Chapter 3

Migration

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

Refugees: Sources & Destinations

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

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.

• Impact of immigration on the U.S.– Legacy of European migration– Undocumented immigration– Destination of immigrants within the U.S.

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.

U.S. immigration patterns

3 different time periods:

• Colonial immigration

• 19th-century immigration

• Recent immigration

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

Colonial Immigration from England and Africa

• Eur-voluntary, Africans-forced

• Jamestown 1607—West Eur at the beginning, mainly Great Britain

19th Century Immigration from Europe

• 1840-50s W. Eur, N. Eur– escape perscutions, harsh conditions

1860’s-80s—Ind Rev occurred, countries entered stage 2

1890’s—90% from Europe, but more from E. Eur. and S. Eur.

Recent Immigration from LDC

• Immigration from Asia

• Immigration from 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 Latin America

• Currently sends most immigrants to US• Mexico has sent most ever• DR is second and El Salvador is third• 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act,

issued visas to several hundred thousand who entered US illegally in previous years.

• Leave because of poor conditions and economic opportunities.

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.

Impact of immigration on the U.S.

• Legacy of European Migration

• Undocumented immigration

• Destination of immigrants within the U.S

Legacy of European Migration

• Emigrants came after entering stage 2 (ind rev)

• “Enclosure Movement” caused immigration

• US became Eur. safety valve• Caused diffusion of language, religion,

culture, political• Caused conflicts as well.

Undocumented immigration

• 9.3 million illegal, 5.3 mill from Mex.

• ½ get student or tourist visas and stay

• ½ sneak across border, get papers for 25 dollars.

• Employer must verify each employee

Destination of immigrants within the U.S

• Most go to NY, CA, FL, TX• Most arrive by ship but now it’s the

automobile.• 90% of illegals get in by Mex.• Asians to Cal and NY, Mex to border

states, Carribean to FL or NY• Chain Migration occurs, job

opportunities

Undocumented Immigrants in the US

Fig. 3-7: California, Texas, and Florida are the leading destinations for undocumented immigrants to the U.S.

U.S. - Mexico Border

at Tijuana

The U.S. side of the border is uninhabited and separated from Mexico by a fence

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

US Quota Laws

• Quota Act 1921• Orgins Act 1924

– Limit the # of people to immigrate to the USQuotas were designed that most immigrants

were from EurEliminated individual quotas from countries

now it is hemisphere.Brain Drain occurs

Temporary migration for work

• ppl of ldc’s go into Eur and ME to work.

• Take low status, low wage jobs

• Reduces unemployment in Native country

• N. Af to Eur, ME, E. Eur, Asia

• Ger and Turk have an agreement.

Turkish Kebab Stand in Germany

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-contract workers

• Millions migrated to work a specific time in a country.---end up staying

Economic migrants or refugees?

• Important because they are treated diff.

• Refugees are given special priority

• Emigrants from Cuba: Pol refugees– 600000 left at the beginning– 1980 –125000 left when Castro let

prisoners mental patients to leave– 1987—allow 20,000 in each yr

• Emigrants from Haiti– Left because of pol. reasons

• Stopped by US, Haitians sued and won• Shot for Guantanamo Bay• US invaded Haiti to help situation

Emigrants from Vietnam

• Thousands left after war

• Some had to leave on boats– couldn’t go to neighboring countries

--1980’s second migration—went to Malaysia, Thailand, HK—still hard because considered boat people economic issues.

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.

Emigration from China

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

Cultural Probs Faced while in Other Countries

• Guest Workers of Eur. have same issues as illegals in the US.

• US– 1920’s—E. Eur were inferior– Today: Cal. voted to not give public

services to illegal immigrants

Anti-Immigration Protest in

Spain

Spanish youths attacked Moroccan immigrants in El Ejido, Spain after an alleged murder.

Q4 Why do people Migrate w/n 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 within the U.S

• Large scale migration was to the west

• Center of pop has steadily moved westward and south.

• Moved slower after 1880…areas were harsh and hard to grow crops.

• People are moving southward because of Climate and industries.

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

Migration between regions in other countries

• Russia—Put factories next to Resources and wanted ppl to migrate. People didn’t go because of harsh climate

• Brazil—PPL live on coast..want ppl to move inward..created Brasilia and made it the capital.

• Indonesia—Most ppl live on Java…Govt gave ppl land, seed and supplies to move to other isalnds. Too hard to live.

Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia was created as Brazil’s new capital in 1960 and since then has attracted thousands of migrants in search of jobs.

• Europe—Ppl are moving from E to W. PPL and moving to more centrally located areas for ease of access to other nations.

• India—Govt limited migration to keep ethnic gr. away from each other. You need to get a permit to migrate.

Migration w/n one region

• Rural to Urban

• Urban to Suburban’s

• Metro to Non Metro

Rural-urban migration

• Began in late 1800’s

• ¾ of US is in cities

• LDCs are seeing a surge

• Sao Paulo has 300,000 ppl a yr

• Seeking economic adv.

Urban-suburban migration

• twice as many ppl move from city to burbs than burbs to cities

• Ppl are looking for a lifestyle

• Take away farmland.

Migration from metropolitan to nonmetropolitan regions

• PPL are moving from cities to outskirts ..sm town (Casa Grande).

• Technology allow ppl to work from home.

• Liefstyle is most important reason• Called counterurbanization• Retirees usually move to this area• Counterurbanization had stopped in US

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