1. Migration

2. Why do people migrate?
A combination of push and pull factors influences migration decisions
Most people migrate for economic reasons

3. United States (a land of migrants)
About 70 million people have migrated since 1820
U.S. has more foreign born residents than any other country (about 35 million)

4. Global Migration

5. Three major push and pull factors
Economic
Cultural
Environmental

6. Which type of migration factor is it
Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull
Environmental Push
Hurricane Katrina leveled the Gulf Coast and New Orleans
In 1979, Iran’s government became an Islamic Theocracy unfriendly to other religious groups
Political Push
The American colonies offered persecuted people in Europe religious freedom
Political Pull
The Ford plant in Flint, MI closed down, laying off hundreds of workers
Economic Push
States like Florida and Arizona have warm weather that many retirees enjoy
Environmental Pull
Kuwait has difficulty filling all of its jobs in the oil industry
Economic Pull
Political Push
During the Rwandan genocide refugees fled to neighboring countries like Tanzania and DRC
Environmental Push
Record floods in Pakistan this summer destroyed fields and swamped homes

7. Which type of migration factor is it
Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull
Political Push
African Americans had to live under the Jim Crow laws in the South
In the 1840s blight destroyed the potato crop in Ireland
Economic Push
Universities in the U.S. offer many foreign students better opportunities than their own countries
Economic Pull
The Turkish government banned the Kurdish language for many years
Political Push
The U.S. allows refugees to apply for political asylum
Political Pull
Millions of jobs have become available in coastal Chinese cities in recent years
Economic Pull
Environmental Push
The Maldives are low-lying islands in the Indian Ocean threatened by rising seas.
Political Push
Many Afghanis who worked as translators for the U.S. fear retribution from the Taliban

8. Which type of migration factor is it
Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull
Economic Pull
Farms in California employ many seasonal migrant farm workers from Mexico
The civil war between the north and south in Sudan created many refugees.
Cultural Push
Countries with aging populations may have guest worker programs.
Economic Pull
Before the Berlin Wall fell, West Germany offered more freedoms than East Germany.
Cultural Pull
Sharecropping in the South was a system designed to keep African Americans poor.
Economic Push
Colorado has several great ski resorts and many “ski bums.”
Environmental Pull
Environmental Push
The Sahara Desert is expanding southward due to desertification.
Economic Pull
Natural gas drilling in the Marcelus Shale is a new booming industry in PA.

9. E. G. Ravenstein (Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society)
Geography has no comprehensive theory of migration. Contemporary geographic migrations studies based on Ravenstein’s Laws
The reasons why migrants move
Push/pull factors
The characteristics of migrants
The distance migrants typically move

10. Ravenstein’s Laws Characteristics of Migrants
Most long-distance migrants were male
Most long-distance migrants were adult individuals rather than families with children
Since the late 20th century these have changed
Women and children now make up the majority of migrants
In U.S. the gender pattern reversed in 1990’s – women 55%
Changing role of women in Mexican society (some join husbands or brothers most seek work)
In U.S. the pattern of most immigrants being adults continues – most immigrants are between the ages of (less likely to be elderly)
However an increasing percentage of U.S. children are immigrants (more women coming to U.S. bring their children)

11. Ravenstein’s Laws Distance of Migration
Most migrants relocate a short distance and remain within the same country (Ravenstein)
Long-distance migrants to other countries head for major centers of economic activity (Ravenstein)
International (less numerous…distance decay)
Voluntary /forced
Guest workers,
Internal
Intraregional
Interegional

12. Migration Transition
Geographer Wilbur Zelinsky identified a “migration transition”, which consists of changes in a society comparable to those in the demographic transition.
A society in stage 1 of DTM has high daily or seasonal mobility in search of food
International migration is primarily a phenomenon of countries in stage 2 of DTM.
Internal migration is more important in stages 3 and 4 of DTM