ravenstein’s laws of migration by bailey mcgovern and izah tahir
TRANSCRIPT
Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration
By Bailey McGovern and Izah Tahir
Introduction
Ravenstein’s laws of migration are a set of laws that explain how, where, and why people migrate. It was developed in the 1800’s by Ernest George Ravenstein.
Law 1
Most migrants move only a short distance
o Less economic strain
o Less cultural change
o Easier to travel to
o Not as much distance from family and friends
Law 2
Migrants typically move to major cities
o More economic opportunities – better access to food and jobs
o Better standards of living
Law 3
Major urban centers generally have migrants from neighboring rural areas, and more
distant migrants move to those rural areas
o Called absorption
o Gaps are left by migrants who move from rural to urban areas
o More economic advancement opportunities
o Closer to markets
Law 4
When people from rural areas move to more distant areas, those from urban areas then
move to fill the “gaps” in rural areas
o Called dispersion
o Better environmental conditions
o More space
o Unoccupied jobs left by migrants
Law 5
Every migration path must have an inverse path
o There must be as many people moving into rural areas as moving out
o Absorption and dispersion leaves “gaps” that need to be filled
Law 6
Rural people are more likely to migrate than urban people
o Urban people are already settled with good jobs, homes, etc.
o Rural people have a lower standard of living, so they are more likely to be seeking advancement
Law 7
Long-distance migrants typically move to larger cities
o More opportunities –
o Jobs
o Homes
o Resources
o Health care
o Better education
Law 8
Women are more likely to migrate short distances than men
o Want to move out of less developed countries to more developed countries
o Have more power, respect, and job opportunities
Law 9
People whose families have lived in an area for longer periods of time are less likely to move than those who have more recently
moved to an area
o Native settlers are more attached to land
o Recent moving could be due to certain occupations that may require frequent movement
o New settlers have less family and friends in that area
Law 10
The major cause of migration is economic
o People move in search of
o Jobs/higher pay
o Homes
o Better social environment
Law 10
Most long-distance migrants are male
o Women generally have children to take care of
o Males move to get jobs and support families at home
Law 11
Most long-distant migrants are adult individuals instead of families with children
o More inconvenient to move entire families than a single person
o More money for the individual
o Families don’t want to be separated
The end