Ielts Academic Writing Task 1 Sample 48

You should spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: 

The image provides information about the countries by left-hand and right-hand traffic.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

You should write at least 150 words.

The image presents a global map depicting the side of the road on which traffic flows in various countries as of 2024. The map utilizes color coding to differentiate between right-hand and left-hand traffic patterns.

Right-hand traffic, indicated by blue coloration, is predominant across most of the world. This system is ubiquitous throughout the Americas, Continental Europe, China, and the majority of Africa. Left-hand traffic, represented in orange, is less common globally but prevalent in specific regions.

Countries adhering to left-hand traffic include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and several nations in Southern Africa. This pattern is also observed in Indonesia and some neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

The distribution reveals a clear geographical clustering of left-hand traffic countries, with most being former British colonies or territories historically influenced by British rule. Conversely, right-hand traffic is the norm in countries influenced by continental European practices or those that have standardized their systems more recently.

This visualization highlights the persisting diversity in global traffic systems, reflecting historical, colonial, and cultural influences on transportation infrastructure development across different regions.