Barriers to Migration
Chapter 12
Barriers to Migration
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There are 2 main categories that describe the
reasons why people are not able to migrate:
Political
Physical
Political Barriers
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Different ways that governments
use to stop people from leaving
their country
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Exit taxes
Laws
Quotas
Point System
Exit taxes
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people must pay to be able to move out of
the country; if they cannot afford the taxes,
they are not able to migrate
Laws-legal (political)
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these can prevent people from migrating –
Passports, IDs, Visas, Residency
Quotas (political)
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Quotas – governments put a number on how
many immigrants can enter a country
Point System (political)
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application to enter the country – must have
education, job skills, technological skills,
language skills, etc.
Physical Barriers
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Physical features, most often natural,
that slow the pace or prevent
migration completely
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•
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Borders/walls
Environmental
Land Features
Natural Resources
Borders/Walls (Physical)
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- Example: Berlin Wall – separated East
Germany from West Germany – no one could
travel from either side
Environmental (physical)
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Weather
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Natural Disasters – fallout from Fire,
Earthquakes, Tornados/Monsoons/Tsunamis,
Volcano Eruptions
Land features (physical)
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Mountains
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Water Bodies – Oceans, Rivers
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Forests
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Deserts
Natural resources
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sources of water, food
Destination (physical)
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Distances between where they are and the
destination are so great that people are not
able to migrate