate—vulnerability and resilience, and global resource consumption and security, plus two optional geographic themes. Students also complete a fieldwork investigation. The StudyIB catalogue below currently covers the common core, but it does not yet display the seven optional-theme sections; use your school's selected options and the official brief as the full syllabus checklist.
Located examples and perspectives
Use selective place-specific evidence across contrasting scales and compare how stakeholders understand, experience, and respond to the same issue.
Geographical skills and fieldwork
Interpret maps, graphs, images, and unfamiliar data while evaluating sampling, collection methods, presentation, reliability, and limitations.
Assessment at a glance
IB Geography SL uses Paper 1 for the selected optional themes, Paper 2 for the common global change core, and a fieldwork report for internal assessment.
| Component | Format | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes; structured and extended-answer questions on two selected options | 35% |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 15 minutes; structured, visual-stimulus, and extended-answer questions on the global change core | 40% |
| Internal assessment | 20 hours; one fieldwork report based on a geographic question, data collection, analysis, and evaluation | 25% |
Sources: official IB Geography subject brief (first assessment 2019) and official IB Geography course page.
Revision plan
- 1.Confirm the two optional themes selected by your school; the StudyIB topic tree is not currently a complete option checklist.
- 2.Build each core and selected-option topic around pattern, process, impact, response, scale, and a small set of accurately located examples.
- 3.Practise maps, graphs, infographics, calculations, and data-response questions alongside essays rather than revising case-study notes alone.
- 4.Complete timed Paper 1 option questions and Paper 2 core questions, recording whether errors came from knowledge, skills, evidence, or evaluation.
Exam strategy
Start with the command term, scale, and geographical issue. Describe evidence before explaining it, use located examples to support analysis, and make evaluation conditional on place, stakeholder, time, and scale. Draw large, labelled maps or diagrams where they genuinely advance the answer. In Paper 2, connect the three core topics when the question or visual stimulus requires synthesis.
Practise IB Geography SL questionsFrequently asked questions
What does IB Geography SL cover?
SL studies the three-topic global change core—changing population, global climate, and global resource consumption and security—plus two optional geographic themes. Students also complete a fieldwork investigation.
Which optional themes are available in IB Geography SL?
The seven official options are freshwater; oceans and coastal margins; extreme environments; geophysical hazards; leisure, tourism and sport; food and health; and urban environments. SL students study two options. Confirm your school's selections before building a revision plan.
How is IB Geography SL assessed?
SL Paper 1 lasts one hour 30 minutes and contributes 35%; Paper 2 lasts one hour 15 minutes and contributes 40%; the fieldwork internal assessment contributes 25%.
What is the IB Geography fieldwork internal assessment?
SL and HL students complete one written report based on a focused fieldwork question linked to a suitable syllabus topic. The investigation includes information collection, analysis, evaluation, and appropriate geographical methods and skills. Schools should confirm the current word limit and submission rules.
Does the StudyIB Geography topic list cover the complete syllabus?
Not yet. The current catalogue covers the three global change core topics and, at HL, the global interactions extension. It does not currently display the seven optional-theme sections, so students must use the official subject brief and their school's selected options as the complete coverage checklist.