Why do people migrate within a country? Key Issue 4 Why do people migrate within a country?

Interregional migration—migration between regions of a country Settling of the American west is one of the most famous examples of large-scale internal migration Changing center of population (the average location of everyone in a country; center of population gravity) pattern of moving west and south after 1790 Population center didn’t change throughout the colonial period

National Migration Flows Also known as internal migration

Early Settlement of the Interior Settlement of the interior begins after 1790 as a result of opportunity for large amounts of land for low price In early 1800s transportation improvements, mainly canals, made it easier to go west For much of the 19th century settlement stopped at the 98th meridian because it was declared unfit for farming Ironically, this region is one of the world’s richest farmland

98th dotted/100th solid

Settlement of the Great Plains After 1880, population center shifts slower immigration from Europe offset western migration because of filling in the area between California and the 98th meridian Advancing agricultural technology made it possible for Great Plains to be cultivated Expansion of railroads began in 1840/they sold land acquired from government Gold rush in mid 1800s In 1980, the population center jumped the Mississippi for the first time ever

Recent Growth of the South 1920s center began to move southward also During the 1980s and 90s, 4 million people a year moved into the South from the Northeast, Midwest, and West for job opportunities—to the “sunbelt” from the “rustbelt”.

African American Migration During the 20th century, large number of African Americans migrate to Northeast, Midwest, and West for jobs It equals in the 1990s whereas North to South was much higher for whites Presently, migration patterns differ little between races; internal migration has slowed due to less difference in regional employment opportunities

Migration between Regions in other countries

Russia-government policies to encourage interregional migration Interregional migration important in developing Soviet Union Established factories near raw materials and didn’t have enough workers Needed to develop far North because of rich resources Did force people to migrate but later changed to incentive programs Many just moved back because of the harsh climate Now government officials no longer dictate locations of industry

Brazil Most of Brazil’s most populous cities are on Atlantic coast while interior is sparsely populated Moved capital to Brasilia in the interior Growth slow at first because officials resented the move But now, many have moved in search of work

Indonesia—government paid for people to move from Java to other islands Europe—trends depend on country and where economic opportunities are India—an example when a government limits ability to Migrate; must have a permit to migrate or even visit the State of Assam

Intraregional Migration—migration within a region Migration from rural to urban Most prominent type of intraregional migration; less than 5% lived in urban areas in 1800 compared to nearly half today In MDCs about ¾ of people live in urban areas Migration has increased dramatically in LDCs to urban areas Pushed by declining agricultural opportunities and pulled by job opportunities Housing is in issue in many LDC urban areas

migration from urban to suburban Most of migration in MDC happens in this way Drawn by suburban lifestyle Transportation allows people to live in the suburban area but work in the urban area As a result, farms on the periphery are being converted to suburban land use.

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.

Migration from Metropolitan to Nonmetropolitan—net migration from urban to rural is called counterurbanization Trend in late twentieth century Represents some difficulty distinguishing from rural and suburb but most is genuine migration from suburbs and urban areas to small towns and rural communities Moving for a desire to change lifestyle sometimes can be retirees Not common in US because the economy of small towns and rural areas not attractive Farming suffering / industry located in rural areas suffering