AP Human Geography

Chapter 3 Migration

AP HuG- Mrs. Kelley

AP Human Geography

Chapter 03

Key Issue 1:

Where are migrants distributed?

 Migration

•  Mobility is most generalized term that

refers to all types of movements
–  Journeying each day to work or school
–  Weekly visits to local shops
–  Annual trips to visit relatives who live in a
different state
•  Short-term and repetitive acts of mobility
are referred to as circulation.
–  Ex. College students moving to college each
fall and returning home each spring
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Migration

•  A permanent move to a new location

constitutes migration.
–  Emigration is migration from a location.
–  Immigration is migration to a location.
•  Place “A” can have individuals migrating away
from and to it.
–  Emigrant: Place A → Place B
–  Immigrant: Place B → Place A

•  Difference between the number of

immigrants and number emigrants is a
place’s net migration.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Distance of Migration

•  Ravenstein’s laws for the distance that

migrants typically move
–  Most migrants relocate a short distance and
remain within the same country.
–  Long-distance migrants to other countries
head for major centers of economic activity.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Distance of Migration

•  Migration can be divided into two

categories.
1.  International Migration- permanent move
from one country to another
•  Voluntary
•  Forced
2.  Internal Migration- permanent move within
the same country
•  Interregional
•  Intraregional

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 International and Internal Migration - Mexico

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 International Migration Patterns

•  Approximately 9 percent of the world’s

people are international migrants.
•  Global pattern reflects migration
tendencies from developing countries to
developed countries.
–  Net Out-Migration
•  Asia, Latin America, and Africa
–  Net In-Migration
•  North America, Europe, and Oceania

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Global Migration Patterns

~ Width of arrows
shows the amount
of net migration.

~ Countries with
net in-migration
are those in red,
and those with net
outmigration are in
blue.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 U.S. Immigration Patterns

•  U.S. has more foreign-born residents than

any other country: approximately 43
million as of 2010—growing by 1 million
annually.
•  Three main eras of immigration in the U.S.
–  Colonial settlement in seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries
–  Mass European immigration in the late 19th
and early twentieth centuries
–  Asian and Latin American integration in the
late Twentieth and early twenty-first centuries
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Immigration to the United States

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Destination of Immigrants by U.S. state

~ Which states are

leading destinations
for immigrants?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Where Do People Migrate within a Country?

•  Interregional Migration
–  Perceived economic betterment typically
compels individuals to make interregional
migrations.
•  Historically- enticement of abundant available land
on the American Frontier.
•  Presently- most jobs, especially in services, are
clustered in urban areas.
–  Westward expansion contributed to a shift in
the center of population.
•  “Center of population gravity”

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

AP Human Geography

Chapter 03

Key Issue 2:

Where do people migrate within a country?

 The changing center of U.S. population

The population center is the average location of everyone

in the U.S. or the “center of population gravity.”

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Recent Interregional migration in the U.S.

Interregional migration has

slowed in recent years to
close to zero.

Why?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Recent Interregional migration in the U.S.

Interregional migration has

slowed in recent years to
close to zero.

Why?

~ Regional differences in
employment opportunities

~ 2008 recession

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Migration between Regions in Large
Countries

•  World’s five largest countries in land area

are Russia, Canada, China, the U.S., and
Brazil.
–  Russia: Interregional migration was
encouraged eastward and northward by the
government’s decision to locate new factories
and to offer economic incentives away from
existing population concentrations.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Population distribution - Russia

Where is the population clustered in Russia?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Migration between Regions in Large
Countries
–  Canada: Shares a similar east to west
interregional migration pattern with the U.S.
Three westernmost provinces are destinations
for interregional migrants.
–  China: Nearly 100 million people have
emigrated from rural interior to large urban
areas along east coast where manufacturing is
prevalent.
–  Brazil: Government moved its capital from Rio
De Janeiro to Brasília (600 miles from Atlantic
Coast) to encourage migration of Atlantic coast
residents to move to the interior.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Interregional migration in China

~ Where are
migrants heading
in China?

Why?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Interregional migration in Canada

~ Where are
migrants heading
in Canada?

Why?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Interregional migration in Brazil

~ Where are
migrants heading
in Brazil?

Why?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Intraregional Migration

•  Since Industrial Revolution began in

Europe in nineteenth century, a global
trend for individuals to migrate from rural
to urban areas
–  Percentage of urbanized population in U.S.
•  1800: 5 percent
•  1920: 50 percent
•  2010: 80 percent
–  Motivated by economic advancement

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Intraregional Migration

•  Most intraregional migration in developed

countries is from cities out to surrounding
suburbs.
–  Motivated not by economic advancement but
by a desired lifestyle
•  Additional privacy associated with single-family
detached houses
•  Garages and driveways offer parking at no
additional fee
•  Often superior suburban schools

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Intraregional migration – United States

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Net migration by county – United States

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Intraregional Migration

•  Developed countries experienced a new

migration trend during the late twentieth
century when rural areas were
characterized by net in-migration.
–  Net migration from urban to rural areas is
called counterurbanization.
•  Counterurbanization most prevalent in
places rich with natural amenities
–  Rocky Mountain States (Colorado, Idaho,
Utah, and Wyoming)
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Percentage of Americans moving in a year

~ Why has intraregional migration slowed?

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

AP Human Geography

Chapter 03

Key Issue 3:

Why do people migrate?

 Why Do People Migrate?

•  People decide to migrate because of a

combination of two factors.
–  Push factors induce people to move out of
their present location.
–  Pull factors induce people to move into a new
location.
•  Three major types of push and pull factors
1.  Political
2.  Environmental
3.  Economic
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Reasons for Migrating

•  Political factors can be especially

compelling push factors, forcing people to
migrate from a country.
•  United Nations High Commissions for
Refugees recognizes three groups of
forced political migrants.
1.  A refugee has been forced to migrate to
avoid a potential threat to his or her life, and
he or she cannot return for fear of
persecution.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Reasons for Migrating

2.  An internally displaced person (IDP) is

similar to a refugee, but he or she has not
migrated across an international border.
3.  An asylum seeker is someone who has
migrated to another country in hope of being
recognized as a refugee.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Refuges and “Internally Displaced Persons”

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Reasons for Migrating

•  Environmental factors can prompt

migration from hazardous environments or
pull migrants to attractive regions.
–  Environmental Pull Factors
•  Mountains
•  Seasides
•  Warm Climates
–  Environmental Push Factors
•  Water: most common environmental threat
–  Flood
–  Drought

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Reasons for Migrating

•  Most people migrate for economic

reasons.
–  Push factor: migrate away from places with few
jobs
–  Pull factor: migrate to places where jobs seem to
be available
•  U.S. and Canada have been prominent
destinations for economic migrants.
–  Historically individuals migrated from Europe.
–  More recently Latin America and Asia are primary
senders.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
AP Human Geography

Chapter 03

Key Issue 4:

Why do migrants face obstacles?

 Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles?

•  Intervening obstacles, which hinder

migration, can be categorized into two
types.
1.  Environmental Feature- i.e., mountain,
ocean, or distance
2.  Political Feature- i.e., countries require
proper documentation to leave one country
and gain entry in another

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Controlling Migration

•  Countries have adopted selective

immigration policies.
–  Preference shown for specific employment
placement and family reunification
•  Passing of the Quota Act in 1921 and the
National Origins Act in 1924 by the U.S.
Congress marked the end of unrestricted
immigration to the U.S.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Controlling Migration

•  More seek admission to the U.S. than is

permitted by the quotas, thus preferences
are shown toward:
•  Family Reunification
–  About ¾ of immigrants
•  Skilled Workers
–  Approximately ¼ of immigrants
–  Sending countries alleged preference for skilled workers
contributes to brain drain- a term for the disproportionate
amount of highly skilled and intelligent citizens migrating
away from sending countries.
•  Diversity
–  A few immigrants admitted, because their sending country
historically has sent very few migrants

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Unauthorized Immigration

•  Unauthorized immigrants are those who

enter a country without proper documents.
•  Characteristics of unauthorized immigrates
in the U.S.
–  Source Country
•  Roughly 58 percent emigrate from Mexico
–  Children
•  Of estimated 11.2 million unauthorized immigrants,
nearly 1 million are children.
•  Unauthorized immigrants have given birth to 4.5 million
children on U.S. soil making the children U.S. citizens.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Unauthorized Immigration to the U.S.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Unauthorized Immigration

–  Years in the U.S.

•  Duration of residency has increased for
unauthorized immigrants.
•  In 2010, 35 percent of adults had been in U.S. for
at least 15 years.
–  Labor Force
•  Approximately 8 million unauthorized immigrants
are employed in the U.S.
–  Distribution
•  Texas and California have largest number of
unauthorized immigrants

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 United States – Mexico border

~ The border between the U.S. and

Mexico is the longest border between a
1st world and a 3rd world country at
1,933 miles. Texas shares 1,241 miles of border.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Unauthorized Immigration
•  Mexico’s Border with the United States
–  View from the U.S. recognizes motives that
compel unauthorized immigrants to enter
illegally
•  Employment Opportunities
•  Family Reunification
•  Better Way of Life
–  View from Mexico is more complex
•  Residents of northern Mexico wish for compassion
to be shown to unauthorized immigrants.
•  Residents of southern Mexico are less tolerant
because of number of unauthorized immigrants
entering Mexico from Guatemala.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 U.S.- Mexico border: pedestrian crossing

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 U.S.- Mexico border: Urban congestion

~ Vehicles are backed up trying to cross the border from

Matamoros Mexico (R) to Brownsville, TX (L)
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Attitudes toward Immigrants

•  Immigration Concerns in the U.S.

–  Most views of immigration by U.S. citizens are
ambivalent in nature.
•  Border Patrol
–  They would like more effective border control, but they
don’t want to spend more money to solve the issue.
•  Workplace
–  Most recognize that unauthorized immigrants take jobs
from U.S. citizens, but they understand most citizens
wouldn’t take the jobs so they support a path to U.S.
citizenship for these unauthorized immigrants.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Attitudes toward Immigrants

•  Civil Rights
–  U.S. citizens favor letting law enforcement officials stop
and verify the legal status of anyone, but they fear civil
rights will be infringed upon of U.S. citizens, as a result of
racial profiling.
•  Local Initiatives
–  Polls suggest U.S. citizens believe unauthorized
immigration is a pressing matter to the nation, but it
should only be dealt with at the federal level and not the
local level.
»  Many were opposed to Arizona’s 2010 law that
obligated foreigners to carry a proof of citizenship
with them at all times.
»  More than 100 localities across the nation support
additional rights for unauthorized immigrants—such
a movement is known as a “Sanctuary City.”
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Migration Flows within Europe

~ The Schengen Treaty (1985) gave a citizen of one European country the
right to hold a job, live permanently, and own property elsewhere.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Attitudes toward Immigrants
•  Immigration Concerns in Europe
–  Population growth in Europe is fueled by
immigration from other regions of the world, a
trend disliked by many Europeans.
•  Biggest fear is that the host country’s culture will
be lost, because immigrants:
–  adhere to different religions
–  speak different languages
–  practice different food and other cultural habits
•  Hostility to immigrants has become a central plank
of some political parties in many European
countries.
–  Immigrants blamed for crime, unemployment rates, and
high welfare costs.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Attitudes toward Immigrants

~ Immigration controversy in
France

Protestors supporting immigrant rights

Protestors supporting tighter restrictions

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Attitudes toward Immigrants

~ Immigration controversy in the U.S.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Attitudes toward Immigrants

•  Europeans as Emigrants
–  Inhospitable climate for immigrants in Europe
is especially ironic.
•  Europe was the source of most of the world’s
emigrants, during the nineteenth century.
•  Most Europeans fear losing their cultural heritage
to that of new immigrants, while:
–  Indo-European languages are now spoken by half of the
world, as a result of European emigrants.
–  Christianity has the world’s largest number of adherents.
–  European art, music, literature, philosophy, and ethics
have diffused throughout the world.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Attitudes toward Immigrants

•  Characteristics of Migrants
–  Ravenstein noted:
•  Most long-distance migrants are male.
•  Most long-distance migrants are adult individuals
rather than families with children.
•  Most long-distance migrants are young adults
seeking work rather than children or elderly
people.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Attitudes toward Immigrants

•  Characteristics of Migrants
–  More males migrated to the U.S. during the
nineteenth century and most of the twentieth
century.
•  Gender reversed in 1990s when women
constituted about 55 percent of U.S. immigrants.
–  Most likely a reflection of the changing role of women in
Mexican society.
–  About 40 percent of immigrants in U.S. are
young adults between the ages of 25 and 39.
–  Recent immigrants to the U.S. tend to be less
educated than U.S. citizens.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Summary

•  On a global scale, the largest flows of

migrants are from Asia to Europe and from
Latin America to the U.S.
–  Third-world to first-world
•  The decision to migrate is a conclusion
influenced by a mixture of push and pull
factors.
•  Migrants face obstacles in migrating not as
much by environmental factors anymore
but by political or cultural factors.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Summary

•  Worldwide, the most prominent type of

intraregional migration is from rural areas
to urban areas. In the U.S., it is from cities
to suburbs.
•  Americans and Europeans share mixed
views about immigration. They recognize
their importance to the local economy, but
key features of immigration trouble them.

© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.