Grade 12 past papers

Grade 12 Geography past papers and memos

Download all 120 Grade 12 Geography past papers and memos as free PDFs, 2014 to 2026, straight from the departments that set them.

Papers
120
Years
2014 to 2026
Exams
November (Term 4), September (Term 3), May/June (Term 2), Feb/March (Term 1)
Format
Free PDF, with memos

Download Grade 12 Geography past papers and memos

Newest first. The memo sits on the same row as the paper it belongs to, so you do not have to go looking for it.

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Grade 12 Geography exam guidelines

What is in Paper 1 and Paper 2, and what each topic is worth.

The topics, the marks and the time you get, from the Department of Basic Education's examination guidelines for Geography. Know this before you sit down with a paper and you will know what a good mark should feel like.

Paper 1

150 marks, 3 hours

Climate and weather
60 marks
Geomorphology
60 marks
Geographical skills and techniques
30 marks

Paper 2

150 marks, 3 hours

Rural and urban settlements
60 marks
Economic geography of South Africa
60 marks
Geographical skills and techniques
30 marks

How hard is Grade 12 Geography?

Out of every 10 learners who wrote Geography, about 7 got 40% or more.

364 622 learners wrote Geography in 2025. 3 of the 9 subjects on this site are passed more often than this one.

Use that when you mark your own paper. Under 30% is a fail. 30% to 39% is a pass, but it shuts you out of most courses after school. 40% and up means you did better than about half the country.

National Geography results, 2021 to 2025
YearWrote the examGot 30% or moreGot 40% or more
2025364 62291.1%68.2%
2024346 79189.5%67.4%
2023344 30186.2%61.4%
2022368 88281.3%52.2%
2021358 65574.3%43.2%

National results for the October and November papers, from the Department of Basic Education's 2025 NSC Diagnostic Report.

All Grade 12 subjectsWhen each paper is written

Grade 12 Geography past paper questions

NB
NavyBlue Editorial Team
Higher Education Content
Published Updated Verified against DBE and provincial education department papers