Edexcel IGCSE Geography › Choosing your topics

Choosing your Edexcel IGCSE Geography topics

You don't sit questions on every topic. You choose 5 of the 9, and you only need to learn those. Here's what each one covers and who it suits, plus a quick finder to help you decide.

Try the topic finder See all 9 topics

How the choices work

Two exam papers. In each one you answer some sections on the topics you've chosen.

Paper 1: Physical geography1 hr 10 min · 70 marks
Section A
Choose 2 of 3: Rivers, Coasts, Hazards
Section B
One fieldwork question, on one of your Paper 1 topics
Paper 2: Human geography1 hr 45 min · 105 marks
Section A
Choose 2 of 3: Economic Activity, Rural, Urban
Section B
One fieldwork question, on one of your Paper 2 topics
Section C
Choose 1 of 3 global issues: Fragile Environments, Globalisation, Development
You don't sign up for topics in advance. In the exam you just answer the questions on the topics you've learned, and you can change your picks on Brainy Lemons any time.

Topic finder

Answer 5 quick questions and we'll suggest a set of topics. It's only a starting point - you can change anything.

🎯 Our suggestion for you

Read the topic cards below to check you're happy, then save them on your course.

Pick these topics

The 9 topics

Every option is worth the same marks, so pick the ones that suit you.

Paper 1: Physical geography

Choose 2 out of 3 (Section A)

River Environments

  • The water cycle and drainage basins
  • How rivers make waterfalls, meanders and floodplains
  • Flooding, water supply and managing rivers
Good pick if...you like seeing how nature works step by step, and you can get to a river or stream for fieldwork.

Coastal Environments

  • How waves shape cliffs, bays, arches and spits
  • Coral reefs, mangroves, sand dunes and salt marshes
  • Conflicts on the coast and protecting it
Good pick if...you live near the sea or enjoy coastal trips, and like landforms you can go and see.

Hazardous Environments

  • Tropical storms, earthquakes and volcanoes
  • Where they happen and how they are measured
  • How people prepare for and respond to them
Good pick if...you like dramatic real-world events and are happy learning case studies in detail. Fieldwork means measuring the weather, which you can do anywhere.

Paper 2: Human geography

Choose 2 out of 3 (Section A)

Economic Activity and Energy

  • Jobs in farming, factories, services and tech
  • How work changes as countries develop
  • Population, resources and managing energy
Good pick if...you are interested in work, money, business or renewable energy.

Rural Environments

  • Farming and what the countryside gives us
  • How rural areas are changing
  • Managing rural areas around the world
Good pick if...you live in or near the countryside, or like farming and the outdoors. A village or farm visit makes easy fieldwork.

Urban Environments

  • Why cities grow, and megacities
  • Housing, traffic and pollution problems
  • Planning and improving cities
Good pick if...you live in or near a town or city and like thinking about how places could work better.

Paper 2: Global issues

Choose 1 out of 3 (Section C)

Fragile Environments and Climate Change

  • Deserts, rainforests and other fragile places
  • Desertification, deforestation and climate change
  • Managing fragile places sustainably
Good pick if...you care about the environment and climate change. It links well with Rural and Coastal Environments.

Globalisation and Migration

  • Trade, global companies and the internet
  • Why people migrate, and tourism
  • Managing migration and tourism
Good pick if...you like current affairs and how countries connect. It links well with Economic Activity and Urban Environments.

Development and Human Welfare

  • Measuring development with GDP and HDI
  • Why some countries are richer than others
  • How aid and trade try to close the gap
Good pick if...you care about fairness, health and how people live around the world. It links well with Economic Activity and Energy.

Tips for choosing

Already studied some?

If you've learned a topic before, pick it. You're already part way there.

Follow your interests

You'll remember more of a topic you enjoy, and every option is worth the same marks.

Think about fieldwork

Pick at least one topic per paper where you can collect your own data: a river, a beach, a village or a town centre.

Pick topics that link

Some topics share ideas, so learning one helps with another. Check the "good pick if" notes.

Questions

Can I change my topics later?

Yes, any time. Open your course, press "Change my topics" and save. Your timetable and progress update straight away.

What if I can't decide yet?

Leave it. You'll see every topic until you pick, and you can try the first lessons of a topic before choosing.

What happens to the topics I don't pick?

They move into a folded "Topics not in your exam" section at the bottom of your course. You can still open them, but they're left out of your timetable, progress and quizzes.

Should I learn extra topics just in case?

You don't need to. In each section you only answer the questions you choose, so learning your topics well is better than learning more of them thinly.

Ready to pick?

Tick your topics on the course page and we'll build your course around them.

Pick my topics →