© T. M. Whitmore TODAY The urban dual economy Migration.
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Transcript of © T. M. Whitmore TODAY The urban dual economy Migration.
© T. M. Whitmore
LAST TIME
•Population Geography of LA continuedDemography – age structureGeographic distribution of
populationUrbanization
Roots of urban growthPluses & minuses of urban growth
© T. M. Whitmore
The urban economy•Dual system
Formalcorporate, government, commerce, and major businesses
Minority of jobs?Informal
services, local assembly and repair shops, family-run micro-businesses; day labor, domestics, etc.
Majority of jobs?
© T. M. Whitmore
Migration-the 3rd part of demography
•DefinitionsMore-or-less permanent change in
the locus of one’s lifeMust cross political boundary
•“Circulation” a temporary change in residence
© T. M. Whitmore
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
International migration within
Latin America•Mostly labor circulation flows
•Industrial and urban destinations
•Rural origin to urban destination
© T. M. Whitmore
International to and from Latin America
•Colonial migrations100s of thousands of IberiansForced migration of ~10 m Africans
•19th century migrationsEuropeans to S Brazil, Argentina,
Uruguay, Costa RicaAsian indentured labor to Caribbean
& Guyana, Surinam, etc.•Contemporary migrations
Caribbean, Ecuador, “el Norte”
© T. M. Whitmore
Example of International migration: Mexicans to US
•N limits of MexicoLoss 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 => >500kBut small % of all immigration
© 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 1880s
•Spatial patterns of migration
• Issue of remittances
© T. M. Whitmore
Remittances•They are monies sent by workers
in the US to their Latin American (and other) homes.
•About 10 million Latin American immigrants (of the 16.5 m total) living in the United States Send about $38 billion to their families on a yearly basis.
Each monthly transaction averages approximately $240
© T. M. Whitmore
Scale of the Flows to LA & C• For 2003, remittances to LA & C > $ 38
billion• Exceeds the combined flows of all Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) and net Official Development Assistance (ODA)
• LA & C is now the fastest growing and highest volume remittance market in the world (> 150 million transfers annually to over 20 million recipients)
• Flows substantially exceed tourism income to each country & almost always exceed the largest export.
• Account for at least 10% of GDP in: Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Jamaica, Dominican
• Republic, and Guyana
© T. M. Whitmore
How is money sent?• Most send remesasto their families through
international money transfer companies.These are costly: fees can run to 10% or
more• Less than 50% of Latin Americans have
bank accounts here or in home countriesThus some use professional viajeros
(travelers)• Agencies are now competing
IADB working to reduce fees and bottlenecks
In Durham, NC the Latino Community Credit Union charges from $6-10
© T. M. Whitmore
Consequences & Issues•Social consequences to the Latin
American migrant workers’ familiesAbout 1/3 are undocumented
Visits home are fewWages and working conditions may be poor
Families are divided
• Impacts in Latin AmericaIs this development or dependency?How many participate?How is it spent?