1.2 Migration Flashcards
What is migration?
The movement of people across a specific boundary, national or international, to establish a new permanent place of residence.
How does the UN define ‘permanent?’
A change of residence lasting more than one year.
The impact of migration has been..?
Economic, Social, Cultural, Political, and Environmental.
What are some of the push factors relating to migration?
- Adverse Climatic Conditions.
- Housing Shortages.
- Intolerance.
- Low Income.
- Natural Disasters.
- Poor Employment.
- Social Upheaval.
What are some of the pull factors relating to migration?
- Amenities.
- Attractive Environment.
- High Standard of Living.
- High Wages.
- Job Prospects.
- Improved Housing.
- Tolerance.
What is counterurbanisation?
The process of population decentralisation as people move from large urban areas to smaller urban settlements and rural areas.
What is depopulation?
An absolute decline in the population of an area, usually due to a high level of out-migration.
What are remittances?
Money sent back by migrants to their families in the home community.
International Migration: Positives on Countries of Origin
- Remittances are a major source of income in some countries.
- Emigration can ease the levels of unemployment and underemployment.
- Reduces pressure on health and education services and on housing.
- Return migrants can bring new skills, ideas and money into a community.
International Migration: Positives on Countries of Destination
- Increase in the pool of available labour may reduce the cost of labour to businesses and help reduce inflation.
- Migrants may bring important skills to their destination.
- Increasing cultural diversity can enrich receiving communities.
- An influx of young migrants can reduce the rate of population ageing.
International Migration: Positives on Migrants Themselves
- Wages are higher than in the country of origin.
- There is a wider choice of job opportunities.
- A greater opportunity to develop new skills.
- They have the ability to support family members in the country of origin with remittances.
- Some migrants have the opportunity to learn a new language.
International Migration: Negatives on Countries of Origin
- Loss of young adult workers who may have vital skills.
- An ageing population in communities with a large outflow of young migrants.
- Agricultural output may suffer if the labour force falls below a certain level.
- Migrants returning on a temporary or permanent bases may question traditional values, causing division in the community.
International Migration: Negatives on Countries of Destination
- Migrants may be perceived as taking jobs from the people in the long-established population.
- Increased pressure on housing stock and on services such as health and education.
- A significant change in the ethnic balance of a country or region may cause tension.
- A larger population can have a negative impact on a environment.
International Migration: Negatives on Migrants Themselves
- The financial cost of migration can be high.
- Migration means separation from family and friends in the country of origin.
- There may be problems settling into a new culture (assimilation).
- Migrants can be exploited by unscrupulous employers.
- Some migrations, particularly those that are illegal, can involve hazardous journeys.
What is voluntary migration?
When the individual has a free choice about whether to migrate or not.
