LAHORE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

UNIVERSITY

GEOGRAPHY
ASSIGNMENT

Submitted to: Prof. Ayesha Khalid

Submitted by: Azka Asim

Topic: Migration
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUB-HEADING PAGE NO.

Introduction and definition 03-04

Impact of Migration 05

Causes of Migration 06

Types of Migration 07-08

Effects of Migration 08
Introduction and Definition

Migration is the progress of people from one place to

another, to establish their permanent or semi-permanent residence at the destination. It is an
essential component of change, structure, and population growth, as are birth rates and
mortalities.

There are attraction factors and pushing factors in one place, which influence
one’s decision to move or migrate. The first are those that attract people to stay, such as low
crime rates, pleasant weather, political stability, and excellent employment opportunities.
Push factors encourage people to leave the place, such as poverty, lack of jobs, scarcity of
food, frequent floods, under-development and unhygienic environments.

Migrants:
People who move from one place to another, in hope of better living
conditions are known as migrants. Most of the times migrants’ people are not skilled or
educated therefore they usually employed as daily wagers (workers who are paid at the end of
each day, for their services). Daily wagers do not get enough money for the survival of their
families and suffering from many problems such as they do not have enough food to eat,
sanitation, hygiene, a proper place to live etc.

Explanation:

Migration is usually deliberate and voluntary decision, but there are many
reasons for the people who migrate. Sometimes, migration might be forced. Immigration has
been a wide-spread phenomenon throughout the history of mankind. However, nomadic
movements are non-migratory, since their purpose is not to settle permanently or semi-
permanently in one place. Nor are tourists’ trips, pilgrimages, and other actions that do not have
this end.

Roots of Migration:

Immigration, in its simplest definition, is the movement of people from one place or country
into another one. It is a simple yet fundamental aspect of human history.
Immigration is a concept that pre-dates existing laws. Long ago, nomadic tribes travelled
from place to place to find fresh and fertile lands, pastures for their livestock, and rich areas
for hunting and fishing.
In modern times, immigration still continues all over the world. In the past decade, the
demographic composition of people traversing borders has significantly changed. This can be
attributed to a wide range of factors that we can categorize into two groups — push and pull
factors.
It is essential to examine these factors in order to perfectly understand the increase of global
migration throughout the years.

History:

Historically, the process of immigration has been of great social, economic, and cultural
benefit to states. The immigration experience is long and varied and has in many cases
resulted in the development of multicultural societies; many modern states are characterized
by a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities that have derived from previous periods of
immigration.

In the post-World War II period, immigration was largely the result of the refugee movement
following that war and, during the 1950s and ’60s, the end
of colonization across Asia and Africa. Immigration from these areas to former imperial
centres, such as the United Kingdom and France, increased. In the United Kingdom, for
example, the 1948 British Nationality Act gave citizens in the former colonial territories of
the Commonwealth (a potential figure of 800 million) the right of British nationality.

Immigrants and guest workers played a vital role in the rebuilding

of Europe’s infrastructure after World War II by working in heavy industry, in health
services, and in transport. However, they suffered discrimination, which contributed in some
countries to the isolation of ethnic groups and minority communities. Some states attempted
to deal with the social exclusion of immigrants by limiting future immigration, whereas
others approached it with a more-inclusive “melting pot” focus on the amalgamation
of diverse cultures into one coherent understanding of citizenship. This approach has
been integral to the notion of citizenship in the United States, where immigrants taking U.S.
citizenship swear allegiance to their new place of residence. Critics of this approach highlight
the assimilation of diverse cultures and the repression of difference in the name of the state.
Immigration is therefore closely related to citizenship and the social and political rights to
which citizens of a state are entitled.
Impact of Migration:

Migration is becoming a very important subject for the life of cities. Many opportunities and
attraction of big cities pull large numbers of people to big cities. Migration can have positive as
well as negative effects on the life of the migrants.

Positive Impact

 Unemployment is reduced and people get better job opportunities.

 Migration helps in improving the quality of life of people.

 It helps to improve social life of people as they learn about new culture, customs,
and languages which helps to improve brotherhood among people.

 Migration of skilled workers leads to a greater economic growth of the region.

 Children get better opportunities for higher education.

 The population density is reduced and the birth rate decreases.

Negative Impact

 The loss of a person from rural areas, impact on the level of output and
development of rural areas.

 The influx of workers in urban areas increases competition for the job, houses,
school facilities etc.

 Having large population puts too much pressure on natural resources, amenities
and services.

 It is difficult for a villager to survive in urban areas because in urban areas there is
no natural environment and pure air. They have to pay for each and everything.

 Migration changes the population of a place, therefore, the distribution of the

population is uneven in India.

 Many migrants are completely illiterate and uneducated, therefore, they are not
only unfit for most jobs, but also lack basic knowledge and life skills.

 Poverty makes them unable to live a normal and healthy life.

 Children growing up in poverty have no access to proper nutrition, education or

health.

 Migration increased the slum areas in cities which increase many problems such
as unhygienic conditions, crime, pollution etc.

 Sometimes migrants are exploited.

  Migration is one of the main causes of increasing nuclear family where children
grow up without a wider family circle.

Causes Of Migration:

Safety Factors

Safety factors can cause danger to individuals, prompting them to migrate. Persecution and
discrimination based on nationality, race, religion, political beliefs, or membership status in a
particular social group will prompt people to move large distances in search of a safer living
location where they can have freedom over their lives. Danger can be imposed upon
individuals by something formal, like war 3, or informal, such as widespread gang activity. In
2016, the Northern Triangle, composed of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, was named
one of the most violent regions in the world. All three Northern Triangle countries record
thousands of crimes by local and international gangs and armed criminal groups, and most
crimes are met with impunity. It is estimated that 10% of the Northern Triangle’s population
has already left, and it is likely that many more will flee in part due to extreme violence.

Economic Factors

Economic migration, whether permanent or seasonal, is a commonly cited reason for

migration. In general, it is believed that in economic migration people move from poorer
developing areas into richer areas where wages are higher and more jobs are available5 . It is
also common for people from rural areas to move to more competitive urban areas in order to
find more opportunities.

Environmental Factors

Migration caused by environmental factors is increasingly involuntary. Environmental

factors cause displacement, or the forced movement of people by social or environmental
factors. Crop failure for example, often results in both food scarcity and a drop in agricultural
jobs, prompting people to move to a place with better job opportunities and climate. Pollution
of water, air and soil in both urban and rural settings can also create a serious health risk to
locals, forcing them to look for a better life for themselves and their children.

Devastating natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes are environmental
factors that the news most often cover. In January 2010 for example, a deadly earthquake hit
Haiti10, claiming the lives of over 90,000 people, and displacing over 1.5 million others.
Despite humanitarian aid, many suffered from disease and a lack of proper shelter and basic
supplies. Likewise, recent studies cite global warming as a cause for the increase in violent
conflict around the world. The recent example of the Syrian drought11 from 2006 to 2011
was catastrophic, causing many families to lose their farms and move into big cities. The
drought also increased food prices, facilitating poverty. Although global warming did not
create the conflict we are witnessing today, environmental actors are important in human
migration.
Social Factors
Social factors motivating migration grow from the human needs and desires to achieve a
better quality of life. Migrants often move to ensure better opportunities for themselves or
their family, like sending their child to a better, safer school or finding a job that would have
not only a sufficient salary, but also important benefits and career growth prospects. In terms
of education, the United States graduate programs have been a particularly strong attraction
for young, talented individuals around the world.12 Individuals can also migrate in search of
ser- vices, such as life saving surgery and medical treatments that are inaccessible in their
home area.

Types of Migration:

There are several types of [migration] according to various criteria, but the most referred to
are the following.

– Internal migration
It includes the movements within the same region, state, or country.

– External Migration
It constitutes migratory movements in which people settle in another region, state, or country
different from the previous one.

– International migration
It happens when people move from one country to another.

– Population transfer, involuntary migration, or forced migration

In this case, people are constrained by the government to leave the place.

. It occurs when migrants decide to move due to problems experienced instead, such as wars
or political conflicts.

– Chain migration
It happens in series; It begins with one or more people within a group of people, such as a
family, and gradually other people from the same group migrate to the same site as their
predecessors.

– Staggered migration
Unlike chain migration, it occurs gradually in short intervals. For example, from a town to a
city and then to a megalopolis.
– Seasonal migration
It is a type in which people migrate, but for a certain period, so it is a semi-permanent
migration. Typically, seasonal migrants are attracted to job opportunities or better weather
conditions.

– Circular or return migration

In this, people who voluntarily leave their place of origin return to it after a while.

Effects

Often, migratory movements reflect the social, political, and economic conditions of the
world, and have impacts on the soil and landscape of places from where and where people
move. A high immigration rate in cities can cause overpopulation, and affect the availability
of public services and increase pollution.

In demographic terms, migration increases or reduces the size of a population, and influences
its structure and determines the size and rates of its growth. It also has a vital role in the
distribution of the people, since in some countries, migrants from a region or country tend to
concentrate in specific areas of the country to which they migrate.

References:

What is Migration? - Definition, Causes, Types, and More (computertechreviews.com)

Migration | International Organization for Migration (iom.int)

immigration | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

Why do People Immigrate? - The Different Causes of Immigration | LIRS

Introduction to Human Migration | National Geographic Society