Migration of population from villages to cities in the light of the national general census conducted by the main office of statistics (GUS) and surveys by the Institute of Agricultural Economics (IER)
Wyderko, A.
Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej (1/2): 41-62
1982
Document Number: 472299
Data from the above surveys, conducted in Poland in 1978 with reference to the periods 1971-74 and 1975-78, are used to present information about movement from countryside to town. Increased migration was noted from all regions, particularly from the north-east and east. More women migrated than men, and roughly half the migrants remained within the same voivodship. Over half came from farming families. The more agricultural voivodships experienced higher migration levels than the less agricultural, where "partial" migration -- working outside agriculture without leaving the village -- is commoner. All sizes of farm, including larger ones, were affected. Migrants were mainly young, and better educated than those remaining. More were married than single. Over half moved within or between villages -- more than popularly supposed. Motives for migration included family factors, commencing studies, improvement of qualifications and living standards, marriage, and changing jobs. Of those working (nearly half), most were in industry, although numbers varied in different regions. The second largest group were in building, the rest in commerce, transport, agricultural institutions, education, health care, social services, and other occupations. Farmers affected by migration tended to increase investment in equipment to offset lost manpower; production per ha did not, therefore, decline appreciably.