1. E.G. Ravenstein, a German transplant to England was the first geographer to tackle the complex problem of migration. In his 1885 analysis of migration “Currents of Migration” he posited what he called the “Laws of Migration” which sought to explain and predict migration patterns in late 19th century England.
Ravenstein's basic laws, derived from county level census data, continue to serve as the starting point for virtually all serious models of migration patterns over a century later.

2. Ravenstein’s “laws” sought to answer three questions: ● Why do people migrate? ● How/ How far do people migrate? ● Who migrates?

3. Why do people migrate? Ravenstein’s 1st Law: Most people migrate most often for economic reasons and less often for environmental or cultural reasons.

4. Still valid?

5. Still valid?

6. Still valid?

7. Still valid?
U.S. Immigration and Unemployment ( )

8. Still valid?

9. Still valid?

10. Still valid?

11. Still valid?
Atlantic Slave Trade

12. How do people migrate? 2. Most people migrate short distances within their own country. (This is Ravenstein anticipating what later model?)

13. Hint:

14. Still valid?
According to a 2012 Gallup Poll: International Migration in past year: 3% of world’s population (214 million people) Internal Migration in past year: (8% of world’s population (381 million adults, under 15 not counted) But internal migration varies…

15. Still valid?
Percentage of People moving within their own country in past five years

16. International Refugees
Still valid?
International Refugees

17. Still valid?
How do people migrate? 3. Long distance migrants usually move to urban areas or areas of major economic activity. (This is Ravenstein anticipating what later model?)

18. Hint:

19. Still valid?

20. Still valid? Ask Zelinsky!

22. Still valid?

23. Still valid?

24. How do people migrate. 4. People migrate in steps
How do people migrate? 4. People migrate in steps. (This eventually became known as step migration)

25. Urban Hierarchy (We’ll return to this in Chapter 13, Urban Geography):

26. The Squeaky Clean Theory of Chain Migration:

27. The Messy Reality of Chain Migration:

28. How do people migrate? 5. Every migration flow generates a return or countermigration flow in the opposite direction (though not necessarily at the same volume).

29. Still valid?

30. Still valid?

31. Countermigration in Roman Empire:

32. Who migrates. 6. Over long distances, men migrate more than women
Who migrates? 6. Over long distances, men migrate more than women. Over shorter distances within a country, women migrate more than men.

33. Still valid?
19th and 20th centuries: 55% of immigrants to U.S. were male.
But: Early 21st century: 55% of immigrants to U.S. are female.

34. Still valid?

35. Still valid?

36. Who migrates? 7. Most long distant migrants are young adults rather than families with children.

37. Still valid?

39. Puerto Rican immigrants to US:

40. Who migrates? 8. Rural dwellers migrate more than city dwellers.

41. Still valid?

43. Still valid?