Geography Past Papers 2026
Browse all available Geography sessions from 2003-2025. This archive currently includes 508 official papers and 5 donated papers.
47
Sessions
513
Papers
508
Official
2003-2025
Years
November 2025
Latest Session
47
Sessions
2003–2025
113
Question Papers
99
Markschemes
88% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Geographic Themes (Options) | 60 | HL: 2h 15m (answer 3 options) / SL: 1h 30m (answer 2 options) | 0.44 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Geographic Perspectives — Global Change | 50 | 1h 15m | 0.67 | Steady |
| Paper 3 | Geographic Perspectives — Global Interactions (HL only) | 28 | 1h | 0.47 | Steady |
Components: 3 papers, up to 4 variants each. Component data extracted from 4 official IB subject reports (2023, 2025).
November 2025
Latest Session
47
Sessions
2003–2025
50
Question Papers
66
Markschemes
100% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Geographic Themes (Options) | 40 | 1h 30m (answer 2 options) | 0.44 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Geographic Perspectives — Global Change | 50 | 1h 15m | 0.67 | Steady |
Components: 2 papers, up to 4 variants each. Component data extracted from 4 official IB subject reports (2023, 2025).
Yearly Exam Sessions
What IB examiners say about Geography
Verbatim quotes from 4 official IB subject reports (2025–2023). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things IB markers flag year after year.
Answering all options on Paper 1 instead of the required…
Too many students attempting every question, or the short answer questions from every option.
Describing instead of explaining
Discussion, analysis and evaluation, rather than a description. Many essays overly descriptive and weakly evidenced.
Using outdated or irrelevant case studies
Many in the textbooks are out-dated and need to be elaborated on. Not using examples / case studies. Many students gave well-structured responses without identifying one single named example at any scale.
About IB Geography
IB Geography is a Group 3 subject that bridges the social sciences and natural sciences by examining the interactions between people and their environments. Core topics include population distribution, global climate, global resource consumption, and power and places. Optional themes cover topics such as freshwater, oceans and coastal margins, extreme environments, geopolitical and economic power, and urban environments.
IB Geography is available at SL and HL. HL students study additional global interactions topics and the HL extension. The subject involves fieldwork (an important component of the Internal Assessment), map skills, and data interpretation alongside essay writing.
Exam Format
Paper 1 (SL: 1 hr 30 min / HL: 1 hr 30 min)
Optional themes: questions on two of the optional themes studied. Short-answer and extended-response.
Paper 2 (SL: 1 hr 15 min / HL: 1 hr 15 min)
Core theme questions — all sections compulsory. Short-answer and extended-response.
Paper 3 (HL only: 1 hr)
Global interactions: unseen stimulus (article/data) with essay response.
SL vs HL
HL Geography adds the Global Interactions core extension and Paper 3. HL students study population, resources, and geopolitical dynamics in greater depth.
Study Tips for IB Geography
- ✓Use real place examples for every geographic concept — named locations with specific data score highly.
- ✓Practise interpreting maps, graphs, and satellite images under timed conditions.
- ✓For extended-response questions, structure answers with an intro, main argument, counter-argument, and conclusion.
- ✓Know the difference between physical and human geography components and which paper each appears in.
- ✓For HL Paper 3, practise writing analytical essays from stimulus material — the unseen element rewards organised thinkers.
Questions, answered.
Optional themes include: Freshwater, Oceans and Coastal Margins, Extreme Environments, Leisure Sport and Tourism, Food and Health, Urban Environments, and several others. Schools choose two optional themes for SL/HL.
HL is preferred for geography, environmental science, or planning degrees. SL Geography satisfies the Group 3 requirement for other degree programmes.