Unit 5 - Essays - Internal Migration SIMPLE ENGLISH UPDATED

Question 1

‘Distance is the most important factor influencing the type of internal migration.’ With the aid of examples, how far do you agree?

Answer 1

Paragraph 1: How Distance Affects Migration
Main Idea: Distance makes migration more difficult and expensive, so it influences where and how people move.

Example from Brazil:
Many people move from poor northern states (e.g., Maranhão) to richer cities in the Southeast (e.g., São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro).
Distance: More than 2,500 km, making migration expensive and difficult.
Cost: A bus ticket alone can cost over $200, which is a lot for poor families.
Why do people still move? Because wages in São Paulo are much higher ($14,000 per year vs. $4,000 in Maranhão).

Example from the UK:
People often move from Northern cities (e.g., Manchester) to London and the Southeast.
Distance: The average migration distance in the UK is about 90 km.
Why do people move? Wages in London are 30% higher than in Northern cities.
Impact: Shorter distances make it easier for people to move for better jobs.

Link to Next Paragraph: Distance is important, but people still move long distances when they have a strong reason—like better jobs.

Paragraph 2: Jobs and Wages Are More Important Than Distance
Main Idea: People move not just because of distance, but because they want better jobs and higher wages.

Example from Brazil:
The Southeast region has 55% of all industrial jobs in Brazil, even though it is less than 20% of the country’s land area.
People move from the North to the Southeast for better jobs, even though the distance is very far.
Example: People from Maranhão still move to São Paulo because they can earn 3–4 times more money.

Example from the UK:
Wages in London and the Southeast are 30% higher than in Northern cities.
Many factories in Northern cities have closed, forcing people to move South for work.
Statistics: In 2019, about 80,000 more people moved into Southeast England than left.
Impact:
Even if moving is expensive, people will migrate for higher wages and better jobs.
This shows that economic opportunities matter more than distance.

Link to Next Paragraph: Government policies and housing can also influence migration, sometimes more than distance.

Paragraph 3: Government Policies and Housing Influence Migration
Main Idea: Sometimes, government decisions and housing costs matter more than distance when people decide to move.

Example from Brazil:
The government created a program called Bolsa Família to help poor families in the North.
This gave people money to help them stay in rural areas, instead of moving to cities.
Did it stop migration? No, because cities still had better jobs, education, and healthcare.

Example from the UK:
The Right to Buy scheme let people buy their council houses, making some move to cheaper areas outside London (e.g., Kent, Essex).
Housing Costs:
London housing is 3–4 times more expensive than in surrounding areas.
Many people moved a short distance to afford a house, even though their jobs were still in London.
Impact:
Government policies and housing prices affect migration, even when the distances are small.
This shows that other factors besides distance can strongly influence migration.

Link to Next Paragraph: Over time, changes in technology and society can make distance less important.

Paragraph 4: How Time and Place Affect Migration (Changes Over Time and Space)
Main Idea: Migration patterns change over time, and distance may not always be as important as before.

Example from Brazil:
1970s Migration Boom:
Many people moved from the countryside to cities like São Paulo because of industrial growth.
São Paulo’s population grew by 80% in just 10 years.
Recent Trend:
Some people are now moving away from big cities to smaller cities in the Southeast.
Why? Because roads, transportation, and remote work have made long-distance migration easier.

Example from the UK:
The COVID-19 Pandemic (2020):
More people moved out of London because they could work from home.
Many moved to nearby towns within 100 km.
Why does this matter?
In the past, people needed to live near their jobs.
Now, better transport and technology mean people can move further away without losing work.
Impact:
Over time, the importance of distance changes.
Improvements in transport and technology have made distance less of a problem for migration.

Link to Conclusion: So, while distance matters, it is not the most important factor in migration.

Conclusion:
Distance matters because it affects cost and difficulty.
But jobs, wages, housing, and policies are often more important.
Changes over time (e.g., better transport, remote work) reduce the impact of distance.
Final judgement: Distance is important, but not the most important factor in migration.