© T. M. Whitmore

Today

•Migration continued

© T. M. Whitmore

Questions?

•Urban problems in LA

•Urban economic systems in LA

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Migration-the 3rd part of demography• Definitions of migration

More-or-less permanent change in the locus of one’s life

Must cross political boundary• “Circulation” a temporary change in

residence

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Migration — 4 major types

• 1st type: International within Latin America• 2nd type: International to and from Latin

America• 3rd type rural => rural migration• 4th type rural => urban migration

© T. M. Whitmore

Example of International migration: Mexicans to US

• N limits of Mexico

• Loss of ½ of Mexican territory to US in war of 1840s

• Post-Mexican war in 1880s

• 1920s revolution and post-revolution chaos in Mexico plus demand for ag workers in WWI in US

• 1920s immigration laws change

• Anti-immigration hysteria => violence & expulsion of Mexicans 1920s-30s

© T. M. Whitmore

Example of International migration: Mexicans to US II

• 1940s -1960s => Bracero program

• 1980s and beyondIssue of illegal (undocumented)

• Mexico — USA labor markets closely coupled since 1880sIssue of remittances

• Spatial patterns of migration

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Remittances – a major consequence of migration

•People move North by the millions, and money moves South by the billions

•Remittances are monies sent by workers in the US to their Latin American (and other) homes.

•Remittances are a result of underemployed or unemployed in LA seeking jobs in USA

© T. M. Whitmore

Remittances II•About 17 million Latin American origin

residents living in the United States Send about $45 billion to their

families on a yearly basis. Each transfer transaction averages

approximately $30060% of senders are “working poor” in

USA; > 50% of senders <35 years old (but

still significant sending by older and more settled immigrants)

© T. M. Whitmore

Spending Remittances

•Vast majority spent on household expenses

•But 1/3 invest in housing, businesses, & real estate

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Scale of remittance Flows• For 2006= ~ $ 45 billion from US (up 50%

in past few yrs) ~$60b if Europe etc. included thus, US is

source of ~75% of total flows

• Exceeded the combined flows of all Foreign Direct Investment and net Official Development Assistance to the Region

• LA is now the fastest growing and highest volume remittance market in the world > 150 million transfers annually to over

20 million recipients

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Scale of remittance Flows II

•Flows substantially exceed tourism income to each country

•Account for at least 10% of GDP in Haiti, Jamaica, & the Dominican

RepublicNicaragua & El SalvadorGuyana

•Almost always exceeds the income from the largest export in receiving country

© T. M. Whitmore

Scale of remittance Flows III

•Remittances to Mexico Greater than the country's total

tourism incomeGreater than two-thirds of the

value of petroleum exportsAbout equal to 180% of the

country's agricultural exports.•The earnings of Salvadorans residing

in the United StatesGreater than entire GDP of the

country.

© T. M. Whitmore

Remittance Origins in US• Top US sending states: all over $1 b

annually (total ~ $34b of the $45b total)CA - $13.2bTX - $5.2bNY - $3.7bIL - $2.6bGA - $1.7bAZ - $1.3bNC - $1.2bVA - $1.1b

© T. M. Whitmore

Remittance destinations in LA• Over $1 billion annually =

Mexico – $20bBrazil - 6.4Colombia - 4.1Guatemala - 2.9El Salvador - 2.8DR - 2.7Peru - 2.5Ecuador - 2.0Honduras - 1.8Jamaica - 1.7Haiti - 1.0

© T. M. Whitmore

Destination recipients

•All with more than 10% of adults receiving remittancesEcuador 14%El Salvador 28%Honduras 16%Guatemala 24%Mexico: 18%

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Destination recipients II

•Per capita annual remittancesMexico: $190/capitaEl Salvador ~$400/capitaHonduras: ~$240/capitaGuatemala: ~$200/capitaDominican Republic: ~ $300/capita

•Done via intl money transfer companies

Source: © IADB

Source: © IADB

Return migrant (remittance funded) housing in Ecuador© Brad Jokish

© Thomas WhitmoreHouse built with remittances in rural Guatemala

© Thomas Whitmore

© Thomas Whitmore

© Thomas Whitmore

© T. M. WhitmoreQuiroga, Mexico

Source: © IADB

© Thomas Whitmore

© T. M. Whitmore

Rural => Rural migration•From densely settled highlands to

sparsely settled lowlandsAndean to AmazoniaAndean to coastCentral American

•From densely settled NE Brazil and S cities to Amazonia

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Rural => Rural migration II•Causes (example of Guatemala)

DemographicPoliticalEconomicecological

•Also temporary r -> r “circulation”

Amazonia

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4th type: rural => urban migration•What is it?

rural to urban migration => permanent change of residence

•Why migrate? “Push” and “Pull” forceseconomic welfaresocial welfare other factors

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Why migrate I?

•Economic (pushes & pulls)Lack of landFew non-farm opportunitiesLittle upward mobilityDevelopment => fewer rural jobs &

jobs with less dignity

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Why migrate II?

•Social (pushes & pulls)EducationHealth care access

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Why migrate III?

•Other (pushes & pulls)EnvironmentalViolenceIndividual factorsFamily strategy

© T. M. Whitmore

Who migrates?•Age •Gender •Marital status•Education level•Personal•Ethnicity

© T. M. Whitmore

How do migrants move?

•Migration patterns Role of information Role of social networksStep vs direct migrationFill-in migration Role of distance