Types of migration
International Monetary Fund (IMF) defines globalisation as ‘the growing economic
interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of crossborder transactions in goods and services, freer international capital flows, and more rapid
and widespread diffusion of technology’.
Also applicable to people; opportunities for migration and incentives (pull factors) /
pressures (push factors) for movement.
Emigrant – leaving a country
Immigrant – entering a country
Economic migrant = migration for employment opportunities / improved financial position
Refugee = suffered or fears persecution in their home country on account of race, religion,
nationality or politics. Can be granted asylum.
Irregular migrant = enters a country illegally / remains without valid visa / overstay duration
of visa.
Mediterranean migration
Current statistics:
• Total sea + land arrivals = 10,000 in 2019
• 5000 dead / missing 2016
• Arrivals peaked at over 1 million 2015; largest month October 220,000 arrivals.
• 11.3% from Guinea, 11% from Morocco into Spain.
Annual variation:
Increase in summer months; water warmer and calmer
16,000 July 2018 vs 4000 February 2018
Demography:
64% male and 15% female
Syrian Civil War:
• Civil War in 2012 – President Bashar al-Assad bombs rebels and accusations of
chemical-weapon use.
• 250,000 civilian deaths by 2015
• Mass migration of 4.5 million refugees; 10% to Europe
• 2014 desperation increased Mediterranean crossings; over 1250 unmarked graves
across 70 sites.
South to North American migration:
7000 Central American migrants travelled 4000km → US-Mexico border; predicted to
reach 10,000
