What do the Grade 11 Geography cards cover?

16 cards across 6 chapters of the national textbook: Climate Classification and Regions of the World, Natural resources and conflicts over resources, Global population dynamics and challenges, Major global environmental changes, Geo-spatial information and data processing and 1 more. You can take any chapter one card at a time on the page itself.

Is there a national exam in Grade 11?

No. Ethiopia sets national exams in Grade 6, Grade 8 and Grade 12 only. These cards are for your school's own exams, and for the national exam that comes a few years later.

Where do these cards come from?

They are drafted from Grade 11 Geography, the Ministry of Education textbook for this grade. A second pass that cannot see the chapter then re-derives every formula, constant and table row, and anything it cannot confirm is held back instead of published.

Yes. Every card here is free to read and the printable sheet is free to download. Neither needs an account.

When was this last checked?

30 August 2026. Cards arrive chapter by chapter, and the line under each one says when that card was last read through.

Free short notes and revision cards

Grade 11 Geography

Grade 11 Geography on Temari has 16 revision cards, arranged by the chapters of the Ethiopian national curriculum. Every card says when the rule applies, what each symbol in it stands for, and the mistake students most often make with it. They are free to read and need no account.

16
Cards: 6
Chapters: 16
Reference tables: Grade 11 Geography
Textbook: Free
Price: 30 August 2026
Last checked

Unit 1

Geological Eras and Major EventsReference tablePrecambrian · Paleozoic · Mesozoic · +1

Geological Era	Time Span (Ma)	Dominant Life and Key Events
Precambrian	$4500 - 600$	Earth solidified, oldest rocks formed, basement complex and shields created
Paleozoic	$600 - 250$	Ancient life, trilobites, age of fish, Pangaea supercontinent formed by the end
Mesozoic	$250 - 70$	Age of dinosaurs, first mammals and birds, Pangaea split into Laurasia and Gondwanaland
Cenozoic	$70 - 0$	Age of mammals and modern humans, orogenic folding, continents attained present positions

When you use it

Use this to classify Earth history into major eras and link each era to its characteristic life forms and tectonic events.

Watch out

Pangaea assembled at the end of the Paleozoic era, but broke apart during the Mesozoic era.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, pages 2-27, then checked twice before it went up

Major Oceans and Deepest PointsReference tablePacific Ocean · Atlantic Ocean · Indian Ocean · +2

Ocean	Rank by Size	Deepest Point	Deepest Depth
Pacific Ocean	1st	Mariana Trench (Challenger Deep)	$10924\text{ m}$
Atlantic Ocean	2nd	Puerto Rico Trench	$8605\text{ m}$
Indian Ocean	3rd	Java Trench (Sunda Trench)	$7258\text{ m}$
Southern Ocean	4th	South Sandwich Trench	$7235\text{ m}$
Arctic Ocean	5th	Nansen Basin (Central Basin)	$4665\text{ m}$

When you use it

Use this to compare the five ocean basins by surface area ranking and match each ocean with its deepest trench.

Watch out

The Southern Ocean is delimited from parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, making it the fourth largest, not the smallest.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, pages 2-27, then checked twice before it went up

Principles of Relative Rock DatingReference tableOriginal Horizontality · Superposition · Cross-cutting Relationships

Principle	Core Rule
Original Horizontality	Sedimentary layers are originally deposited in nearly horizontal beds under gravity.
Superposition	In undisturbed rock layers, the overlying bed is younger than the underlying bed.
Cross-cutting Relationships	A rock layer or igneous intrusion that cuts across another is younger than the rock it cuts.

When you use it

Use these principles to determine the chronological sequence of sedimentary rock layers and igneous intrusions.

Watch out

Superposition applies only to undisturbed strata. Deformed or overturned layers do not follow the bottom-is-older rule.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, pages 2-27, then checked twice before it went up

Climate Classification and Regions of the World

Genetic versus Empirical Climate ClassificationReference tableGenetic · Empirical

Classification System	Basis of Classification	Examples
Genetic	Atmospheric forcing processes, air masses, and circulation	Air mass classification
Empirical	Observed statistical data of temperature and precipitation	Köppen, Trewartha

When you use it

Use this distinction when evaluating whether a climate system is classified by causative atmospheric processes or observed statistical data.

Watch out

Genetic systems classify by the causes of climate, such as air masses, while empirical systems classify by observed effects like temperature and precipitation.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, pages 28-58, then checked twice before it went up

Köppen Climate Classification SchemeReference tableA · B · C · +3

Symbol	Climate Type	Defining Temperature and Moisture Criteria
A	Tropical	All months average temperature above 18 °C
B	Dry	Evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation
C	Mesothermal (Mid-latitude mild)	Coldest month average between -3 °C and 18 °C
D	Microthermal (Mid-latitude cold)	Warmest month above 10 °C, coldest below -3 °C
E	Polar	Warmest month average below 10 °C
H	Highland	Varied local conditions controlled by altitude

When you use it

Use this scheme to identify major global climate types from temperature and precipitation thresholds.

Watch out

Type B is determined by precipitation deficiency, whereas types A, C, D, and E are defined strictly by temperature boundaries.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, pages 28-58, then checked twice before it went up

Natural resources and conflicts over resources

Historic Nile Basin Treaties and InitiativesReference table1929 · 1959 · 1999

Year	Signatory Parties	Core Terms and Allocation
1929	UK and Egypt	Egypt claimed natural and historic rights over Nile waters
1959	Egypt and Sudan	Allocated 55.5 BCM to Egypt and 18.5 BCM to Sudan
1999	Nile Basin Riparian States	Established Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) for equitable utilization

When you use it

Use to review key bilateral and multilateral agreements and water allocations across the Nile River basin.

Watch out

The 1959 agreement exclusively allocated water between Egypt (55.5 BCM) and Sudan (18.5 BCM), completely ignoring upstream countries.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 59 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Natural Resource Classification ParametersReference tableRegeneration · Origin · Current use and future availability · +2

Parameter	Resource Categories
Regeneration	Renewable, Non-renewable
Origin	Biotic, Abiotic
Current use and future availability	Stock, Flow
Distribution and volume	Ubiquitous, Unique, Common, Rare
Stage of development	Potential, Actual, Conditional

When you use it

Use when identifying how natural resources are grouped based on regeneration, origin, distribution, and stage of development.

Watch out

Renewable resources can still be exhausted if the rate of consumption exceeds their rate of natural regeneration.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 59 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Underlying and Proximate Causes of Land DegradationReference tableRapid population growth · Climate change · Rough topography · +2

Major (Underlying) Cause	Proximate Cause	Direct Consequence
Rapid population growth	Intensive cultivation, Deforestation, Overgrazing	Farmland fragmentation, soil erosion, biomass loss
Climate change	Droughts, Torrential rains	Desertification, flooding, dam siltation
Rough topography	Steep slopes, Low depressions	Topsoil removal by fast runoff, waterlogging
Improper land use	Ploughing up and down slopes, Over-irrigation	Nutrient depletion, salinization, erosion
Government policy	Tenure insecurity	Resource depletion, low investment in conservation

When you use it

Use to distinguish between root driving forces (underlying causes) and direct physical activities (proximate causes) that degrade land resources.

Watch out

Do not confuse underlying causes like population growth with proximate causes like deforestation and overgrazing.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 59 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Global population dynamics and challenges

Geological Eras of the EarthReference tablePrecambrian · Paleozoic · Mesozoic · +1

Geological Era	Age Range (Ma)	Major Characteristics and Life Forms
Precambrian	$4500\text{ to }600$	Earth solidification, oldest basement complex rocks, continental shields, covers 85 percent of Earth time.
Paleozoic	$600\text{ to }250$	Ancient life, trilobites, age of fish, assembly of supercontinent Pangaea, mass amphibian extinction.
Mesozoic	$250\text{ to }70$	Middle life, age of dinosaurs, Pangaea rifting into Laurasia and Gondwanaland, first mammals and birds.
Cenozoic	$70\text{ to present}$	Recent life, age of mammals, flowering plants, mountain building, Ice Age, modern humans.

When you use it

Use to review the major divisions of Earth history, their age boundaries, and their evolutionary milestones.

Watch out

Precambrian is the oldest and longest era, taking up about 85 percent of geological time, not Paleozoic.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 1 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Principles of Relative DatingReference tableOriginal Horizontality · Superposition · Cross-Cutting Relationships

Principle	Definition
Original Horizontality	Sedimentary rock layers are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.
Superposition	In an undisturbed sedimentary sequence, overlying beds are younger than underlying beds.
Cross-Cutting Relationships	A rock layer or igneous intrusion that cuts across another rock layer is younger than the rock it cuts.

When you use it

Use to determine the chronological order of rock layers without using numerical ages.

Watch out

The principle of superposition applies strictly to undisturbed rock sequences.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 1 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Radioactive Decay ProportionsReference table0 · 1 · 2 · +1

Half-lives	Parent Isotope (%)	Daughter Isotope (%)
$0$	$100$	$0$
$1$	$50$	$50$
$2$	$25$	$75$
$3$	$12.5$	$87.5$

When you use it

Use to track the remaining parent and accumulating daughter isotope percentages through successive half-lives.

Watch out

With each half-life cycle, the parent isotope decreases by half while total daughter percentage increases to keep the sum at 100 percent.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 1 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Major global environmental changes

Principles of Relative Rock DatingReference tableOriginal Horizontality · Superposition · Cross-Cutting Relationships

Principle	Key Rule
Original Horizontality	Layers of sediments are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.
Superposition	In an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rocks, the overlying bed is younger than the underlying rock.
Cross-Cutting Relationships	A rock layer or intrusion that cuts across another rock layer is younger than the rocks it cross-cuts.

When you use it

Use when determining the chronological order of rock formation and geological events without numerical dates.

Watch out

Superposition applies only to undisturbed sedimentary beds. Rock deformation or tilting after deposition changes original layer orientation.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 1 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Radioactive Decay and Half-Life ProportionsReference table0 · 1 · 2 · +1

Number of Half-Lives	Parent Isotope (%)	Daughter Isotope (%)
$0$	$100$	$0$
$1$	$50$	$50$
$2$	$25$	$75$
$3$	$12.5$	$87.5$

When you use it

Use when solving absolute age problems based on the proportion of parent to daughter isotopes in rocks.

Watch out

A half-life is the time for half of the remaining parent isotope to decay, not the time for the entire material to disappear.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 1 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Geo-spatial information and data processing

Koppen Major Climate TypesReference tableA · B · C · +2

Category	Climate Type	Defining Characteristics
A	Tropical	All months average temperature above $18^\circ\text{C}$ . No real winter.
B	Dry	Deficient precipitation for most of the year. Governed by dryness.
C	Meso-thermal (Mid-latitude Mild)	Coldest month average temperature below $18^\circ\text{C}$ and above $-3^\circ\text{C}$ .
D	Micro-thermal (Mid-latitude Cold)	Warmest month exceeds $10^\circ\text{C}$ , coldest month drops below $-3^\circ\text{C}$ .
E	Polar	Average temperature of warmest month is below $10^\circ\text{C}$ . No real summer.

When you use it

Use to classify terrestrial climates into five major categories based on monthly and annual temperature and precipitation.

Watch out

Types A, C, D, and E are determined by temperature thresholds, whereas Type B is governed strictly by dryness and moisture deficit.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 2 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Principles of Relative DatingReference tableOriginal Horizontality · Superposition · Cross-Cutting Relationships

Principle	Description
Original Horizontality	Sediments are originally deposited in horizontal beds under gravity. Non-horizontal layers indicate deformation.
Superposition	In an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rock layers, the overlying bed is younger than the underlying bed.
Cross-Cutting Relationships	An igneous intrusion or fault that cross-cuts another rock layer is younger than the rock it cuts.

When you use it

Use when determining the chronological sequence of rock layers and geological events without exact numerical ages.

Watch out

Superposition applies strictly to undisturbed sedimentary strata. Verify if the sequence has undergone tectonic tilting or deformation.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 2 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Radioactive Isotopes and Half-LivesReference tableUranium-238 (^238U) · Rubidium-87 (^87Rb) · Potassium-40 (^40K) · +2

Parent Isotope	Daughter Isotope	Half-Life
Uranium-238 ( $^{238}\text{U}$ )	Lead-206 ( $^{206}\text{Pb}$ )	4.5 billion years
Rubidium-87 ( $^{87}\text{Rb}$ )	Strontium-87 ( $^{87}\text{Sr}$ )	48.8 billion years
Potassium-40 ( $^{40}\text{K}$ )	Argon-40 ( $^{40}\text{Ar}$ )	1.25 billion years
Uranium-235 ( $^{235}\text{U}$ )	Lead-207 ( $^{207}\text{Pb}$ )	704 million years
Carbon-14 ( $^{14}\text{C}$ )	Nitrogen-14 ( $^{14}\text{N}$ )	5,730 years

When you use it

Use to calculate absolute numerical ages of rocks based on radioactive decay of parent isotopes into daughter products.

Watch out

Do not confuse Uranium-238, which decays to Lead-206, with Uranium-235, which decays to Lead-207.

Drafted from Grade 11 Geography, page 2 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

The same subject in other years

An exam paper keeps asking for what the year below taught. Those cards are here too.

Your other Grade 11 subjects

Everything else in this year that has cards so far.

Questions students ask

What do the Grade 11 Geography cards cover?: 16 cards across 6 chapters of the national textbook: Climate Classification and Regions of the World, Natural resources and conflicts over resources, Global population dynamics and challenges, Major global environmental changes, Geo-spatial information and data processing and 1 more. You can take any chapter one card at a time on the page itself.
Is there a national exam in Grade 11?: No. Ethiopia sets national exams in Grade 6, Grade 8 and Grade 12 only. These cards are for your school's own exams, and for the national exam that comes a few years later.
Where do these cards come from?: They are drafted from Grade 11 Geography, the Ministry of Education textbook for this grade. A second pass that cannot see the chapter then re-derives every formula, constant and table row, and anything it cannot confirm is held back instead of published.
Is this free?: Yes. Every card here is free to read and the printable sheet is free to download. Neither needs an account.
When was this last checked?: 30 August 2026. Cards arrive chapter by chapter, and the line under each one says when that card was last read through.

Revise, then test yourself

Temari turns these cards into practice questions and marks them as you go, with an AI tutor to explain anything that did not land.

Start free