Chapter 3

Migration

Terms

Migration – a permanent move to a new location.

Emigration – movement from a location (Exit)

Immigration – movement to a location (In)

Net Migration – Total number of migrants.

Immigration – Emigration = Net Migration

Mobility – any movement from one place to another.

Circulation – predictable movement that occurs in a timely

manner.

Key Issue #1

Why do People Migrate?

Why People Migrate Reasons for migrating

Push & pull factors

• Economic • Cultural • Environmental

– Intervening obstacles

Distance of migration

Internal migration

International migration

Characteristics of migrants

Gender

Family status

Reasons for Migration

Most people move for economic reasons

Other factors include cultural and environmental factors.

Two factors that are the main reasons for migration are

Push Factors

Pull Factors

Economic Push and Pull Factors

Job opportunities

Overall opportunities

Market specific job opportunities

International Migration

Domestic Migration

Cultural Push and Pull Factors

Historically two reason

Slavery

Political Instability (war)

International Refugees

Refugees: Sources & Destinations

Fig. 3-1: Major source and destination areas of both international and internal refugees.

Palestinian

Refugees

Cuban

Refugees

Environmental Push and Pull Factors

Physically Attractive places

Dangerous Places

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Cold Weather

Desert

Flood Plain – areas rivers are subject to flood.

Hurricane Katrina Migrants

A major natural disaster represents an environmental push factor for forced migration.

Scene from The Grapes of Wrath

The Dust Bowl in the 1930s led to forced migration from the Great Plains to California and

elsewhere.

What stops people from migrating?

Obstacles, Intervening Obstacles – things that block

movement.

Can be environmental or cultural.

Examples of Environmental Obstacles?

Examples of Cultural Obstacles?

Distance of Migration

Most Migrants relocate a short distance within the same

country.

Long Distance Migrants relocate to large cities that are

centers of economic activity.

Internal Migration

Movement within one country

Interregional Migration – movement from one region to

another.

Intraregional migration – is movement within one region

International Migration

Voluntary Migration

Involuntary Migration/Forced Migration

Migration Transition is mostly in countries in Stage 2 of

population growth.

Characteristics of Migrants

Gender of Migrants

Family Status of Migrants

Gender of Migrants

Traditionally – male, young, looking for work.

Did not travel with families to often.

That is changing, women are now a larger part of the migrant

force.

Family Status of Migrants

Traditionally Single.

More are now married with families

May more are children, unaccompanied.

Key Issue #2

Where are the Migrants Distributed?

Migration Patterns

Global migration patterns

U.S. immigration patterns

Colonial immigration

19th-century immigration

Recent immigration

Impact of immigration on the U.S.

Legacy of European migration

Undocumented immigration

Destination of immigrants within the U.S.

Global Patterns

Asia, Latin America and Africa have total out migration.

Europe, North America and Australia have total in migration.

This makes sense when we look at economic factors.

Global Migration Patterns

Fig. 3-2: The major flows of migration are from less developed to more developed

countries.

Net Migration (per population)

Fig. 3-3: Net migration per 1000 population. The U.S. has the largest number of immigrants, but other

developed countries also have relatively large numbers.

US Immigration Patterns

Three major era of migration

Colonial Settlement

From 1850-1900

Building of Rail Roads and Western Expansion

The third era began in 1970 and continues today.

Colonial Immigration

From England and Africa

English and European Immigrants were voluntary

immigrants.

African Immigrants were forced migrants.

Importation of slaves made illegal after 1808, but they were

still brought in.

Migration to U.S., by Region of Origin

Fig. 3-4: Most migrants to the U.S were from Europe until the 1960s. Since then, Latin

America and Asia have become the main sources of immigrants.

European Immigration

Three distinct peaks

1st Peak – 1840 – 1850

More immigrants than previous 250 years

Mostly from Germany (political factors) and Ireland (famine

and economic factors)

2nd Peak – 1880’s

Mostly from Northern and Western Europe as the Industrial

Revolution had increased population.

3rd Peak – 1890’s

Mostly from Southern and Eastern Europe.

Migration to U.S., by Region of Origin

Fig. 3-4: Most migrants to the U.S were from Europe until the 1960s. Since then, Latin

America and Asia have become the main sources of immigrants.

New York Harbor and Ellis Island

Ellis Island is connected to New Jersey by bridge. Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty are

south of Ellis Island.

Ellis Island

Immigrants to

the US

Immigration from Less Developed

Countries

Immigration grew and peaked again starting in the 1970’s.

Two major areas where immigration is coming from.

Asia

Latin America

Migration from Asia to the U.S.

Fig. 3-5: The largest numbers of migrants from Asia come from India, China, the Philippines,

and Vietnam.

Immigration from Asia

Originally from China and Japan through treaties.

During the last 25 year over 7 million immigrants have come

from Asia.

Largest group until overtaken by Latin America.

Migration from Latin America to the U.S.

Fig. 3-6: Mexico has been the largest source of immigrants to the U.S., but immigrants have also

come from numerous other Latin American nations.

Immigrants from Latin America

About 2 million people came from 1890 – 1960.

About 11 million people since 1970.

Mexico passed Germany as the country that has sent the

most immigrants ever in the 1980’s.

Impact of Immigration to the United

States

Historically, Europe has sent the most number of immigrants

worldwide as a result of the Industrial Revolution.

European Culture has spread throughout the world.

Over half of the world speaks an Indo-European language.

European Influence Worldwide

Europe also has created tumultuous relaitons with indigenous

people.

Plantations and encomiendas have left a sour taste for

European explorers and settlers throughout Latin America,

Africa and Asia.

Undocumented Immigrants in the US

Fig. 3-7: California, Texas, and Florida are the leading destinations for

undocumented immigrants to the U.S.

Undocumented Immigrants

People who enter the country without proper governmnet

paperwork.

About half of the documented immigrants enter the country

legally, but overstay their permits.

The other half enter the country illegally through holes in

border protection.

Immigration Reform Act of 1986 allowed people to receive

permanent legal status if they applied and had been in the

country previously.

U.S. -

Mexico

Border at Tijuana

The U.S. side of the border is

uninhabited and separated from

Mexico by a fence

Destination of Immigrants

Within the US, immigrants have fairly predictable areas of

migration.

Chain Migration is the process by where immigrants tend to

go to the same areas because of family members.

U.S. States as Immigrant Destinations

Fig. 3-8: California is the destination of about 25% of all US immigrants; another 25% go

to New York and New Jersey. Other important destinations include Florida,

Texas, and Illinois.

Key Issue #3

Why do Migrants face obstacles?

Obstacles to Migration

Immigration policies of host countries

U.S. quota laws

Temporary migration for work

Time-contract workers

Economic migrants or refugees?

Cultural problems living in other countries

U.S. attitudes to immigrants

Attitudes to guest workers

Immigration Policies of Hosts Countries

US Quota Laws

Quota Act of 1921

National Origins Act of 1924

Immigration Act of 1965 – country to hemisphere quotas

Brain Drain – the loss of young and highly educated workers.

Guest Workers – workers from poorer countries who work

in MDC in low skill level jobs.

Guest

Workers in

Europe

Fig. 3-9: Guest workers emigrate mainly from Eastern Europe and North Africa to work in the

wealthier countries of Western Europe.

Time Contracted Workers

Workers from other countries that would go to work. Many

permanently settled in their new countries when their

contract expired.

China has had the largest number of emigrants with more

than 29 million.

Taiwan has a large number of immigrants who work for less

than half of what a Taiwanese would make.

Emigration

from China

Fig. 3-10: Various ethnic Chinese peoples have distinct patterns of migration to other Asian

countries.

Distinguishing from refugees and

economic migrants

It can be difficult to see the difference.

Knowing the differe4nce because many Western countries

treat the two differently.

Emigrants from Cuba (125 miles)

Most emigrants from Cuba are political refugees since the

communist takeover in 1959.

More than 600,000 Cubans came to the Us immediatley after

the revolution.

In 1980, Castro decided to let political prisoners, criminals

and mental patients to leave. More than 125,000 left.

Created a panic in South FL.

Refugee camps were formed.

In 1987, new laws allows 20,000 refugees from Cuba legally.

Emigrants from Haiti

The US did not allow the Haitian refugees the same

opportunity as the Cuban refugees because their dictator was

not an ally of the Soviet Union.

Haitians sued for equal treatment as the Cubans.

US reinstated Haitian President and now recognizes Haitians

as refugees.

Emigrants from Vietnam

Many pro US Vietnamese left after the Vietnam War ended.

Many left on boats, but were handled by the US Navy.

Many were eventually given asylum as refugees. Many more

were deemed economic migrants and were put in camps and

guarded by armed soldiers. The UN paid for the camps.

In 1996, the camps were disbanded and the remaining people

were sent back to Vietnam.

Overall 800,000 people left Vietnam.

Migration of

Vietnamese Boat

People

Fig. 3-11: Many Vietnamese fled by sea as refugees after the war with the U.S. ended in 1975.

Later boat people were often considered economic migrants.

US Attitudes Toward Immigrants

Americans have always regarded new comers with suspicion.

There has always been opposition to immigration in the US.

Opposition intensifies when immigrants come from

other/new areas.

Hate crimes are now classifying actions towards immigrants.

Attitudes towards Guest Workers

Europe has similar reactions to the guest workers.

Some European countries with their heightened sense of

nationalism have been more violent towards the guest

workers.

Anti-

Immigration

Protest in

Spain

Spanish youths attacked Moroccan

immigrants in El Ejido, Spain after an

alleged murder.

Key Issue #4

Why Do People Migrate Within a Country

Migration within a Country

Migration between regions of a country Migration between regions within the U.S

Migration between regions in other countries

Migration within one region Rural-urban migration

Urban-suburban migration

Migration from metropolitan to nonmetropolitan regions

Migration between Regions

This is known as interregional migration.

Most Famous Example of the movement occurred as

Americans settled the West, Manifest Destiny.

Changing Center of Population

As more people moved west, the US center of population

shifted. In continues to shift west and south slightly.

Center of Population in the U.S.

Fig. 3-12: The center of U.S. population has consistently moved westward, with the migration

of people to the west. It has also begun to move southward with migration to the

southern sunbelt.

Echo Canyon, northeastern Utah

Echo Canyon was one of many obstacles to 19th century wagon trains heading west.

Interregional Migration in the U.S.

Fig. 3-13: Average annual migrations between regions in the U.S. in 1995 and in 2003

U.S. Interregional Migration, 1995

U.S. Interregional Migration, 2003

Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia was created as Brazil’s new capital in 1960 and since then has attracted thousands

of migrants in search of jobs.

Intraregional Migration in the U.S.

Fig. 3-14: Average annual migration among urban, suburban, and rural areas in the U.S. during

the 1990s. The largest flow was from central cities to suburbs.

Net Migration by County, 2000-04

Fig. 3-15: Rural counties in the southwest and Florida have had net in-migration, while there

has been net out-migration from rural counties in the Great Plains