AP® Human Geography 2025 FRQ Set 1: Detailed Solutions
A Note from Your AP HuG Educator: Welcome, geographers! This guide will provide a detailed breakdown of the 2025 Set 1 Free-Response Questions. Success on the AP Human Geography exam hinges on your ability to think spatially, apply geographic concepts, and construct clear, well-supported arguments. For each question, we'll deconstruct the prompt, outline a strategic approach, and present a model answer that demonstrates the skills required for a top score. While the user requested a "mathematical expressions format," geographic analysis relies on well-reasoned prose. Therefore, the solutions are presented in a highly structured, logical format to ensure clarity.
FRQ 1: EU and ASEAN
A. Define the concept of an independent state.
An independent state, also known as a country, is a political unit that has a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and sovereignty. Sovereignty means the state has full control over its internal and external affairs and is not subject to the authority of any other state.
B. Describe one purpose of supranational organizations.
One primary purpose of supranational organizations is to foster economic cooperation among member states. By creating free-trade zones, common currencies (like the Euro in the EU), or reducing tariffs, these organizations aim to increase trade, promote economic growth, and create a more powerful collective economic bloc on the global stage.
C. Describe one global outcome of an increase in international trade.
One global outcome of increased international trade is the development of a new international division of labor. This process involves the relocation of manufacturing and industrial jobs from more developed, high-wage core countries to less developed, low-wage peripheral and semi-peripheral countries. This leads to a global economic system where core countries increasingly specialize in high-skill service, finance, and technology sectors.
D. Explain how deindustrialization has affected the economy of core countries.
Deindustrialization has affected the economy of core countries by causing a structural shift away from manufacturing (the secondary sector) and toward service-based industries (the tertiary, quaternary, and quinary sectors). As manufacturing jobs are moved overseas to find cheaper labor, the economies of core countries like the United States or the United Kingdom have become increasingly dominated by finance, high-tech research and development, education, and specialized services. This has often led to the decline of former industrial regions, sometimes called "rust belts," and has contributed to increased income inequality within these countries.
E. Explain why international boundaries on land or at sea may lead to disputes over resources.
International boundaries may lead to disputes over resources because valuable natural resources, such as oil, natural gas, or water aquifers, often straddle or lie beneath these boundaries. For example, an oil field may extend across a land border between two states, leading to disagreements over which country has the right to extract the resource and how the reserves should be divided. At sea, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) establishes Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), but overlapping claims to these zones, especially in areas with potential fishing grounds or undersea minerals like the South China Sea, can lead to intense international disputes.
F. Explain how supranational organizations such as the EU or ASEAN may challenge the sovereignty of member states.
Supranational organizations like the European Union challenge the sovereignty of member states by requiring them to abide by the collective decisions and laws of the organization, even if those laws conflict with a country's national interests or policies. For instance, a member of the EU must adhere to regulations on trade, the environment, and human rights that are created by EU institutions like the European Parliament. This means that a national parliament's ability to create its own laws is limited, as EU law often supersedes national law. This transfer of decision-making power from the national to the supranational level is a direct challenge to a state's ability to exercise full, independent control over its affairs.
G. Explain how advances in communication technologies may affect state sovereignty.
Advances in communication technologies, such as the internet and social media, can affect state sovereignty by eroding a state's control over the flow of information and ideas within its borders. Authoritarian states, for example, find it increasingly difficult to maintain a monopoly on information when citizens can access global news sources and communicate with each other through encrypted apps. This can facilitate the organization of protest movements that challenge the state's authority. Furthermore, these technologies promote cultural globalization, exposing citizens to foreign ideas and values that may weaken traditional national identities and reduce the government's ability to shape a uniform national culture, thereby subtly undermining state sovereignty.
FRQ 2: Japan Population Pyramid
A. Identify the recent trend in fertility shown in the population pyramid.
The recent trend in fertility shown in the population pyramid is one of declining fertility rates. This is indicated by the narrow base of the pyramid, where the cohorts for the youngest age groups (e.g., 0-4 and 5-9) are smaller than the cohorts for young adults and middle-aged people.
B. Based on the data shown in the population pyramid, describe the ratio of males to females in the Japanese population age 80 and above.
Based on the data, in the Japanese population aged 80 and above, there are significantly more females than males. The bars representing the female cohorts in the 80+ age groups are visibly longer than the corresponding bars for the male cohorts, indicating a higher female life expectancy.
C. Describe one process that drives urbanization.
One process that drives urbanization is rural-to-urban migration. This occurs when people move from agricultural areas to cities, often in search of economic opportunities such as jobs in manufacturing or services that are concentrated in urban centers. This process was a hallmark of the Industrial Revolution and continues today in many developing countries.
D. Describe one factor that may lead to a decrease in total population within a more developed country.
One factor that may lead to a decrease in total population within a more developed country is a total fertility rate (TFR) that falls below the replacement level of 2.1. In many MDCs, factors such as increased educational and career opportunities for women, the high cost of raising children, and greater access to family planning lead to couples having fewer children. When the birth rate is lower than the death rate, and immigration does not make up the difference, the total population will decline.
E. Explain how a country’s population pyramid can be used to predict the future needs of the population.
A country's population pyramid can be used to predict future needs by analyzing the size of its different age cohorts. For example, Japan's population pyramid, with its large bulge in the older age groups and narrow base, indicates an aging population. This allows the government and society to predict a future increase in the demand for services for the elderly, such as healthcare, retirement homes, and pensions. The shrinking working-age population also indicates a future need for either increased automation, immigrant labor, or policies to raise the retirement age to support the high dependency ratio.
F. Explain why the population pyramid provides limited information about immigration to cities in Japan.
The population pyramid provides limited information about immigration to cities in Japan because it aggregates data at the national scale. The pyramid shows the age and sex structure for the entire country of Japan, but it does not differentiate between urban and rural populations. Therefore, one cannot use it to see the demographic effects of internal migration to cities like Tokyo or immigration from other countries settling specifically in those urban areas. It shows the country's total population structure, not its internal spatial distribution.
G. Explain the degree to which a country’s population growth rate may be affected by a pronatalist policy. (Response must indicate the degree [low, moderate, high] and provide an explanation.)
A country's population growth rate is likely to be affected to a low degree by a pronatalist policy.
Explanation: While pronatalist policies, which offer incentives like tax breaks, subsidized childcare, and extended parental leave, can cause a small, temporary increase in the birth rate, they are generally unable to overcome the powerful socioeconomic forces that lead to low fertility in more developed countries. Deep-seated cultural shifts, such as greater educational and career attainment for women, the high financial cost of raising a child, and a focus on individualism, are more influential in family planning decisions than government incentives. Therefore, while such policies may slightly slow a decline, they have historically proven ineffective at raising a country's TFR back to replacement level, meaning their overall effect on the population growth rate is low.
FRQ 3: Global Food Production
A. Identify an example of a culture trait.
An example of a culture trait is the wearing of a turban by Sikh men, or the dietary practice of not eating pork in Judaism and Islam.
B. Describe the spatial pattern of cow’s milk production in Africa, shown in Map 1.
The spatial pattern of cow's milk production in Africa shown in Map 1 is clustered and uneven. There are significant clusters of medium to high production in East Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya, as well as another notable cluster in South Africa. In contrast, the vast majority of Central and West Africa shows very low levels of production.
C. Based on Map 1 and Map 2, compare the spatial patterns of cow’s milk production and pork production in Asia. (Response must include both maps in the comparison.)
- Map 1 (Milk): High production in India and parts of Central Asia/Middle East (e.g., Turkey). Low production in Southeast Asia and East Asia (except for a patch in northern China).
- Map 2 (Pork): High production concentrated in East Asia, especially China, and parts of Southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam). Very low production in India, most of the Middle East, and Central Asia.
- Comparison: The patterns are almost inverse or opposite. Where milk production is high (India, Middle East), pork production is low. Where pork production is high (East Asia), milk production is generally low. I need to explicitly state this comparison.
The spatial patterns of cow's milk and pork production in Asia are largely inverse to one another. According to Map 1, cow's milk production is highly concentrated in South Asia, particularly India, and in parts of Western and Central Asia. In contrast, Map 2 shows that pork production is highly concentrated in East and Southeast Asia, with China being the dominant producer. The regions with high levels of milk production, such as India and the predominantly Muslim countries of the Middle East, show very low levels of pork production, and conversely, the regions with high pork production show relatively low milk production.
D. Describe one environmental effect of agricultural land use such as commercial animal farms.
One negative environmental effect of commercial animal farms is water pollution. The large, concentrated amounts of animal waste produced in these facilities can run off into nearby rivers and streams. The nutrients in this waste, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can lead to eutrophication, a process that causes algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water and kill off fish and other aquatic life.
E. Explain how the globalization of agriculture may affect local culture traits.
The globalization of agriculture may affect local culture traits by promoting cultural homogenization and weakening traditional food customs. As global agribusinesses introduce and heavily market standardized, processed foods (such as fast food, sugary sodas, and packaged snacks) around the world, these products can displace traditional, locally-sourced diets. Over time, younger generations may adopt these globalized eating habits, leading to a decline in the consumption of traditional foods and the loss of the cultural knowledge and practices associated with their preparation, thereby eroding a key local culture trait.
F. Explain why regions of agricultural production may become interdependent.
Regions of agricultural production may become interdependent due to specialization and the principles of comparative advantage. One region may have a climate and soil ideally suited for growing a specific commodity crop, such as coffee or bananas, while another region is better suited for growing grains like wheat. Through international trade, the first region can specialize in producing and exporting coffee, while the second specializes in wheat. They then become interdependent, as each region relies on importing the agricultural products it does not produce efficiently itself, creating a global food supply chain.
G. Explain how domesticated animals such as pigs spatially diffused to create the spatial pattern shown on Map 2.
The spatial pattern shown on Map 2 was created in large part through the process of relocation diffusion during the era of European colonialism, particularly through the Columbian Exchange. Pigs, originally domesticated in Eurasia, were not present in the Americas before 1492. European explorers and colonists, starting with Christopher Columbus, intentionally brought pigs and other livestock with them to the New World to establish a familiar food source. These animals thrived in the Americas and spread widely, becoming a key part of the agricultural systems established by European settlers in places like North and South America, which helps explain the high production levels seen there on the map.
AP® Human Geography 2025 FRQ Set 2: Detailed Solutions
A Note from Your AP HuG Educator: Welcome, future geographers! This guide will walk you through the 2025 Set 2 Free-Response Questions. Excelling in AP Human Geography means thinking spatially, connecting concepts across different units, and constructing clear, evidence-based explanations. For each question, we'll break down the prompt, devise a strategy, and review a model answer that illustrates the skills needed for a high score. While the user requested a "mathematical expressions format," geographic analysis relies on well-reasoned prose. Therefore, the solutions are presented in a highly structured, logical format to ensure clarity.
FRQ 1: Urban Landscapes and Challenges
A. Describe one type of voluntary migration.
One type of voluntary migration is transnational migration, where an individual or group chooses to move from one country to another. This is often driven by economic pull factors, such as seeking better job opportunities or higher wages in the destination country.
B. Explain how migration may affect a city’s economy.
Migration can positively affect a city's economy by providing a source of labor and stimulating growth. Migrants often fill essential jobs in sectors like construction, hospitality, and healthcare, particularly roles that may have labor shortages. By working, paying taxes, and consuming goods and services, migrants contribute to the city's economic vitality and tax base, while also often starting new businesses at high rates, which creates further employment.
C. Describe one type of housing discrimination that may occur in urban areas.
One type of housing discrimination that has occurred in urban areas is redlining. This was a practice where banks and lending institutions would refuse to offer mortgages or would offer them at worse rates to people in neighborhoods deemed "hazardous" for investment, which were almost always areas with high concentrations of racial and ethnic minorities. This practice effectively denied minority groups access to homeownership and investment, reinforcing residential segregation.
D. Explain how a city’s infrastructure affects society.
A city's infrastructure profoundly affects society by shaping access to opportunity and quality of life. An efficient public transportation system, for example, can connect residents of lower-income neighborhoods to jobs and educational institutions in other parts of the city, promoting social mobility and reducing inequality. Conversely, inadequate or poorly maintained infrastructure in certain neighborhoods can isolate residents, limit their economic prospects, and lead to negative health outcomes, thereby exacerbating social and economic divisions within the city.
E. Describe one challenge to sustainability in urban areas.
One major challenge to sustainability in urban areas is managing transportation-related air pollution. Cities are characterized by high concentrations of vehicles, which emit greenhouse gases and pollutants that contribute to climate change and cause negative health effects for residents, such as asthma. Achieving sustainability requires cities to reduce their reliance on private cars by investing in public transit, cycling infrastructure, and walkable urban design.
F. Explain how urban design initiatives are intended to affect cities.
Urban design initiatives, such as those associated with New Urbanism, are intended to affect cities by creating more sustainable, livable, and socially connected environments. These initiatives aim to counter the effects of suburban sprawl by promoting mixed-use development (blending residential, commercial, and retail spaces), increasing population density, designing walkable neighborhoods with accessible public transit, and creating vibrant public spaces. The intended effect is to reduce car dependency, foster a stronger sense of community, and improve the overall quality of urban life.
G. Explain why urban design initiatives may be criticized.
Urban design initiatives may be criticized because they can inadvertently lead to gentrification. As these initiatives improve a neighborhood's infrastructure, aesthetics, and amenities, the area becomes more desirable, which drives up property values and rents. This can result in the displacement of long-term, often lower-income residents and small businesses who can no longer afford to live in the community. Critics argue that these initiatives can therefore end up creating exclusive, less diverse enclaves rather than improving the city for all its inhabitants.
FRQ 2: Food Exports and Development
A. Using the data in the charts, identify the largest food export category between the two countries.
- Chart 1 (X to Y): Largest is "Processed foods" at $8.2 billion.
- Chart 2 (Y to X): Largest is "Grains, fruits, vegetables" at $13.7 billion.
Using the data in the charts, the largest food export category between the two countries is Grains, fruits, vegetables, which accounts for $13.7 billion in exports from Country Y to Country X.
B. Using the data in the charts, describe the difference between the two countries in the meat, dairy, and seafood category.
- Chart 1 (X to Y): This category is $5.1 billion.
- Chart 2 (Y to X): This category is only $0.2 billion.
The data show a significant difference between the two countries in the meat, dairy, and seafood category. Country X, the developed country, exports $5.1 billion worth of these products to Country Y, while Country Y, the developing country, exports only $0.2 billion worth to Country X. This indicates that Country X is a major exporter of these high-value animal products, while Country Y is not.
C. Define the concept of comparative advantage.
Comparative advantage is the ability of a country or region to produce a particular good or service at a lower opportunity cost than its trading partners. Even if one country is more productive in all goods (has an absolute advantage), both countries can still benefit from trade by specializing in producing the goods for which they have the lowest opportunity cost.
D. Describe one effect of Green Revolution technologies on food supplies in developing countries.
One major effect of Green Revolution technologies was a dramatic increase in food supplies in many developing countries. The introduction of high-yield varieties of staple crops like wheat and rice, combined with the use of chemical fertilizers and irrigation, led to a significant increase in agricultural productivity and crop yields. This helped to avert famine in countries like India and Mexico and increased overall food security.
E. Explain how advances in agricultural technology may increase the carrying capacity of land.
Advances in agricultural technology, such as the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or the use of precision agriculture techniques, can increase the carrying capacity of land by boosting crop yields. For example, GMO crops can be engineered to be drought-resistant or pest-resistant, allowing more food to be grown on land that was previously marginal. By producing more food per unit of land, these technologies allow a given area to support a larger human population than it could with traditional farming methods.
F. Explain the degree to which the economies of Country X and Country Y are interdependent. (Response must indicate the degree [low, moderate, high] and provide an explanation.)
The economies of Country X and Country Y are interdependent to a high degree.
Explanation: The charts show a substantial and complementary trade relationship. Country Y is a massive market for Country X's processed foods ($8.2B), and Country X is an even larger market for Country Y's grains, fruits, and vegetables ($13.7B). This indicates a high level of specialization and mutual reliance. The economy of Country Y depends on exporting its primary agricultural products to Country X to generate revenue, while consumers and industries in Country X rely on these imports from Country Y. The large, two-way flow of trade, totaling nearly $50 billion, demonstrates a high degree of economic interdependence.
G. Explain how the charts provide limited information about economic development.
The charts provide limited information about economic development because they only show data for one sector of the economy—agricultural trade—between two countries. They do not provide crucial indicators of development such as a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, its level of industrialization, its literacy rate, or average life expectancy. For example, while the charts show Country Y is a major agricultural exporter, they do not tell us what percentage of its economy is based on agriculture versus manufacturing or services, which is a key measure of its overall economic development.
FRQ 3: Political Boundaries and Cultural Landscapes
A. Identify the scale of analysis used for Finland’s political divisions in Map 2.
The scale of analysis used for Finland's political divisions in Map 2 is the local scale, as the map displays the country's internal boundaries for individual municipalities.
B. Define geometric boundaries as shown in Map 1.
Geometric boundaries are political boundaries defined and delimited as straight lines or arcs, often based on lines of latitude and longitude, rather than following physical features of the landscape. As shown in Map 1, the southern boundary of Saskatchewan with the United States is a straight line along the 49th parallel, which is a classic example of a geometric boundary.
C. Describe one function of internal boundaries.
One function of internal boundaries is to create smaller, more manageable administrative units for governance. These divisions, such as states, provinces, or municipalities, allow for the administration of local laws, the collection of local taxes, the provision of local services like schools and sanitation, and the organization of local elections.
D. Explain how the spatial organization of a country such as Canada is affected by a federal system of governance.
A federal system of governance affects the spatial organization of a country like Canada by devolving significant power and autonomy to its subnational units, in this case, provinces. This means that different provinces can have different laws, policies, and priorities regarding issues like education, healthcare, and resource management. This creates a political landscape where regional differences are formally recognized and protected, and can sometimes lead to conflict between the provincial governments and the central federal government, as seen in disputes between Alberta and Ottawa over oil policy.
E. Explain how the supranational organization shown in Map 2 may limit the actions of Finland as a member state.
The supranational organization shown in Map 2, the European Union, may limit the actions of Finland by requiring it to adhere to EU-wide laws and regulations that supersede its national laws. This is a process known as the transfer of sovereignty. For example, Finland cannot independently set its own trade tariffs with non-EU countries because it is part of the EU's single market and must follow the common external trade policy established by the EU. This limits Finland's ability to act independently in the arena of international trade.
F. Describe one characteristic of a cultural landscape that may reflect cultural beliefs and identities.
One characteristic of a cultural landscape that may reflect cultural beliefs is the style of religious architecture. The presence of churches with steeples and crosses, mosques with minarets and domes, or Buddhist temples with pagodas are all visible imprints on the landscape that clearly signify the dominant religious beliefs and cultural identity of the people living in that area.
G. Explain how communication technologies may affect the cultural patterns of indigenous languages.
Communication technologies like the internet and social media can positively affect the cultural patterns of indigenous languages by providing new tools for language preservation and revitalization. Indigenous communities can use websites, apps, and online videos to create dictionaries, teach language classes to younger generations who may live far away, and share stories and songs in their native tongue. These technologies allow for the documentation and dissemination of endangered languages to a global audience, helping to keep them alive in the face of pressures from more dominant global languages.