WRITING TASK 1: MIXED CHARTS (main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive)
The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. The table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s.
Causes of worldwide land degradation
Causes of land degradation by region
Band 6 Sample Essay
The pie chart shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive around the world. The table gives information about how three different regions were affected by these causes in the 1990s.
Overall, the biggest causes of land degradation are over-grazing, deforestation, and over-cultivation. Europe had the highest percentage of degraded land compared to Oceania and North America.
According to the pie chart, over-grazing is the largest cause of land degradation, making up 35% of the problem. Deforestation is the second biggest reason at 30%, followed by over-cultivation at 28%.
Looking at the table, Europe had the most degraded land (23%) in the 1990s. The main cause there was deforestation (9.8%), not over-grazing. Oceania had 13% degraded land, mostly because of over-grazing (11.3%). Unlike other regions, Oceania had no over-cultivation. North America had the least degradation (5%), with over-cultivation being the biggest issue (3.3%).
(150 words)
Band 9 Sample Essay
The pie chart illustrates the primary causes of global agricultural land degradation, while the table delineates the impact of these factors across three regions during the 1990s.
Broadly speaking, over-grazing, deforestation, and over-cultivation are the predominant contributors to land degradation worldwide. Notably, Europe experienced a significantly higher proportion of degraded land than Oceania and North America.
Over-grazing emerges as the most significant factor, responsible for 35% of global land degradation. Deforestation follows closely at 30%, while over-cultivation accounts for a further 28%.
Regionally, Europe suffered the most severe degradation, with 23% of its land affected. Unlike the global trend, deforestation (9.8%) was the leading cause in Europe, surpassing over-grazing. Oceania, with 13% degraded land, was predominantly impacted by over-grazing (11.3%), with no recorded degradation from over-cultivation. In contrast, North America had the lowest degradation rate (5%), where over-cultivation (3.3%) was the principal factor.
(150 words)