What is Migration

MIGRATION

                Migration is a geographical phenomenon that seems to be a human necessity in every age. Since man has a tendency to leave the areas in which life is difficult, he migrates to the areas where life may be easy and better. Thus from their probable origin in Africa, human groups had spread out to occupy all the major land areas of the earth excepting Antarctica about 20,000 years before present, long before the beginnings of agriculture and written history.

            Migration has been defined differently by different experts. Migration is ordinarily defined as the permanent or semi-permanent change of residence of an individual or group of people over a significant distance. It can also be defined as the act of process of moving from one place to another with the intention of staying at the destination permanently or for a relatively long period of time.

            Migration may be international, inter-regional, inter-urban, rural-urban or intra-urban. On the basis of time criterion, migration may be temporary or permanent. If distance is taken into consideration, the migration may be long or short. On the basis of number, migration may be individual or mass; it may be politically sponsored or voluntary. On the basis of causes, migration may be economic, social, political or religious.

CAUSES OF MIGRATION

            The causes of migration may be numerous and these may range from natural calamities, climatic change, epidemics, drought to social, economic, cultural and political. The over population and heavy pressure on resources may be the cause of permanent or temporary, and long distance or short distance migration. Many a time the differences between groups in levels of technology and economic opportunities also cause large scale migration.

1.Technology

           

            People with more sophisticated technology may invade and conquer new areas. Contrary to this, less advanced groups may be attracted to the greater opportunities provided by a more developed society. e.g. In the 14^th and 15^th centuries, the Europeans had better navigation ships and they discovered America, Australia and numerous islands of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. They colonized and exploited more populated territories of Asia and Africa.

2.Economic Causes

           

            One of the main reasons of emigration seems to be economic. Man’s need for virgin land (for cultivation) has inspired him to migrate to distant areas. Due to this reason many Europeans from different European countries emigrated to the Prairies of USA and Canada. Non availability of jobs and unemployment are also the cause of migration which compel the youths to leave their home for places where employment may be found.

3.Overpopulation

           

            An excess of population in an area in relation to resources and available technology is known as overpopulation. Throughout human history, migration took place because of the overpopulation in a community or region. That is why, population of developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America are emigrating to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, U.A.E, Canada, France, Germany, Australia etc. to work as domestic servants, agricultural labourers, technicians, engineers, doctors    and academicians. Each year, from India alone, about 3 lakh skilled and semi-skilled people out migrate to other countries.

4.Social and Religious Causes

           

            The human desire to stay, work and enjoy life with the people of his race, social and religious groups is also an important cause of migration. e.g. Muslims are moving out from Myanmar to Bangladesh. Due to religious reason some sections of the population are migrating from their original abodes and settled in other parts of the state.

5.Political Causes

            One of the important causes of migration, especially after the Second World War, is the political one. Political refugees are a worldwide phenomenon nowadays. e.g. Burmese refugees who migrated to India (Mizoram). The Muslims and Hindus exchange, changed their places of abode due to partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

6.Demographic Causes

            A number of demographic factors play a vital role in the migration pattern. It is the rate of growth of population that determines the extent of population pressure in an area. The great historical movement of the Europeans across the Atlantic Ocean was an expression of increasing pressure of population on the resource base of Europe. Similarly, in India, the large-scale outmigration from the densely populated parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, and U.P is due to a poor population resource ratio in these areas.

7.Diffusion of Information

            The availability of information through education, cultural contacts and spatial interaction also increase the chances of population migration. The information network and cultural contact increase the horizons of job opportunities. In India, the Sikhs are the most adventurous and well-informed people, who migrate even to the less developed and less attractive areas like Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Central African Republic, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen etc.

8.General Rise in the level of Aspiration

            With the advancement in science and technology, new items of comfort and luxury appear in the market and the level of aspiration of the educated and uneducated goes up. Everybody is tempted to enjoy a better standard of living. In India, the young men who were better-off than their fathers were not satisfied, and so many sought to better themselves overseas. It is mainly because of this reason that Indian engineers and doctors are emigrating to U.S.A, Canada, and in large number unskilled and semi-skilled labours are migrating towards Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

9.Wars

            Wars have been one of the important causes of human migration. Wars have always involved upheavals, particularly in the regions where these have been fought. The First World War (1914-1919 A.D) involved in the displacement of about 6 million people, and the Second World War (1939-1945 A.D) involved the involuntary displacement of about 60 million people.

10.Government Policy

            The government policy of a particular country also favourably or adversely affected the pattern of population migration. The British, French, German, Russian, American, New Zealand, Canadian and South Africa governments have specific population policies and most of them discourage immigrants.