1 percent of the world’s population are refugees.
In practical terms we hear the number 1 and don’t think much of it, it’s “only 1.” Yet, on a global scale “only 1” means much more than that, with a world population of approximately 7.4 billion that is 74 million people that have fled their homes in desperation or out of sheer terror.
Today is World Refugee Day, for more information:
3. The Southwest as a whole has a large percentage of people born outside of the United States due to its proximity to Mexico.
4. California has the greatest percentage of people that were born in another country. This is due to them drawing in large numbers of migrants from both Latin America as well as Asia.
5. New York has the second highest percentage of people born outside of the U.S. at 25%. Migrants tend to flock towards large urban centers and New York City fits this pattern perfectly.To check out the map and see where people in your state are from follow this link.
When people consider moving to another part of the world one of the biggest concerns is the potential language barrier. The challenge of adapting to a new country while simultaneously learning a new language could be enough to dissuade somebody from taking the leap. In much of the world learning a second language is not optional, even if language is not mandated through education many people pick up a second language based on the ethnic origins of immigrants.
Movehub.com is a resource site for people looking to move abroad. They created a graphic that shows the second most prevalent language in each country. You might be surprised to find out that you already speak a language strongly connected to a dream destination.
Alarming Fact: The Turkish government estimates that it has taken in 1.6 million Syrian refugees as a result of ISIS.
The Human Geo Guy’s Take: ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) continues to expand its territory in eastern Syria and northwest Iraq, with the conflict escalating people are fleeing by the hundreds of thousands. Escaping ahead of the ISIS advance is a wise decision as Islamic State have proven to show no mercy conducting mass executions and beheadings of American and British journalists. This is a clear example of forced migration as these refugees feel they have no choice but to run for their lives.
Adding to the crisis a large number of these refugees entering Turkey are Kurds. Turkey has had a troubled history with its Kurdish population and even attempted to close off the border to slow down the influx. The numbers have become so overwhelming that Turkey has had no choice but to let them in. With so many displaced people entering it has become a humanitarian crisis, they are in desperate need of basic necessities as most of their belongings were left behind in the rapid evacuations. With ISIS gaining in strength Turkey should brace itself for an even greater number of refugees heading their way.
Earlier this month the Pew Research Center released an article by Christopher Inkpen with 7 critical facts about world migration and an interactive map that shows the source countries for migrants around the world. The site is a valuable resource worth checking out: http://pewrsr.ch/1qXZRr5.
My biggest takeaway was something I’ve been teaching my students for years: In the poorest countries of Sub-Saharan few if any people are making it out. Their reality is that they live in extreme poverty and are only surrounded by other countries with similar conditions. They have almost no options for reaching the rich world. I even make my students memorize the following phrase about the limited amount of migration from Africa to the developed countries, “if they could, they would, but they can’t, so they don’t.”
Lebron James announced today that he would be leaving the Miami Heat to sign a free agent contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I happened to be with a group of friends that were predominantly Heat fans but included somebody from Ohio. While the South Floridians bemoaned the loss of the most talented basketball player on the planet my friend who is originally from Sandusky, Ohio rejoiced that Lebron was “coming home.”
While they discussed the athletic implications for both teams I immediately thought about the move in human geography terms. What I found most surprising was that he was going against the current internal migration patterns evident in the United States. The “Rust Belt,” the Great Lakes with a historical tradition of manufacturing, has been rapidly losing population to the “Sun Belt” in recent years. Some of the reasons for this population shift include: retirees moving to areas with warmer climates, increased employment opportunities in the South, and the closing of factories as manufacturing jobs increasingly get transferred to countries like China where labor costs are significantly less. Lebron James even alluded to the challenges faced by the people of northeast Ohio and stated that he felt an obligation to help build up the community and local economy. While he tries to help revive a region that has struggled in recent years, he can rest assured knowing that he and his family have already taken a small step to reverse one negative trend for the people of the “Rust Belt,” he moved there.
