3. Migration

MIGRATION

Migration

Is the movement of people from one location to another, to settle temporarily or permanently. Migrants make a conscious choice to leave their country to seek a better life elsewhere.

TYPES OF MIGRATION

Emigrants: are people who leave their country of origin.

Immigrants: are people who enter a country that is not their place of origin.

THE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION

Demographics

•Revitalises the population of a country: immigrants are young and active they work hard and have children

•The countries of origin lose this young and active population

Cultural diversity and conflict

•New immigrants bring ethnic and cultural diversity

•The host country may reject them due to racism or xenophobia.

•Integration problems which can result in social exclusion.

Economics

•Unskilled or skilled workers are demanded

•Inmigrants are able to improve their living conditions

•They send money home to their country of origin

DURATION

•Temporary or seasonal: such as agricultural workers and summer tourists

•Several years

•Permanent

FINAL DESTINATION

•Regional (the principal economic centre of a distric, province or región)

•National (from the countryside to the city)

•Continental (within the same continent)

•Intercontiental

CAUSES

•Economic (voluntary, forced)

•Wars (forced displacement)

•Political (etnic or political persecution)

•Social or religious (religious persecution, social problems

Net migration: is the difference between the number of immigrants entering a place and the number of emigrants leaving a place in the course of a year. It could refer to a country or continent.

When the result is positive, the population is growing.

Developed countries: positive net migration

When the result is negative, it is falling.

Developing or less-developed countries: negative net migration