Depicting the Worldwide Mobility of People
The New York Times, in collaboration with Meta (Facebook's parent company), Harvard University, and the University of Hong Kong, has completed one of the most extensive public visualizations of global migration to date. The study, based on anonymized human mobility data from Facebook and extensive research, offers a unique perspective on international migration trends from 2019 to 2022.
Unlike government records, which often vary in scope, timing, and definitions, this research employed a uniform method to track movement between 181 countries. The study found that approximately 39.1 million people migrated internationally in 2022, representing about 0.63% of the population in the countries studied, signifying a significant global movement of people, not confined solely to the United States.
Among the 181 countries, the U.S. had the highest net migration figure in 2022, with around 3.27 million people moving into the country. This was calculated by subtracting outflows of 841,000 people from inflows of 4.11 million. Another significant finding was the rebound in migration rates following the COVID-19 pandemic. Migration increased by 24% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels, after a 64% decrease during the pandemic.
Other countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, also experienced high net migration, while Ukraine faced a significant outflow of people due to the ongoing conflict. The study underscores the global nature of migration trends, moving beyond a strictly U.S. context.
- The research provides insights into how science and environmental science are intertwined with climate-change, as the study reveals the impact of climate change on migration trends.
- The findings of this study, published in general news outlets like The New York Times, are valuable for understanding the complexities of war-and-conflicts as they influence migration patterns.
- The study's data reveals that politics play a crucial role in migratory decisions, as countries with political instability often have higher outflows of people.
- The visualization of international migration trends from 2019 to 2022 (data from the study) serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of the global environment and social issues, such as migration.
