Types of migration

 

Based on the movement of people from rural to rural, rural to urban, urban to urban, and urban to rural areas, there are several more types of migration:

 

Internal Migration

 

When a large number of people migrate from one region or state in a country to another region or state in the same country, then it is called internal migration. The migration of a person from a village to an urban area is an example of internal migration.

 

External Migration

 

When people move from one country to another country, then it is called external migration or international migration.

External Migration is further divided into two types of migration:

a) Intracontinental migration
b) Intercontinental migration.

 

When Indians migrate to China (within Asia), it is called intracontinental migration but when Indians migrate to the USA (outside Asia), then it is called intercontinental migration.

Do you know the difference between emigrants and immigrants?

 

When people move to another country, they are called emigrants by the people of their own country but in the country to which they migrate, they are known as immigrants.

Let us see some other types of migration.

 

Rural to Urban Migration

 

The most common type of migration is rural to urban migration. People migrate from villages to cities in search of better job opportunities, higher income and a better standard of living. The main reasons for their migration to these cities include poverty, lack of basic facilities, high population pressure on the land, natural disasters, etc. For example, a large number of people migrate to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Delhi mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, etc.

 

Rural to Rural Migration

 

The migration of people from one rural area to another is called rural to rural migration. People move from one village to another in search of better prospects related to the availability of land, water for drinking, and land for irrigation. Some other reasons are better healthcare facilities, education, markets and a short distance to the nearby cities.

 

Urban to Rural/Suburban Migration

 

The migration of people from urban areas to suburban areas is called urban to suburban migration. This is also called �reverse migration� as it is opposite to the general migration which is from rural to urban areas. It generally happens when the size of the population of a city reaches a point where it becomes more than the carrying capacity of a city. This results in a shortage of resources, pollution, unhygienic living conditions, traffic jams, and the growth of slums.

 

Urban to Urban Migration

 

This type of migration is usually seen in the highly developed countries of the world. This usually takes place when people move from one city to another city for better employment opportunities. For example, a person moved to Bengaluru from Delhi because he got a better job there.

 

� Climate Refugee

When people are forced to leave their homes due to sudden changes such as natural calamities which include droughts, desertification, sea-level rise, etc., such people are called climate refugees. These climate refugees migrate to another country or they may migrate internally within their own country.

 

Example: In Bangladesh, hundreds of people are forced to leave their homes because of coastal flooding. The people of Carteret islands in Papua New Guinea have been forced to relocate to another place as the rising sea levels are swallowing their land.

 

Types Of Migration - Multiple-choice questions

 

1. When people move to another country, they are called _________ by the people of their own country.
a. Asylum seeker
b. Immigrants
c. Refugee
d. Emigrants

 

2. Migration of a person from India to China (Within Asia) is called ___________.
a. Internal migration
b. Rural to urban migration
c. Intercontinental migration
d. Intracontinental migration

 

3. When people are forced to leave their homes due to sudden changes in climate, such as natural disasters, then they are called ___________
a. Immigrants
b. Emigrants
c. Asylum Seeker
d. Climate Refugee

 

4. Which of the following is also called �reverse migration�?
a. Urban to urban migration
b. Rural to urban migration
c. Rural to rural migration
d. Urban to suburban migration

 

5. Migration of a person from India to UK (Outside Asia) is called ___________.
a. Internal migration
b. Rural to urban migration
c. Intracontinental migration
d. Intercontinental migration

Read More: What is Meant by Migration? Types: Permanent and Temporary Migration