Basic Facts of Migration

International Migration

Millions of people have migrated from their homes to other countries in recent years
If all of the world’s international migrant lived in a single country, it would be the world’s fifth largest, with around 244 million people
Overall, international migrants make up 3.3% of the world’s population today
The absolute number of international migrants has grown considerably over the past 50 years, from about 79 million in 1960 to nearly 250 million in 2015, a 200% increase
- But the world’s population has also grown during that time, rising nearly 150% from about 3 billion to 7.3 billion
Europe has also experienced its own refugee crisis as a destination for Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis and others escaping violence in their countries, with nearly 1.3 million refugees applying for asylum in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland in 2015

Migration = is the movement of either people or animals from one area to another.

Immigration = is the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle or reside there.

Emigration = is the act of leaving one's resident country with the intent to settle elsewhere.

Ethnic group = group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, such as language or religion.

Asylum = legal permission to live in a country granted in special cases to people fleeing danger or persecution in the homelands.

Refugee = a person who flees his or her native land to escape persecution or danger.