CBSE Class 12 Geography Syllabus 2024-25 | PDF Download

CBSE 2024-25 Syllabus for Class 12 Geography

The CBSE Class 12 Geography syllabus contains important concepts and examples that elucidate why human and physical features differ throughout the world. Furthermore, it addresses the relationships between the environment and humans at many sizes, including local, regional, national, and international. The two main books in the Class 12 CBSE Geography syllabus 2024-25 "Fundamentals of Human Geography" are divided into 3 parts and 8 sections.

In contrast, the book "India People and Economy" is divided into 5 chapters and has a total of 9 chapters. The CBSE Class 12 Geography Syllabus 2025 was released and we were prompt about predicting the changes. Below, we have provided you with a simple analysis of the Class 12 Geography Syllabus, along with the following:

• PDF download -> 2024-25 (latest) and past year syllabus
• Competency Focus -> What is new
• Detailed analysis -> blueprint of all units & chapters

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Latest Geography Syllabus Class 12 2024-25

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2023-24 Reduced Syllabus

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(for reference purposes)

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In the Humanities, there are lots of subjects along with CBSE Class 12 Geography. Students can include Physical Education using the Class 12 Physical Education Syllabus in their exam preparation strategy. 

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CBSE Class 12th Geography Syllabus 2024-25: Course Structure

For students wishing for a career in geography, environmental science, or related subjects, the CBSE Class 12 Geography syllabus 2024–2025 is a valuable resource. Understanding the course structure, including the marking scheme, is essential since it offers a detailed explanation of the distribution of marks throughout the chapters. 

Book I- Fundamental of Human Geography

Chapter 1: Human Geography

• Define the term human geography
• Elucidate the Interdependence between Nature and Human beings.
• State the fields and subfields of Human Geography and its
• relation with other branches of Social Sciences.
• Differentiate between Environmental Determinism and Possibilism.
• Explain Neo-determinism with examples from real life.

Chapter 2: The World Population Distribution, Density and Growth

• Calculate the density of the population, birth rate and death rate.
• Name and define the components responsible for population change.
• Understand the stages of population growth in the world using Demographic Transition Theory.
• Suggest measures to control population growth.
• Define the following terms: Growth of population, Natural growth of population, Positive growth of population, Negative growth of population

Chapter 3: Human Development

• Differentiate between growth and development
• Explain the three basic indicators of human development and measure the level of Human Development.
• Describe the Human Development Index published by UNDP.
• Compare HDI with the Human Poverty Index.
• Explain the key pillars of human development with examples.
• Compare the Income approach, Welfare approach, Basic Needs approach and capability approach to understand the concept of Human Development.
• To categorise countries based on their HDI and explain their characteristics.

Chapter 4: Primary Activities

• Define the following terms: Economic activities, Primary activities, Red Collar Worker, Pastoral Nomadism
• Explain food gathering as an economic activity.
• Distinguish between pastoral nomadism and commercial livestock rearing.
• Differentiate between primitive subsistence and intensive subsistence farming.
• Describe the characteristic features of plantation agriculture as a type of commercial farming.
• Analyse why there is a low yield per acre but a high yield per person in areas of extensive grain cultivation.
• Compare and contrast the farming practices in the developed urban areas of the world.
• Analyse how the model of Kolkhoz introduced in the erstwhile USSR boosts agricultural production.
• Examine the reasons for the success of cooperative farming in European countries.
• Differentiate between open-cast mining and shaft mining.
• Discuss how mining can have an impact on humans and the environment.

Chapter 5: Secondary Activities

• Explain key concepts such as large-scale manufacturing, high technology industry, organisational set-up, foot-loose industries, Agribusiness etc.
• Identify and explain the factors affecting the location of an industry.
• Differentiate between different types of industries based on size, raw material, ownership and output.
• Differentiate between cottage industry and small-scale industry.
• Explain the importance of high-tech industries and the reason for them being attracted to the peripheral areas of major metropolitan cities.
• Compare large-scale industry and modern high-tech industry with examples
• Understands and analyses the interrelationship between industrial development and standard of living.

Chapter 6: Tertiary and Quaternary Activities

• Compare and contrast traditional and modern economic activities.
• Students correlate tertiary activities and their role in the economic development of a country.
• Describe different types of tertiary activities.
• Discuss different types of trading centres found in rural and urban areas and the role played by them in the local economy.
• Describe quinary activities and their role in advanced economies.
• Discuss how tertiary, quaternary and quinary activities have replaced jobs in primary and secondary sectors.
• Define the following terms: BPO, Outsourcing, KPO, Departmental Store, Chain Store, Wholesale trading

Chapter 7: Transport and Communication

• Compare and contrast various modes of transport.
• Explain the relationship of transport and communication networks to the economic development of a region.
• Describe the major highways and major rail networks of different continents.
• Discuss the location and economic significance of the Trans-Siberian Railway, Trans-Canadian Railway, Union and Pacific Railway and Trans-Australian Railway.
• Describe the location and the economic importance of the major sea routes of the world.
• Discuss how the Suez Canal and Panama Canal serve as major gateways of commerce for both the eastern and the western world.
• Discuss how modern communication systems have made the concept of a global village a reality.

Chapter 8: International Trade

• Define international trade and describe how it impacts various countries.
• Describe the basis of International Trade.
• Discuss types of and aspects of International trade.
• Explain the terms Dumping, Trade liberalisation and Globalisation.
• Discuss the impact of WTO on current global trade.
• Evaluate how international trade can be detrimental to some nations.
• Analyse how seaports act as chief gateways of International trade.

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Book II- India People, and Economy

Chapter 1: Population: Distribution Density, Growth, and Composition

• Differentiate between the distribution of population and density of population.
• Define Physiological Density, Agricultural Density, Population doubling time, Working Population, Participation Rate, Main Worker, Marginal Worker, Rural Population, Urban Population, and Adolescent Population.
• Discuss the factors responsible for the uneven distribution of population in India.
• Explain trends of population growth in India since 1901.
• Describe the rural-urban population composition, religious composition linguistic composition and sectoral composition of the workforce in India.
• Discuss the occupational structure of India’s population.

Chapter 2: Human Settlements

• Differentiate between rural and urban settlement.
• Describe the factors that govern the types of rural settlements in India.
• Compare and contrast clustered, semi-clustered, Hamleted and dispersed settlements with examples.
• Describe the evolution of towns in India since prehistoric times.
• Classify towns based on their functions.

Chapter 3: Land Resources and Agriculture

• Name and define the land use categories.
• Compare the Changes in shares of Land-use Categories in India between 1950 and 2014.
• Discuss the importance of common property resources for the community.
• Compare dryland and Wetland farming and evaluate its importance.
• Compare the geographical conditions required for the growth of the following crops and their distribution/growing areas.
• Rice, Wheat, Jowar, Pulses, Oilseeds, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tea, Coffee
• Evaluate technological developments that have taken place in Indian agriculture since Independence.
• Discuss the challenges faced by the Indian farmers and suggest measures to overcome them.

Chapter 4: Water Resources

• Describes the available water resources in India.
• Evaluates the water demand and supply in India.
• Discuss the reasons for water scarcity in the country.
• Discuss water resources in India, its geographical distribution, sectoral utilization, and methods of conservation and management.
• Recognize various emerging water problems and analyse the causes of the deterioration of the quality of water.
• Evaluate the scope to use rainwater harvesting techniques to conserve precious water resources.

Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources

• Classify minerals based on chemical and physical properties.
• Describe the major mineral belts of India and mark them on an outline map of India.
• Describe different types of non-conventional mineral resources.
• Analyse why renewable energy resources will be the future source of resources.
• Suggest measures to conserve our non-renewable resources.
• On an outline political Map of India mark and label the following:some text
  1. Iron-ore mines: Mayurbhanj, Bailadila, Ratnagiri, Bellary
  2. Manganese mines: Balaghat, Shimoga
  3. Copper mines: Hazaribagh, Singhbhum, Khetari
  4. Bauxite mines: Katni, Bilaspur and Koraput
  5. Coal mines: Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Neyveli
  6. Oil Refineries: Mathura, Jamnager, Barauni

Chapter 6: Planning and Sustainable Development in the Indian Context

• Develop an understanding of various types of planning.
• Justify the need for target areas and target group planning by the
• Planning Commission with examples.
• Explains the aims and approaches of the Hill Area Development Programme, Drought prone area Programme,
• Critically evaluate the aims and social benefits of ITDP in the Bharmour tribal region.
• Evaluate the measures that can be taken to promote sustainable development in the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area.

Chapter 7: Transport and Communication

• Develop an understanding of various means of transport being used in different parts of India.
• Analyse the impact of the physical environment on the development of various modes in different regions.
• Describe different types of highways found in different parts of our country.
• Discuss the role of Indian Railways in the growth of India’s economy with a focus on recent technological advancements.
• Describe the five National Waterways of our country.
• Discuss the role of OIL and Gail in the development of gas pipelines in India.
• Discuss reasons for the state-wise variation in road density in India.
• Elucidate the impact of modern communication networks in our lives.
• Mark and label the following on an outline political map of India: Terminal stations of north-south corridor, East west corridor & Golden Quadrilateral

Chapter 8: International Trade

• Give reasons for the changing pattern of the composition of India’s imports and exports.
• Discuss the strategies adopted by India to double its share in international trade.
• Evaluate the role of seaports as gateways of international trade with examples.
• Mark and label the major sea ports and airports on an outline map of India.

Major Sea Ports: Kandla, Mumbai, Marmagao, Kochi, Mangalore, Tuticorin, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Haldia International 

Airports: Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram & Hyderabad.

Chapter 9: Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues

• Classify types of pollution based on the medium through which pollutants are transported and diffused.
• Explain various sources of pollution and summarise the state of water, air, land and noise pollution in India.
• Analyse the rural-urban migration and its role in pollution.
• Describe the health and social problems of slum dwellers regarding Dharavi.
• Describe the natural and human causes of land degradation and suggest measures to control land degradation in India.
• Suggest measures to control different types of pollution and evaluate the effectiveness of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Discuss the problems related to urban waste disposal and suggest measures to convert waste into wealth.

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CBSE Class 12 Geography Practical Syllabus: Map Work

Book 1 - (Fundamentals of Human Geography)

Chapter-4 Primary Activities

1. Areas of subsistence gathering (Fig 4.2)  
2. Major areas of nomadic herding of the world (4.4) 
3. Major areas of commercial livestock rearing (4.6)  
4. Major areas of extensive commercial grain farming (4.12)  
5. Major areas of mixed farming in the World (4.14)

Chapter-7 Transport, Communication and Trade

1. Terminal Stations of Transcontinental Railways– Trans-Siberian, Trans Canadian, Trans-Australian Railways 
2. Major Sea Ports 

• Europe: North Cape, London, Hamburg  
• North America: Vancouver, San Francisco, New Orleans  
• South America: Rio De Janeiro, Colon, Valparaiso  
• Africa: Suez and Cape Town  
• Asia: Yokohama, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Aden, Karachi, Kolkata  
• Australia: Perth, Sydney, Melbourne 

3. Major Airports:

• Asia: Tokyo, Beijing, Mumbai, Jeddah, Aden  
• Africa: Johannesburg & Nairobi  
• Europe: Moscow, London, Paris, Berlin and Rome  
• North America: Chicago, New Orleans, Mexico City  
• South America: Buenos Aires, Santiago  
• Australia: Darwin and Wellington 

4. Inland Waterways

• Suez Canal, Panama Canal, Rhine Waterways, and St. Lawrence Seaways

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Book 2 - (India People and Economy)

Chapter-1 Population Distribution Density Growth and Composition

State with highest population density & state with lowest population density (2011) 

Chapter 3 Land Resources and Agriculture

Leading producing states of the following crops: (a) Rice (b) Wheat (c) Cotton (d) Jute (e) Sugarcane (f) Tea and (g) Coffee

Chapter-5 Mineral And Energy Resources

• Iron-ore mines: Mayurbhanj, Bailadila, Ratnagiri, Bellary  
• Manganese mines: Balaghat, Shimoga  
• Copper mines: Hazaribagh, Singhbhum, Khetari  
• Bauxite mines: Katni, Bilaspur and Koraput  
• Coal mines: Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Neyveli  
• Oil Refineries: Mathura, Jamnager, Barauni 

Chapter-8 International Trade

Mark and label the major sea ports and airports on an outline map of India.  

• Major Sea Ports: Kandla, Mumbai, Marmagao, Kochi, Mangalore, Tuticorin, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Haldia  
• International Airports: Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram & Hyderabad.

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Class 12 Geography Syllabus 2024-25: Preparation Tips

Study and Revise the Geography Syllabus

Spend some time going over each subject included in the CBSE Class 12 Geography Syllabus 2024-25. This comprehensive analysis will assist in confirming that you comprehend all the material and point out any areas that could need further attention. To prevent studying for unrelated subjects, make sure to look for any sections of the curriculum that have been eliminated. The official CBSE website has the most recent Geography Class 12 syllabus for 2024.

Go through Your Geography Notes

Comprehensive revision is essential to ensuring that you remember key ideas and information. Go over your geography notes to review the most important subjects. By doing this step, you'll be able to perform at your best on the test and remember key facts more readily.

Practice Questions from Geography Textbooks

Complete the subsequent practice questions from your geography textbooks, paying close attention to the ideas that are commonly posed. You will become well-prepared for the kinds of questions that are probably going to be on the test by practicing these questions.

See prior Year Question Papers

Exam pattern knowledge and topic identification are achieved by reviewing prior year question papers. Before the final exam, make sure you have plenty of experience answering previous year's geography question papers. Reputable sources and instructional websites provide CBSE Class 12 Geography Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions.

Practice Additional Questions and Sample Papers for the CBSE

Get familiar with the format and nature of the examination by practicing additional questions and sample papers. You will also improve your time management abilities with this exercise. Students who go through official sample papers might reduce their examination anxiety and perform better on the day of the final exam.

Practice Answer Writing and Mapping

To write an effective response in the allotted time, you must learn how to organize your thoughts, keep them coherent, and follow the prompts. Students can use sample papers or the answer sheets of high-scoring peers to hone their answer-writing skills. Examining such instances can yield significant insight on how to properly arrange answers and communicate ideas.

The CBSE Class 12 Geography Syllabus 2024-25 is tough and comprehensive. It covers an extensive range of subjects, from basic ideas to more complex ones. It also has a large practical component that allows students to put their academic knowledge to use in actual circumstances. Along with theoretical information, this practical component helps students build practical skills and improves their learning experience.