IB Geography SL & HL — Study Hub
Your complete study hub for IB Geography SL & HL. Free notes, flashcards, and exam-style practice for the core units, the HL global-interactions extension, and all seven options.
What is IB Geography?
IB Geography is a Group 3 (Individuals and Societies) subject that studies the relationships between people, places, and environments at scales from the local to the global. It blends physical geography (climate, water, hazards) with human geography (population, resources, cities) and rewards students who argue with evidence, real-world case studies, and clear maps and diagrams.
At Standard Level you study three compulsory core units — changing population, global climate (vulnerability and resilience), and global resource consumption and security — alongside two of the seven optional themes. Paper 1 tests your chosen options, Paper 2 covers the core, and the internal assessment is a fieldwork investigation based on data you collect yourself.
Higher Level covers everything at SL and answers three options on Paper 1 (not two), then adds a fourth unit of compulsory content — the HL core "global interactions" (power, places and networks; human development and diversity; global risks and resilience) — assessed in a Paper 3 extended-response exam that only HL students sit. Aimnova covers Geography at both Standard and Higher Level, so you can study the right syllabus, options, and exam structure for your level.
Subject Group
Group 3
Available Levels
SL & HL
Teaching Hours
150 (SL) · 240 (HL)
Exam Papers
Paper 1 · Paper 2 · Paper 3 (HL) · IA
IB Geography Assessment (SL & HL)
Paper 1 — Options
35% (SL & HL)1h 30m (SL) · 2h 15m (HL)Structured and extended-response questions on the options you have studied — SL answers two options, HL answers three (chosen from freshwater, oceans and coastal margins, extreme environments, geophysical hazards, leisure, tourism and sport, food and health, and urban environments). The questions are the same at both levels; HL simply answers one more option.
Paper 2 — Core
40% (SL) · 25% (HL)1h 15mShort-answer and infographic-based questions plus one extended-response essay on the three core units: changing population, global climate, and global resource consumption. The same paper at SL and HL — only the weighting differs.
Paper 3 — Global Interactions (HL only)
20% (HL only)1hHL-only extended-response exam on the three HL-core units (power, places and networks; human development and diversity; global risks and resilience). You choose one of three questions, each in two synoptic parts — a 12-mark and a 16-mark essay.
Internal Assessment — Fieldwork
25% (SL) · 20% (HL)A written fieldwork report (up to 2,500 words) based on primary data you collect to answer your own geographic question, marked on methodology, analysis, and evaluation. The same task at SL and HL.
IB Geography Syllabus — Core, HL Core & Options
Unit 1: Changing population
Unit 10: Option D: Geophysical hazards
Unit 11: Option E: Leisure, tourism and sport
Unit 12: Option F: The geography of food and health
Unit 13: Option G: Urban environments
Unit 2: Global climate - vulnerability and resilience
Unit 3: Global resource consumption and security
Unit 7: Option A: Freshwater - drainage basins
Unit 8: Option B: Oceans and coastal margins
Unit 9: Option C: Extreme environments
Free IB Geography Study Resources
Frequently Asked Questions about IB Geography
How is IB Geography assessed at SL and HL?
SL students sit two exams plus coursework: Paper 1 (35%) tests two options, Paper 2 (40%) covers the three core units, and the fieldwork internal assessment (25%) uses primary data you collect. HL keeps the same Paper 1 (answering three options instead of two) and a Paper 2 (25%), then adds a Paper 3 (20%) on the HL-core "global interactions" units, with the fieldwork IA worth 20%.
What is the difference between IB Geography SL and HL?
HL covers everything at SL and answers three options on Paper 1 rather than two — the option questions themselves are identical. HL then adds a whole extra strand of compulsory content, the HL core "global interactions" (units on power and networks, human development and diversity, and global risks and resilience), examined in an HL-only Paper 3 of synoptic 12- and 16-mark essays. HL runs to 240 teaching hours versus 150, and a longer Paper 1.
Which options should I choose for Paper 1?
You study two of the seven options — freshwater, oceans and coastal margins, extreme environments, geophysical hazards, leisure, tourism and sport, food and health, and urban environments. Your school usually decides; freshwater, urban environments, and geophysical hazards are among the most popular.
Is IB Geography hard?
Geography is conceptually accessible but exam marks reward precision: clearly labelled diagrams and maps, the right command term, and well-chosen case studies applied to the question. The breadth of the core plus two options is the main challenge, so consistent case-study revision matters.
How do I get a 7 in IB Geography?
Master the command terms — especially "examine", "evaluate", and "to what extent" — and finish every essay with a justified judgement. Keep a bank of two or three detailed, contrasting case studies per topic, draw accurate sketch maps and diagrams, and use your fieldwork IA as marks in the bank.
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Notes, flashcards, and AI-powered practice for the core and every option, all aligned to the IB Geography syllabus.
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