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A spatial analysis of the determinants of Inter-regional migration: evidence from Ghana

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  • Ginzinger, Felix Sebastian Veit

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a rapid population increase and growing urbanization rates in recent years and is bound to have the world's largest urban population. If no steps are taken against it, the fast rise in the urban population will result in severe consequences for urban localities in the developing countries located in this region. Along with the natural population increase, internal migration is one prime reason for a fast-rising urbanization process. Since this type of migration is very common in developing countries, this following paper conducts a spatial analysis of inter-regional migration with special reference to Ghana. Specifically, it analyzes the Ghana's migration patterns in Ghana by visualizing the regional differences in net migration and the major migration flows from one region to another. Data for this analysis were collected from a population census and a household survey. A cross-sectional regression analysis was conducted to examine which factors explain inter-regional migration flows in the country. The regression model employed in the analysis is based on the gravity model of migration, which explains how the size of and the distance between two places affects the movement between them, and added the rate of urbanization as well as the average annual income per capita of both regions. The regression results reveal that the distance between two administrative regions in Ghana and the birth region's urbanization rate refrain people from migrating to other regions. In contrast, the urbanization rate and the average income of the destination region are positively associated with the inflow of migrants. Nevertheless, due to the data's limitations, the nexus between migration flows and regional disparities cannot be fully investigated. Therefore, this paper calls for more research to be done in this field.

Suggested Citation

  • Ginzinger, Felix Sebastian Veit, 2020. "A spatial analysis of the determinants of Inter-regional migration: evidence from Ghana," MPRA Paper 114945, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Oct 2022.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:114945
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lewer, Joshua J. & Van den Berg, Hendrik, 2008. "A gravity model of immigration," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 164-167, April.
    2. Raul Ramos, 2016. "Gravity models: A tool for migration analysis," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 239-239, February.
    3. John Arthur, 1991. "Interregional migration of labor in Ghana, West Africa: Determinants, consequences and policy intervention," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 89-103, December.
    4. Poot, Jacques & Alimi, Omoniyi & Cameron, Michael P. & Maré, David C., 2016. "The gravity model of migration: the successful comeback of an ageing superstar in regional science," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 36, pages 63-86.
    5. Molini,Vasco & Pavelesku,Dan & Ranzani,Marco, 2016. "Should I stay or should I go ? internal migration and household welfare in Ghana," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7752, The World Bank.
    6. Charles Ackah & Denis Medvedev, 2012. "Internal migration in Ghana: determinants and welfare impacts," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 39(10), pages 764-784, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inter-regional migration; urbanization; spatial analysis; gravity model of migration; Ghana;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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