Ravenstein's Laws of Migration (better)

Ravenstein's 'laws' of migration


Oxford Dictionary of Geography:
Ravenstein's 'laws' of migration


These were formulated by E. G. Ravenstein (1885) and state that:

1. Most migration is over a short distance.
2. Migration occurs in steps.
3. Long-range migrants usually move to urban areas.
4. Each migration produces a movement in the opposite direction (although not necessarily of the same volume).
5. Rural dwellers are more migratory than urban dwellers.
6. Within their own country females are more migratory than males, but males are more migratory over long distances.
7. Most migrants are adults.
8. Large towns grow more by migration than by natural increase.
9. Migration increases with economic development.