Skip to content
MockCSS
All CSS subjects

CSS written syllabus

CSS Geography Syllabus

Geography is a 100-mark Group VII optional subject in the CSS written exam, examined in one three-hour paper. Below is FPSC's official syllabus, word for word: every section, topics and suggested readings.

Marks
100
Papers
1
Time
3 hours a paper
Group
Group VII
Subject code
47

The paper

100 marks

Physical Geography

  • I.
    Factors controlling landform development; endogenic and exogenic forces; origin and evolution of the earth’s crust; physical conditions of the earth’s interior; geosynclines; continental drift; isostasy; sea-floor spreading; plate tectonics; mountain building; volcanicity; earthquakes; concepts of geomorphic cycles; landforms associated with fluvial, arid, glacial, coastal and Karst cycle; groundwater.
  • II.
    • Elements and Factors of climate, structure and composition of atmosphere, insolation, temperature
    • Pressure belts of the world
    • Heat budget of the earth
    • Atmospheric circulation: planetary, monsoon and local winds
    • Air masses and Fronts
    • Hydrological cycle
    • Types of condensation and precipitation
    • Factors of global distribution of precipitation
  • III.
    • Origin of oceans and seas
    • Characteristic features of the ocean basins, temperature, salinity distribution cause and effects
    • Ocean floor deposits, their characteristics and classification
    • Ocean circulation
    • Waves, currents and tides, their nature, causes and effects
  • IV.
    • Factors of climate and Environmental change. Transformation of nature by man, environmental degradation and conservation
    • Nature and Types of pollution. Problems caused by pollution
    • Global Warming
    • Global Environment Patterns
    • Environmental Hazards and Risk Management

Human Geography

  • V.
    • Origin and Diffusion of Culture
    • Geographic patterns of culture
    • Classification of Languages
    • World Distribution of Languages
    • Indo-European Languages
    • Origins of Religions
    • Diffusion of Religions
    • Global Distribution
    • Regional conflicts
    • Ethnicities and Nationalities
    • Ethnic Conflicts
    • Ethnic Diversity in the World
    • Factors of Ethnic Cleansing
    • Ethnic Cleansing in the World
    • Development Indicators
    • Economic Indicators
    • Social Indicators
    • Health Indicators
    • Development through Trade
    • Impacts of development Indicators
  • VI.
    • Factors effecting Agriculture
    • Subsistence Agriculture and population growth
    • Commercial Agriculture and Market Forces
    • Sustainable Agriculture
    • Types and Distribution of Agriculture
    • Factors of Industrial locations
    • The Industrial Revolution
    • Industrial Theories
    • Distribution of Industries and Industrial Estates
    • Renewable Resources
    • Recycling Resources
    • Sustainable resources
  • VII.
    • Factors of Population Growth
    • Components of Change
    • Population Structure
    • The Demographic Transition
    • World distribution of Population
    • Over and under Population threats and their consequences
    • Models of Internal Structure of Cities
    • World Urban Patterns
    • Settlement Theories
    • Patterns and Problems within urban areas
  • VIII.
    • Politics
    • Geography and Political Geography
    • State as a Politico-Territorial Phenomenon
    • State
    • Nation and the Nation-State
    • World Politics and International Relations
    • Geopolitics of uneven Development and Globalization of Capital
    • Geography of Tourism and Recreation
    • The demand for tourism and recreation
    • The supply for tourism and recreation
    • The impact of tourism and recreation: (Socio-economic impacts, Physical-environmental impacts)
    • Global patterns in health and diseases
    • Models in medical geography
    • Recent issues and developments

Suggested readings

  • 1.Discovering Physical Geography 2nd ed. Hoboken:John Wiley &Sons,Inc.Alan F. Arbogast (2011).
  • 2.Introducing Physical Geography. Hobken: John Wiley & SonsAlan Strahler, (2011).
  • 3.Atmosphere, Weather and Climate (7th ed.). London: Clays St. Davis.Barry, R. (1998).
  • 4.Meknight’s Physical Geography A Landscape application 10th ed PHI Learning, New Delhi.Darrel Hess (2012).
  • 5.Text Book of Population Geography, Randam Publications, New Delhi.Dr. Martin Ardagh (2013).
  • 6.Atmosphere, Climate and Change. New York: Scientific American LibraryGraedel, T. (1995).
  • 7.An Introduction to Oceanography.Johnson H. (1996).
  • 8.Economic Geography, Randam Publications, New Delhi.Philip Emeral (2013).
  • 9.Essentials of Physical Geography 8thed Australia.Robert E. Gabler& James F. Petersen (2007)
  • 10.Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography 7th ed. New Jersey:Pearson Prentice HallRobert W. Christopherson (2009),
  • 11.Tourism Geography: Randam Publications, New Delhi.Shweta Singh (2013).
  • 12.Elements of physical geography. New York. John Wiley.Strahler, A. N. (1998).
  • 13.Natural Disaster Management: New technologies and opportunities, The Icfai Uni. Press, Agartala.Subir Ghosh (2012).
  • 14.Economic Geography 3rd ed. PHI Learning, New Delhi.Truman A. Hartshorn (2010).
  • 15.Environmental Geography: Science Landuse and Earth System 3rd ed.Hobken: John Wiley & SonsWilliam M. Marsh (2005).
  • 16.Geography, Regions and Concepts. U.S.A: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.Blif, H. J. (1971).
  • 17.Human Geography. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Blij, H. J. (2000).
  • 18.Population Geography Oxford: Pergamon Press.Clarke, J. I. (1965).
  • 19.Human Geography Cultural Society and Space. (5th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.De Blij. H. J. (2003).
  • 20.Political Geography: The Spatiality of Politics. (3rd ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.Dikshit, R. D. (2001).
  • 21.Agricultural Geography: Issues and Applications. New Delhi: Gian Publishing House.Dube, R. S. (1987).
  • 22.Human Geography Landscape of Human Activities. (8th ed.). New York: Mc.Graw Hill Higher Education.Getis, Fellman. (2005).
  • 23.An Introduction to Agricultural Geography. London: Hutchinson.Grigg, D. (1984).
  • 24.The Geography of Tourism and Recreation (1st ed.). London: Routledge.Hall, C. M; & Page, S. J. (1999).
  • 25.Economic Geography. New York: Prentice Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs.Hartshorne, T. A. & Alexander, J. W. (1988).
  • 26.Geography & Health: A study in medical Geography. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing corporation.Izhar, F. (2004).
  • 27.Geographies of Global Change. Blackwell Publishers Inc.Johnston, R. J. (1996).
  • 28.Urban Geography, New York: McGraw Hill.Kaplan, Wheeler (2009).
  • 29.Human Geography Place and Region in Global context. (2nd ed.) .New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Knox Paul L. (2001).
  • 30.Agricultural Geography. London: Longman.Newbury, P. A. R. (1999).
  • 31.Contemporary Human Geography. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited.Rubenstein James M. (2010).
  • 32.Tourism Geography (1st ed) London: Routledge.Williams, S. (1998).

Past papers

FPSC's Geography papers from 2016 to 2026, as text. Open a year, or see them all.

Geography

FPSC's wording, spelling and numbering, as printed in its Revised Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination (CE-2016 and onwards), updated 7th July, 2015.

The written exam starts with the MPT

Only candidates who pass the MCQ screening test (MPT) sit the written papers. Practice the 200-question MPT under exam conditions first.

Start a free MPT mockSee the MPT syllabus