Handout #5

MIGRATION

 The permanent movement of people from one geographical location or region to another
is known as migration.
 In the Caribbean, population movement is seen between:
- Rural and urban areas
- Countries within the region
- The region and the wider world

 People migrate for many reasons. Sometimes negative factors force them to leave their
home region. In other instances, the conditions in other countries are so enticing that they
attract migrants.

 Migration can be temporary, which means that the move is intended for a short time.

 Migration can also be permanent, which means there are no intentions of returning.

 Internal migration occurs within a country and external migration occurs between one
country and another.

CAUSES

PUSH AND PULL FACTORS:

Push factors are the negative aspects of a locality that force people to leave. Pull factors are
positive features that attract people to a locality.

Areas from which people migrate are sometimes known as supply areas.

Depopulation occurs whenever a population experiences a long-term reduction and is often

found in a supply area that has seen a significant amount of outward migration over time.

PUSH FACTORS

Low modern infrastructure

Lack of jobs
Low wages
Crime and violence
Limited educational recreational and cultural facilities
Natural disasters, etc.

PULL FACTORS
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Availability of jobs
Modern infrastructure
Access to food
Educational opportunities
Social & cultural amenities and facilities

INTERNAL MIGRATION:

Rural-Urban

People often move for economic reasons. These are often associated with urban areas rather than
rural areas.

Migration from rural to urban areas is the most common form in Caribbean countries and many
governments have strategies to encourage citizens to remain in rural areas.

Increasing numbers of people living in cities is known as URBANIZATION.

Urban-Rural

Some people dislike living in urban areas. In some cases, individuals move to rural areas because
of an employment opportunity.

Rural-Rural

This type of internal migration is not very common within the Caribbean although it does
happen. People may move from one farming community to another because the first no longer
sustain them.

EXTERNAL MIGRATION:

Between Caribbean Countries

When people move between countries within the Caribbean, it is usually in response to
employment opportunities. The encouragement of movement of workers within the region is an
attempt to share the available skills base around the region.

Outside the Caribbean region

Most external or international migration is out of the region to more developed countries.
Movement out of a country or region is called emigration and movement in is called
immigration.

CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION

Internal migration
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 Negative effects of internal migration include :

- overcrowding of some city residential areas and the development of unplanned
settlements

- Inadequate infrastructure

- The hoped-for employment is not always there

- A rise in crime and violence

- A decline in supply area

Positive effects:

- New skills being made available to the receiving area

- Money may be sent back to the supply area
- Migrants can return with new skills and funds to assist development

External Migration

Negative effects of external migration include:

o Loss of qualified and skilled personnel from the region, sometimes known as brain
drain
o The reduction in the economically productive portion of the population and a greater
dependency ratio.

Positive effects:

o Revenue from those sending money back to their families

o Individuals return with qualifications or skills acquired abroad.

NET MIGRATION

This refers to the difference between immigration and emigration.

Where there is a greater immigration than emigration in a particular year, this produces positive
net migration and vice versa.

Positive Net Migration = # Immigrants - # emigrants

1500(imm/2020)-500(em/2020)= 1000 Moving into the country for 2020

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Negative Net Migration= # Emigrants-# Immigrants

1500 (em/2020)
500 (Imm/2020)

1500-500=1000 Moving out of the country in 2020