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New
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Year 7

Beijing: A global city

I can use images to investigate the geography of Beijing and explain why Beijing is called a global city.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Beijing: A global city

I can use images to investigate the geography of Beijing and explain why Beijing is called a global city.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A global city is a well-connected city, this means that there are good transport and financial links across the world.
  2. Beijing is the capital of China and has a population of around 22 million people.
  3. Beijing is a major centre for finance and industry, both in in China and globally.
  4. Beijing is important for its rich history and culture; millions of tourists visit the city each year.

Keywords

  • Stereotype - a set idea that people might have about a person, place or thing, but which is often not true

  • Infrastructure - all the basic systems in a country, such as transport and power supply

  • Global city - a city that is a major centre for trade and communication with other places around the world

  • Megacity - a city that has a population of more than 10 million people

  • Economy - the way money in a particular area is made and spent

Common misconception

Confusion about the difference between global cities and megacities.

Global cities are well-connected cities that are recognised as being of global importance. Megacities are cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. Not all global cities are megacities.


To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: Beijing: A global city, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are many different ways to use images in investigate the geography of places. Other possibilities include asking learners to generate questions about an image; imagine what people in an image might be thinking or saying; and extending a cropped image.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the capital city of China?
Shanghai
Correct answer: Beijing
Sydney
Q2.
What is the population of China?
800 million
Correct answer: Over 1.4 billion
9 billion
Q3.
Why do people migrate from rural areas to cities in China?
Correct answer: For better jobs and higher wages.
To escape from the cold weather.
For more space to grow crops.
Q4.
What is the longest river in China?
Amazon
Nile
Correct answer: Yangtze River
Q5.
Which desert is found in northern China?
Correct answer: Gobi Desert
Sahara Desert
Kalahari Desert
Q6.
Where is Beijing located in China?
Correct answer: In the north-east
In the south-west
On the southern coast

4 Questions

Q1.
What is a stereotype?
A fact about a group of people.
A scientific study of human behavior.
Correct answer: An oversimplified belief about a group of people.
Q2.
What is the main difference between a megacity and a global city?
A megacity is always a capital, a global city is not.
Correct answer: A megacity has over 10 million people, a global city is an economic hub.
A global city has a bigger population than a megacity.
Megacities and global cities are the same thing.
Q3.
Why is Beijing considered a global city?
It has more than 10 million people.
It is the capital of China.
Correct answer: It is an economic, political, and cultural hub.
It is close to the Great Wall.
Q4.
What is Beijing’s role in China’s economy?
It is China’s largest manufacturing city.
Correct answer: It is a financial and business hub.
It is only important for politics.
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