1. Key Issue 4 Why do People Migrate Within a Country?
Chapter 3 Migration
Key Issue 4
Why do People Migrate Within a Country?

2. Why do people migrate within a country?
Less disruptive than international
Different cultural traditions: language, religion
Two Main Types
Interregional
Rural and urban
Intraregional
Older cities and suburbs

3. Interregional Migration
United States
Past
Lack of farmland lured farmers to frontier for more abundant land
Today
Mostly for better jobs

4. Migration between Regions within the United States
American West
Opened up 200yrs ago
Mass interregional migration to interior

5. Changing Center of Population
Population center:
average location of everyone in the country “center of population gravity”
Where the “flat” Earth would balance on a pin
1790, population center was Baltimore, MD
Most people were settled along Atlantic Coast
Depended on coastal locations
Interior obstacles: Appalachian Mountains & Native Americans in West

6. Early Settlement in the Interior
1830, Population Center moved west: Moorefield, WV
Large amounts of fertile and available at low price
Transportation improvements opened interior
Canals made travel accessible between New York & Great Lakes
Steam powered boats

7. Early Settlement in the Interior
After 1830, Population center moved further west: Cincinnati, Ohio
Western pioneers headed toward California
Gold Rush, late 1840s
Non-stop trip to CA

8. Settlers preferred forested areas (lumber)
40” rain fall for agriculture
West of 98th meridian: Interior proved unsuitable
Declared region unfit: few trees, little rainfall
“Great American Desert”
Modern Technology has
transformed region to become one of world’s “richest” farming areas

9. Settlement of the Great Plains
After 1880, Population center continues to move west, at slower pace
More Europeans migrating to US East Coast
Balanced out American migration to West Coast
People began to settle in Great Plains
Dakota Territory
1870: 14,000
1880: 135,000
1890: 539,000

10. Settlement of the Great Plains
Agricultural Technology
Enabled people to farm in Great Plains
Barbed wire introduced, no longer needed forests to build fences
Windmills & well-drilling to pump water

11. Settlement of the Great Plains
Expansion of Railroads
Transportation for goods to move to populated East Coast
Land grants for railroad companies
Encouraged more Western Settlers
1980, population center moved west of Mississippi River

12. Recent Growth of the South
Late 20th Century, population center moved southward
1980s and 1990s, 5 million moved to South, only 2 million moved out
Job opportunities (5% job growth in south compared to average 2-3% for US)
Environmental Reasons
“sunbelt” temperate climate: outdoor rec activities
“rustbelt” Northeast & Midwest: dependency on steel

13. Interregional Antagonism
Northeast & Midwest
Believe south is stealing jobs/industry
Some have relocated, but many are newly created jobs
Past to Present
1929 average income was 2/3 lower in South
1960 average income 1/3 lower in South
Today, average income ONLY 1/5 lower in South

14. Net migration for African Americans
1900, most African Americans lived in South
Forced migration for slavery
Africans began to move to larger cities in NE, MidWest and West for jobs
Equal amount of African Americans moving N-S as S-N, much more Whites moving South

15. U.S. Interregional Migration

16. Much LESS interregional migration Most new jobs are service sector
21st Century,
Much LESS interregional migration
Net migration from regions is almost ZERO
Most new jobs are service sector
Location becomes less important

17. Migration Between Regions in Other Countries
Russia
Soviet policy encouraged factory construction NEAR raw materials, not near current populated areas
Encouraged interregional migration
Fill jobs at mines, factories, construction sites

18. Russia Siberia Far North, 45% land, only 2% population
Rich in natural resources: fossil fuels, minerals, forests
Soviet gov’t gave incentives to move north (higher wages, paid holidays, early retirement)
Harsh climate & remoteness
Many workers moved back south
Komsomol: young volunteers during summer to construct projects
Collapse of Soviet Union  market-based economy
Interregional migration no longer encouraged

19. Brazil Encouraged interregional migration
Mostly populated on Atlantic Coast
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo
Tropical interior sparsely inhabited
Gov’t moved capital from Rio to Brasilia, 600 miles from Atlantic Coast
Slow growth at first, resentment of move
Rapid population growth: more moving to Brasilia for employment

20. Indonesia
Government encouraging migration FROM Java (most populated island) to less populated ones
More than 5 million have moved
Incentives: 5 acres of land, materials to build, seeds, pesticides, and food
Less recent migration: environmental concerns, disruption of indigenous people, not productive land

21. Europe Moving to regions with higher incomes
Italy: Migrating North for job opportunities
rich agricultural land & strong industrial base
2x higher income, unemployment 15% less in north
United Kingdom:migrating south for job opportunities
North: industrial revolution- no longer competitive in global economy
Regions closer to European markets have advantage
Heart of Europe

22. India Gov’t limits ability to migrate from regions
Permit is required to visit State of Assam, NE India
Protect ethnic identity of region
Limit job competition with outsiders
Limit international migration

23. Migration within One Region
Since 1800, most intraregional migration in world has been from RURAL to URBAN areas

24. Migration from Rural to Urban Areas
Urbanization, 1800s, Europe & North America
Rapid industrial development
US Population in Urban Areas
1800 5% % %
Pushed from lack of jobs in agriculture, pulled by jobs in factories & service industry
Recent years, urban migration is skyrocketing in LDCs
Sao Paolo, Brazil: migration is 300,000 per year
City cannot support migrants
Favelas: squatter settlements, lack electricity, running water, paved streets

25. Migration from Urban to Suburban Areas
Developed countries: Canada, UK, West Europe, US
From central cities out to the suburbs
NOT related to employment
Detached house, private yard, garage, driveway, modern schools
Suburbia is rapidly expanding
Farms are being converted to housing developments: new roads, sewers, other services

26. Migration from Metropolitan to Nonmetropolitan Areas
Late 20th century, MDCs
More people migrating INTO rural areas than OUT
Counterurbanization
Migration from cities & suburbs to small towns and rural communities
Lifestyle reasons: live on a farm, own horses, grow vegetables
Modern communication & transportation make transition easy
Counterurbanization has stopped in US, numbers IN and OUT are about the same