Unit II Migration Chapter 3 Key Issue 1 Laws of migration 19th century outline of 11 migration laws written by E.G. Ravenstein Basis for contemporary geographic migration studies 1. Every migration flow generates a return or counter migration 2. Majority of migrants move short distances 3. Migrants who move longer distances tend to choose big city destinations 4. Urban residents are less migratory than rural residents 5. Families are less likely to make international moves than young families Why do people migrate? - most people migrate for economic reasons - Cultural (political) and environmental factors also induce migration, although not as frequently as economic factors Economic Economic push and pull factors Migrate for job opportunities US & Canada are destinations for economic migrants More difficult to distinguish between economic migrants & refugees Cultural (Political) Cultural push and pull factors United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) A refugee (10.6 million) An internally displaced person (IDP) (14.7 million) An asylum seeker (838,000) Environmental Environmental push and pull factors Pulled to physically attractive regions and pushed from hazardous ones Floodplain area of a river subject to flooding during a specific number of years Intervening obstacle Environmental or cultural feature that hinders migration Where the migrants go is not always the desired location In the past these have been primarily environmental Roads and transportation issues Intervening Opportunity The presence of a nearer opportunity that greatly diminishes the attractiveness of sites far away Cyclic Movement Begin at home base and bring us back Each of us has a daily routine that goes through a sequence of short moves within a local area These moves create activity space the space within which daily activity occurs Activity spaces in different countries LDC vs MDC Periodic Movement Involves leaving and returning home, but involves a longer time away Examples: Migrant Labor Transhumance pastoral farming where ranchers move livestock according to seasonal availability of food Military Service Distance of migration Most migrants relocate a short distance & remain within the same country Long-range migrants to other countries head for major centers of economic activity Internal migration Permanent migration within a country 1. Interregional migration - movement from one region of a country to another Main type is rural to urban in search of jobs Recently some countries have seen migration from urban to environmentally attractive rural areas 2. Intraregional migration - movement within one region Main type has been within urban areas, from older cities to suburbs Migration within a country is less traumatic (language, food, & other social customs) These moves generally involve shorter distances however in large countries like the US & Russia these moves could be large International migration Permanent movement from one country to another 1. Forced migration - migrant has been compelled to move by cultural factors 2. Voluntary migration - migrant has chosen to move for economic movement This distinction is not clear Migration transition Wilbur Zelinsky - geographer Proposed that changes in society are comparable with those in the demographic transition Migration transition results from the social and economic changes that are produced in the demographic transition Stage 1 Very little migration Stage 2 International migration Stage 3 and 4 Internal migration Characteristics of migrants Most long-distance migrants are males Most long-distance migrants are adult individuals rather than families with children Gender 19 th -20 th century most US immigrants (55%) were male Trend reversed in the 1990s & into the 21 st century where women make up 55% of the immigrants to the US Mexican immigrants (undocumented) 1980s 85% were male, now half of undocumented immigrants are women Increased women from Mexico showing a changing role in society for women Married at a young age and remain in village to care for children Now, women are migrating to join other relatives in the US Most are seeking jobs, because of poor economic conditions in Mexico Age and Education of Migrants 40% are young immigrants (ages 25-39) compared to 23% of entire US population Immigrants are less likely to be elderly, only 5% are over the age of 65, compared to 12% of the entire US population Children under 15 comprise 16% of immigrants, compared to 21% of the total US population. With an increase in mothers coming to the US, more children are coming with them Recent immigrants to the US have attended school for fewer years & are less likely to have high school diplomas than US citizens. Typical undocumented Mexican immigrant has attended school for four years, less than the average American but a year more than the average Mexican