Chapter 3: Migration Key Issue #1 Why Do People Migrate? Chapter 3: Migration Key Issue #1

Reasons for Migrating Push vs. Pull Factors Economic Factors Push factors – forces people to leave an area Pull factors – entices people to come to an area Economic Factors Most people migrate for economic reasons Some combination of lack of jobs and perceived opportunity elsewhere European immigrants to the US & Canada Cultural Factors - especially a push factor: Forced international migration: slavery & political instability two main reasons Refugees – forced to leave their homes & cannot return because of persecution Ex. East Berlin vs. West Berlin

Reasons for Migrating Environmental Factors Obstacles Pull = attractive regions: worm, nature settings, water, etc. 1/3 of elderly retirees choose FL Push = harsh regions – water (too little or floodplains) Obstacles Intervening obstacles – environmental or cultural factor that causes difficulty migrating Ex. Dust Bowl – 1930’s US or Atlantic Ocean in 18th & 19th Centuries for Europeans

Distance Migration Distance-decay: farther away less likely to migrate there Internal migration – within the same country Cultural similarities make this far easier and more likely Interregional – from one region to another From rural to urban or (more recently) from rural to urban Intraregional – within a region From urban to suburban

Distance Migration International migration – from one country to another Voluntary – choosing to leave for economic reasons Forced – pushed to leave because of cultural factors Migration transition (Zelinsky) – based on demographic transition Stage 1 migration – season migration for food Stage 2 migration – international & interregional (looking for economic opportunity) Stages 3 & 4 – immigration destination and mostly intraregional migration (cities to suburbs)

Global Migration Patterns Figure 3-5

Characteristics of Migrants Gender of Migrants Historically men migrated greater distances for jobs More recently (late 1900’s), women are the larger migrant population Family Status of Migrants Young adults are the most likely to immigrate to US Immigrant children are on the rise Likely because of the rising number of women immigrants