AO1 – Knowledge and understanding of the patterns of world trade in oil and the food commodity or manufacturing product studied.

AO2 – Applies knowledge and understanding to the novel situation to analyse and evaluate the extent to which there are similarities and differences in the pattern.

Mark scheme

Level 2 (4–6 marks)

AO1 – Demonstrates clear knowledge and understanding of concepts, processes, interactions and change.

AO2 – Applies knowledge and understanding to the novel situation offering clear analysis and evaluation drawn appropriately from the context provided. Connections and relationships between different aspects of study are evident with clear relevance.

Notes for answers

This question requires knowledge of the world trade in either a food commodity or manufactured product. Answers should show awareness of the extent to which this world trade compares with world trade in oil. The answer will be very dependent on the choice.

No credit for description of Figure 2 in isolation.

AO1

Trade patterns of food commodities are very much dependent on the where the food can be grown. This pattern has become more complex with new technologies allowing food to be grown moreuniversally.
Food commodities will vary depending on the example. For example bananas are mainly grown in between the tropics and production is centred on Latin America, West Africa and Indonesia and India. 80% of exports are produced in Latin America and the Caribbean. The largest importers are the EU and the US. 90% of the price stays in HICs.
Manufactured goods flows are mainly and traditionally a movement of high value manufactured products from the more developed/high income countries to the less developed/low income countries, and of low value manufactures from the less developed countries to the more developed, although this is no longer so clear cut.
World trade in manufactured products will very much depend on the example chosen. Textiles are predominantly manufactured in south and south-east Asia, particularly in the low labour cost areas of Bangladesh and Vietnam. There are also pockets of manufacturing in Eastern Europe. The largest importers are the rich developed countries such as the US, UK and Japan

AO2

To some extent there will be similarities with whatever example is used. Figure 3 shows that the biggest consumers of oil are the EU and US/Canada. The EU consumes 22.4 million barrels, which is the largest value. It imports oil from a variety of locations. This is similar to most world trade patterns. For example it compares favourably with world trade in bananas or textiles.
Analysis of the similarities in the export patterns. For example many of the countries exporting oil are found in the tropics such as Latin America or in west Africa, this is similar for coffee and tea production. Many LICs are oil exporters. This will be similar to many primary food commodities.
Consideration of the extent to which the amount of oil exported is similar to the food commodity or manufactured product. For example, although LICs such as those in west Africa do export oil the amounts are often far less than food commodities. The pattern of oil may have more in common with manufactured products but this will depend on the product studied.
The extent to which the spread of countries is similar. Oil is very much a global product. It is exported from all continents except Australasia. The import patterns have an even larger spread.
The pattern of oil export is likely to be very different to the food commodity or manufactured product. Export of oil is dominated by the Middle East, producing 28.4 million barrels, more than double the next largest exporter (USA/Canada). This is unlikely to be the same for their product. They may consider the extent to which domination of one world region is also present for their commodity. For example, banana trade is dominated by exports from Latin America. Imports of most products dominated by EU countries and the US.
The extent to which there are differences between oil and the commodity studied. They may consider this geographically or economically.
An evaluation of the usefulness of the oil flow map would also be creditworthy as they may highlight that the oil map is only showing flows above 1million barrels so therefore any countries / regions receiving less than this will not be shown.

International Trade & Access to Markets (AQA A Level Geography)

Topic Questions