This presentation provides a global overview of rural to urban migration in the world.

1. Khalid Saifullah

2. Why learning about migration is important for all of us?
What is migration?
What are the key concepts associated with the migration?
What are the different types of migration?
Why do people migrate?

3. How the process of rural to urban migration started?
What are the key characteristics of rural to urban
migration?
Is rural to urban migration in developed countries
different from developing countries?
What are the various effects of migration?

4. A rapidly changing world - migration is directly
related to development agenda of states, CSOs and
markets. (Poverty, tax, rural / urban development and
other factors)
Migration is linked to all emerging issues; social,
economic, political, cultural and demographic
It is connected with us whether we migrate or not
It connects the past, present and future

5. Migration is
permanent move to a new location
complex
not a new phenomena
a symptom in rural perspective, a cause in urban
perspective
not generic
not about money
Involves decision making
Changed the world’s map

6. International Migration- permanent move from one country to
another
• Voluntary - motivated by economic factors
• Forced - motivated by political or environmental factors
Internal Migration- permanent move within the same country
• Interregional – movement from one region to another. i.e. rural to
urban.
• Intraregional- movement within a region. i.e. central city to a newer
suburban center.
Circular migration - back and forth movement between urban and
rural areas to take advantage of income – earning opportunities

7. Trade of surplus agriculture produce, handicrafts etc
Rise of Empires/ Monarchies / Estates
Disasters
Religion
War / violence/ conflict
Industrialization supported by surplus agriculture
produce

9. Worldwide, the most prominent type of internal migration is
from rural to urban areas.
Poverty remained as largest rural push factor and income
opportunities as major urban pull factor.
R2U Migration is a result of rural-urban inequality in
wealth, concentration of wealth, assets, economic activities,
and variety of services in the urban centers and the continued
neglect and degradation of rural areas
R2U Migration is identified as a survival strategy utilized by
the rural poor
Rural skills and professions became irrelevant in urban
context

10. • Rapid R2U migration is strongly connected with current
development model (industry - trade - economic growth -
development - trickle down approach - poverty reduction - $)
• Higher the level of urbanization - lower the level of absolute
poverty
• Cities accumulated more power, become capitals, centers of
governance, commerce, trade, education and culture, grew in
size and complexity, leaving behind the rural areas and
populations
• However, cities always remained dependent on essential
supplies of food, timber, firewood and water from rural areas

13. In academia, number of different theories are available
to explain the R2U migration
Rapid R2U migration started in recent developed
countries especially Europe, later moved to other
continents
There are similarities and differences between R2U
migration of developed countries (developing in 19th
century) and today’s developing countries
R2U migration was initially considered as western
phenomena, late it moved to developing world

14. Developing Countries in
19th Century
Developing Countries in
21st Century
• Wars
• Monarchies to
democracies
• Weak states
• Discussions on laws,
constitution started
• Famine leading to deaths
• Epidemics (high mortality
rates)
• Peace full societies
(comparatively)
• Strong states
• Constitution and laws are
available
• Food insecurity and
malnutrition
• Better health facilities (low
mortality rates)
• Rapid R2U migration

15. Developing Countries in
19th Century
Developing Countries in
21st Century
• Slow rate of R2U
migration
• Killer cities
• Start of industrialisation
• Forced R2U migration
• Urbanisation = Economic
Growth
• Urban natural growth
• Mushroom cities
• Forced and voluntary
migration
• Urbanisation without
economic growth
especially in South Asia*

17. People decide
to migrate
because of a
combination
of Push and
Pull factors.
Rural Push Urban Pull
• Unemployment
• Conflicts
• Insecurity (life threats,
maltreatment)
• Personal liking
• Disasters
• Resources depletion
• Green revolution
• Food & Water insecurity
• Social pressure
• Marriages
• Poverty
• Landlessness /
colonisation
• Economic opportunities
• Transportation facilities
• Law and order
• Governance
• Freedom
• Education
• Health
• Opportunities
• Enjoyment

18. Let’s watch a documentary on China to
understand its R2U migration and Push and
Pull factors.
We will then compare it with the situation in
Pakistan, in five minutes discussion.

20. In 2010, about 3 percent of the world’s population lived
in a country different from the one in which they were
born.
About 10 percent of the population of developed
countries is comprised of international economic
migrants.
U.S. and Canada have been prominent destinations for
economic migrants.

21. On a global scale, the largest flows of migrants are from
Asia to Europe and from Latin America to the U.S.
At a current pace and scale of migration, over 60 million
people are being added to the urban population each
year.

26. Urbanisation – Rural to urban migration, natural increase,
reclassification
 Luxor, Egypt 3200 BC*
 Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro - Indus River Valley, 2200 BC
 Jericho, Palestine 9000 BC*
 Balkh, Afghanistan 1500 BC*
 Peshawar, Pakistan 400 BC*
 Athens, Greece 1400 BC*
 Multan, Pakistan 4000 BC*
 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 522 BC*
Documentaries (Jeddah and Overall)

27. Industrialisation – Global Warming – Climate Change
40% of the population growth in urban areas in developing
countries is due to rural to urban migration and
reclassification, 60% due to natural growth except South
Asia where migration and reclassification contributes more
Only 3% of the world surface is covered with cities and
responsible for 75% consumption of world energy, 60%
use of residential water, 80% emissions of greenhouse
gases and 76% use of wood for industrial purpose.

28. More women become able to join wage-earning labor
force
Men remained more active in migration
Employment opportunities vary greatly by gender
Gender selectivity in migration distorts gender ratios in
both destinations and origins
In Latin America, urban populations include more
women than men

29. Technology have facilitated the dissemination of
information for decision making
Interaction of diverse cultures
Enhanced access to technology

30.  Uncontrolled and rapid rural to urban migration is increasing
urban poverty and inequality
 Rise of slums (an estimated 30 – 35% of the urban inhabitants in
developing countries live in slums, 1 billion people)
 Slums lack adequate housing, social services, infrastructures etc
 Slums are characterised by crowding, pollution, crime, violence,
drugs, street children

31.  Increasing global urbanization - policy focus on the ‘trickle-down’,
or spillover, effects of urbanization – rise in inequality -
unsustainable, unjust and environmentally damaging development
 Urbanisation and inequality are direct proportional
 More than 80 percent of global economic activity is shifted in cities by
just over half of the world’s population.

32. 72 % of the total urban population of Africa lives in
slums.
The proportion for Asia and the Pacific is 43%, for Latin
America it is 32%, and for Middle East and Northern
Africa is 30%
Official remittances from international migrants towards
developing countries amount to over $400 billion, though
the full amount is significantly larger. This is nearly three
times the amount of official aid.

33.  An urban bias leads to discriminatory policies against the rural
areas.
 These policies may prefer incentives for industries, rise in
agriculture inputs etc.
 Unchecked and unplanned urbanization can lead to negative
externalities, such as land degradation, pollution, higher levels
of crime and congestion, and the spread of disease.
 Slums with out any planning in peripheral areas are subject to
natural hazards, such as flooding.
 It is not just the population of cities that is emphasized by
policy-makers, but their economic importance.

34.  Do we have any alternate model of “economies of scale”?
 Rural / Urban division – Debates of inequality