1.2 Migration

Question 1

explain and give reasons for population migration

Answer 1

migration: movement of people from a place to a permanent/semi-permanent basis, usually involving change of home

Push factors (make you leave):
Voluntary: economic (unemployment, salary)
unsafe, crime
Forced: war
famine, diseases, over population
natural disasters
religious/political oppression
slavery

Pull factors (attract to destination)
better jobs/salary
safe
better living conditions, climate
freedom
culture

Refugee: living outside country for safety (war, famine, politics)
IDP: internally displaced person (refugee in own country)

• Rural-urban migration: from countryside to cities- higher living standards, services/jobs, mechanisation in agriculture
• Counter urbanisation: from city to countryside- transport, communication, quiet
• Suburbanisation: growth of suburbs due to decentralisation
• Re-urbanisation: from suburbs to countryside back to cities
• Gentrification: inner city houses invaded by higher income groups and redeveloped
• Regeneration- knocking something down and re-building it

the majority of people who migrate are usually young, skilled, childless couples, they want to be near their work and areas of entertainment

Question 2

impacts of migration

Answer 2

Host country

Advantages:

• Migrants will do jobs that locals don’t want to do
• Fill shortage jobs
• Cheap labour
• Diverse culture
• Better decency ratio
• Ilegal migrants won’t use services bc they don’t want to get caught but still contribute to economy

Disadvantages:

• Increase in crime
• Take jobs from locals
• Expensive border control
• Racial and cultural issues
• Immigrants don’t pay taxes
• Overcrowding
• Economic leakage: money goes back to source country

Source country

Advantages:

• Less unemployment
• Migrants send money back home and come back skilled
• Less demand for services/jobs
• Smaller population
• Less pressure on resources

Disadvantages:

• Lose workers and tax payers
• Dependency ratio increases
• Loses skilled workers
• Unbalanced population (too many old and children)

Question 3

case study

an international migration

Answer 3

Mexico to USA

Key facts:
- GDP: Mexico $15,000 per capita
USA $46,000 per capita:
- Infant mortality: Mexico 17 per 1000
USA 6 per 1000
- Car ownership: Mexico 209 per 1000
USA 842 per 1000
- Nearly 12 million Mexican migrants now living on the USA

Place names:

• California, San Diego, farmers work in central valley
• From rural Mexican states like Oaxaca and Guerrero
• Border crossing at Tijuana

Key issues/points:

Problems in Mexico:

• Unemployment (especially in rural farming areas)
• Low wages, GDP $15,000 per capita
• Poor living standard (high infant mortality, low car ownership
• Poor schooling and medical care
• Crime, security, safety (often related to drug trade)

USA pull factors:

• Employment, especially in low paid jobs (farmers/hotel or restaurant workers)
• Many seasonal jobs (central valley California for farmers)
• Better wages (can send money home - remittances)
• Better living standard
• Educational opportunities
• Better security and safety

Benefits for Mexico

• Remittances; money sent home
• Reduced unemployment
• People return with skills and money
• Less pressure on local services

Negatives for Mexico

• Loss of skilled workers
• Loss of working age population: higher dependency ratio
• Community break up : villages with no middle aged men
• Elders left behind with no support

Benefits USA

• Cheap labour
• Fill skill shortages
• Cultural diversity
• Maintains population growth
• Reduces dependency ratio

Negatives USA

• Locals lose jobs because of cheap labour
• Racial tensions and unrest
• More pressure on services
• Pressure on housing, overcrowding