Next, we must discuss the last portion of the demographic formula, migration. If someone moves out of your country they are called emigrants. If someone moves into a new country they are considered to be an immigrant. The U.S. has far more immigrants (arrivals) than emigrants (departures) every year.
Emigration is the departure from your country of origin to reside in another. Immigration is the arrival of a foreigner into a country they will reside in and likely become a citizen of on some future date.
Why do people decide to move from one country to another? Demographers consider two very important factors in understanding migration: push and pull. Push factors are negatives aspects of where you live which make you consider leaving. Pull factors are positive aspects of another place which draw you to migrate to it.
Push factors include wars, famines, political hostility, natural disasters, and other harsh circumstances that create an environment conducive to looking for another place to live. Pull factors include economic prosperity, jobs, food, safety, asylum, and the hope of survival that draws people to move to the desired location.
Some people immigrate to a new country, while others simply move within the borders of their current country. About 1 in 6 people in the U.S. move each year. College students, job seekers, transferees, divorcees, and most recently people needing to live with extended family because of tough economic times all contribute to the migration process within the United States.
All of this contributes to population changes, at the local, state and national level. Much of this movement involves people moving from rural areas to urban areas. In the next lesson, you will have a chance to learn about the growing urban population.
