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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Migration Push and Pull Factors
Migration is one of the most significant processes affecting population distribution and change across our planet. Every year, millions of people move within countries or across international borders, reshaping communities and transforming societies.
Key Definitions:
When people decide to migrate, their decision is influenced by a combination of 'push factors' (reasons to leave a place) and 'pull factors' (attractions of a new place). Understanding these factors helps explain migration patterns around the world.
Push factors are negative aspects of the current location that drive people to leave. These include:
Pull factors are positive aspects of a destination that attract migrants. These include:
Migration factors can be grouped into four main categories. People rarely migrate for just one reason - it's usually a combination of several factors.
Push: Unemployment, poverty, low wages, lack of opportunities
Pull: Higher wages, better job prospects, economic stability
Example: Mexican workers migrating to the USA for higher-paying jobs
Push: Poor healthcare, limited education, discrimination
Pull: Better healthcare, education opportunities, family reunification
Example: Students moving to the UK for university education
Push: War, conflict, persecution, corruption, human rights abuses
Pull: Safety, political freedom, democracy, rule of law
Example: Syrian refugees fleeing civil war to neighbouring countries and Europe
Push: Natural disasters, climate change, resource scarcity
Pull: Environmental safety, resource availability, better climate
Example: People leaving drought-affected regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Different push and pull factors create various types of migrants, each with unique circumstances and needs:
People who move primarily for better economic opportunities. They typically make a choice to migrate to improve their standard of living.
People who move temporarily to study abroad, pulled by better educational opportunities and the chance to experience different cultures.
People forced to flee their country due to war, persecution, or disaster. They often have no choice but to leave.
Push factors: Lower wages in Mexico (average $2-3/hour vs $7.25+ in USA), high unemployment (around 5%), drug-related violence in border regions
Pull factors: Higher wages in USA, established Mexican communities, better education and healthcare
Scale: Approximately 11 million Mexican-born immigrants live in the USA
Impact on Mexico: Remittances (money sent home) worth over $40 billion annually, supporting families and local economies
Impact on USA: Economic benefits through labour supply, cultural enrichment, but also political tensions around immigration policy
Push factors: Civil war beginning in 2011, political persecution, destroyed infrastructure, economic collapse
Pull factors: Safety, humanitarian support, family connections, economic opportunities
Scale: Over 6.8 million Syrians have fled the country since 2011
Main destinations: Turkey (3.6 million), Lebanon (1.5 million), Jordan (1.3 million), Germany (800,000)
Challenges: Strain on host countries' resources, integration difficulties, political tensions
One of the most common forms of internal migration is from rural to urban areas, especially in developing countries. This process, called urbanisation, is driven by clear push and pull factors:
India is experiencing massive rural-urban migration, with cities like Mumbai growing rapidly.
Push factors: Agricultural challenges, rural poverty (25% below poverty line), caste discrimination, limited opportunities
Pull factors: Growing IT and service sectors, higher wages (often 3-4 times rural wages), better education
Challenges: Development of slums like Dharavi (Asia's largest slum), strain on urban infrastructure, water shortages
Benefits: Economic growth, remittances to rural areas, development of new skills
Migration has significant impacts on both the places people leave (source) and the places they move to (host):
Positive:
Negative:
Positive:
Negative:
Migration patterns are constantly evolving due to changing global conditions:
Understanding push and pull factors helps us make sense of these complex patterns and prepare for future migration trends that will shape our world.
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