internal migration for most people is less disruptive than international
historically, people migrated interregionally in search of better farmland
densely settled regions → empty frontiers
today, principal type is rural to urban
more jobs are clustered in urban areas
prominent example is the opening of the American West
population center is the average location of everyone in the country
“center of population gravity”
center has changed throughout eras
1790: hugging the coast
colonial-era settlements were near the Atlantic Coast
people depended on shipping links with Europe
Appalachian Mountains blocked the west
indigenous residents resisted expansion
1800-1840: crossing the Appalachians
transportation improvements
Erie Canal allowed people to travel by boat
large land for low prices were in the west
people travelled through river valleys
1850-1890: rushing to the gold
shifted westward more rapidly
people went to California during the Gold Rush
believed the Great Plains was a desert
1900-1940: filling in the Great Plains
westward movement slowed because of immigration to the East Coast
advances in agricultural technology allowed people to cultivate the Great Plains
railroads encouraged settlements of the Great Plains
1950-2010: moving south
more westward migration, as well as southward
job opportunities
warm climate
people in the Northeast and Midwest believed that southern states stole industries from them
less interregional migration in the US now
recession in 2008 discouraged migrating
long-distance interregional migration is important for economic development in Russia
population is clustered in the western, European portion of the country
east of the Ural Mountains, very few people live
Soviet policy encouraged factory construction near raw materials
however, there weren’t enough workers
wanted to populate Siberia because its richness in
fossil fuels
minerals
forests
government forced people to migrate to the Far North to construct and operate enterprises
later, the government encouraged the migration rather than forced
higher wages
more paid holidays
earlier retirement
people didn’t want to move because of the
harsh climate
remoteness from population clusters
each year about half of the immigrants migrate back to the western portion
government sent a brigade of young volunteers (Komsomol) to help construction projects during school vacations
after the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian government officials no longer dictated “optimal” locations for factories
has had migration east to west
three westernmost provinces are destinations for most interregional migrants
100 million people left rural areas in the interior to large urban areas along the east coast
jobs are most plentiful
most live along cities near the Atlantic Coast
Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro became 2 of the world’s largest cities
Brazil’s interior is very sparsely inhabited
government moved its capital to Brasilia to attract people to the interior
coastal areas now have net out-migration, interior have net in-migration
far more people move within the same region
worldwide, most common is rural to urban
in the US, most common is cities to suburbs
began in the 1800s in Europe and North America due to the Industrial Revolution
urbanization diffused to LDCs
people seek economic advancement
pushed from rural by declining opportunities
pulled to cities by factories and service industries
most common in MDCs
migration to suburbs isn’t related to economic factors, but rather the suburban lifestyle
detached house
private yard
garage and driveway
schools are better
cars and trains allow jobs in cities
farms on the periphery of urban areas are converted into suburbs
counterurbanization: net migration from urban to rural areas in MDCs
people are attracted to the lifestyle
technology and transportation allow people to be connected even if they are physically remote
intraregional migration slowed due to the severe recession