Topic: Population & Settlement Case Study: Internal Migration Location: South-East Brazil Geographical Keywords • Push factor • Pull factor • Favela • Crop failure • Over-cropping • Drought • Urbanisation • Infrastructure Case Study Detail Background Many of Brazil’s biggest cities have seen amass migration of people from rural areas over the last 30 years. Cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have seen rapid urbanisation caused by rural-urban migration, which has created problems for the infrastructure of these cities. Push factors • Rural droughts leading to crop failure. • Over-cropping and overgrazing leading to poor productivity. • Lack of investment in infrastructure in rural areas. • Lower average wages in rural areas compared to urban areas. Pull factors • Well-paid factor work in many manufacturing industries (e.g. car production. • Better services and facilities in urban areas. • Advertising campaigns attracting migrants to the cities. Economic impacts Positive • Migrant workers contribute hugely to the booming manufacturing growth in Brazil’s economy. • Many MNCs have located in southeast Brazil to take advantage of the number of workers available (e.g. Ford and VW). Negative • Many workers who have been unable to find work live in favela or slum districts of these cities (e.g. Rocinha in Rio. Trying to improve the infrastructure of these areas is very costly for the Brazilian government, especially with the coming Olympics and World Cup (these areas are seen as an embarrassment. • People living in favelas can become and economic burden on the Brazilian government for healthcare and benefits. Social impacts Positive • Migrants from rural areas have brought new traditions and cultures which make Brazilian cites very diverse. Negative • People living in favelas often have no running water in their homes or proper satiations meaning inhabitants have a lower life expectancy than the Brazilian average. • Favelas like Rocinha often have a high crime rate and house drug gangs, making them dangerous places to live. Environmental impact Negative • Many favelas are built on unsuitable marginal land which is steep, dangerous and prone to landslide. • Waste and rubbish from open sewers can create an environmental hazard.
