HUMAN

GEOGRAPHY

By Brett Lucas

MIGRATION

Migration

Push and pull factors

Types of migration

Determining destinations

Why do people migrate?

Push Factors

Pull Factors

Emigration and immigration

Change in residence.

Relative to origin and destination

Major International Migration

Patterns, Early 1990’s

Migration Basics

Long-distance change of residence and “activity

space”

Pull and push factors (discuss later)

International or internal

Voluntary or forced

Affects both receiving and sending places

Migration Basics

Pull & Push Factors

Pulls: economic opportunity, natural resources,

climate, freedom

Pushes: war or conflict, natural disaster, population

pressure

Political or economic trends

Changes in life cycle or career cycle

Pull & Push Factors

Pull & Push Factors

International Migration

3% of world population

Wide range of push and pull factors

Major cultural and political impacts

Remittances to home country

International Migration

Refugees: Sources and Destinations

Major source and destination areas of both international and internal refugees.

Net Migration (per population)

Net migration per 1,000 population. The U.S. has the largest number of immigrants, but other

developed countries also have relatively large numbers. Brown means more people are coming

in, dark blue means more people are leaving.

International Migration

International Migration

International Migration

International Migration

Obstacles to Migration

Immigration policies of host countries

U.S. quota laws

Temporary migration for work

Time-contract workers

Economic migrants or refugees?

Cultural problems living in other countries

U.S. attitudes to immigrants

Attitudes to guest workers

Guest Workers in Europe

Guest workers

emigrate

mainly from

Eastern Europe

and North

Africa to work

in the wealthier

countries of

Western

Europe

Emigration from China

Various ethnic Chinese

peoples have distinct

patterns of migration

to other Asian

countries

Migration of Vietnamese Boat People

Many Vietnamese

fled by sea as

refugees after the

war with the U.S.

ended in 1975

Later boat people

were often

considered economic

migrants

Migration to the U.S.

U.S. Immigration

Prior to 1840, 90% of U.S. immigration was from Britain

Two Big Waves:

1840 - 1930: W. and N. European transitioning to Southern and Eastern European by 1910

Irish (potato famine in 1840s) and Germans

During 1900s: Italians, Russians, Austria-Hungary (Czech, Poland, Romania, etc.)

1950 - Today: Asians and Latin Americans; declining Europeans

Asians: China, India; 1980s -1990s: Phillipines, Vietnam, and South Korea

Latin America: Mexico, Dom. Rep., El Salvador, Cuba, Haiti

1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act admitted former illegals in 1990, 1991.

Aerial View of Ellis & Liberty Island

U.S. Immigration

Destinations of U.S. Immigrants - ethnic

neighborhoods often result of chain migration

Mexicans: California, Texas, Illinois, New York

Caribbean: Florida or New York

Chinese and Indians: New York & California

Other Asians: California

Migration from Asia to the U.S.

Migration in 2001 (just one year). The largest numbers of migrants from Asia come

from India, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Migration from Latin America to the U.S.

Mexico has been the largest source of migrants to the U.S., but migrants have also come from

numerous other Latin American nations.

Undocumented Immigration: Mexico to Arizona

The complex route

of one group of

undocumented

migrants from a

small village north

of Mexico City to

Phoenix, Arizona

U.S. States as Immigrant Destinations

California is the destination of about 25% of all U.S. immigrants; another 25% go to

New York and New Jersey. Other important destinations include Florida, Texas, and Illinois

U.S. Immigration Policies

1882, Bars Asian immigration for ten years (extended)

1921 Quota Act - country by country quotas

1924 National Origins Act - country by country quotas

1965 Immigration Act - quotas for countries replaced,

in 1968, with hemisphere quotas of 170, 000 for East

and 120,000 for West

1978 Immigration Act - global quota of 290, 000

1980 Refugee Act - quotas do not apply to those

seeking political asylum

U.S. Immigration Policies

1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act admitted large numbers of former illegals.

1990 Immigration Act raised global quotas to roughly 675,000

1995, visas issued Preferentially:

480,000 - to relatives of people here

140,000 - to those with special skills and education

55,000 - to diversity candidates (i.e., mostly not from Latin Amer. or Asia)

Current Total: 675,000

US Population by Race and Ethnicity, 1990-2050

Top 10 Countries of Origin for US Legal

Immigrants, 1998

Illegal Aliens in the United States by

Country of Origin, 1996 (in 1,000s)

Interregional Migration in the U.S.

Interregional Migration

U.S. population has been moving Westward and

Southward

Gold Rush (1849) and Donner Party just the most

dramatic examples of hardship

Wells, Pumps, Aqueducts, Mosquito Control and Air

Conditioning have allowed this move which otherwise would

be impossible

Loss of Industrial Jobs in east compliments increase in

Sunbelt service sector (biotech, communications)

Interregional Migration

Interregional Migration

Internal Migration

Rural to urban

migration

Push: land or income

shortage

Pull: jobs

Historically goes with

industrialization

Population shift in

developing countries

Types of Migration

Voluntary Migration

The migrant makes the decision to move

Most migration is voluntary

Forced Migration

Involuntary migration in which the mover has no role in the decision-making process

Slavery

About 11 million African slaves were brought to the Americas between 1519 and 1867

In 1860, there were close to 4 million slaves in the United States

Refugees

Military conscription

Children of migrants

Voluntary or Forced

Types of Migration

Circular migration

A type of temporary

migration

Associated with

agricultural work

The migrant follows the

harvest, moving from one

place to another

Very common in the US

Southwest and in

Western Europe (Eastern

European farm workers

Key Term: Forced Migration

Slaves Reaching British North America,

1601-1867 (in 1,000s)

Forced Migration

Where to?

Hierarchy of destination decision-making

Different scales mean different factors

Country

Region or city

Neighborhood

Where to?

Channelized migration: historical patterns matter

Great Migration (1890-1920)

500,000 African-Americans

Economic/social push

Economic pull

North to South and rural to urban

Voluntary African-American Migrations

Blacks moved to The Industrial Belt (i.e., Chicago,

New York, Detroit) and California during labor

shortages.

Where to?

Return migration: back to place of origin

Up to 25% of all migrants

Unsuccessful trip, or the goal all along

Guestworkers: intended to be temporary

U.S. Immigration and the West

Unrestricted immigration till 1880s

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

National Origins Act of 1924

1934 restrictions on Filipinos

Bracero program of 1942-1964

Today, preference to families or skilled workers