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Parent Category: Advanced News Lessons

Category: Culture Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

Tired of your home country? Dream of better opportunities abroad? Sincerely believe the other side of the fence is greener? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you and 700 million others around the globe want to emigrate. To put this figure into perspective, 700 million people exceed the entire adult populations of North and South America combined.

The largest demographic of people wanting to emigrate originate from sub-Saharan Africa, as roughly 38% of adults from this region would prefer to pull up their roots and settle elsewhere. With only about 10% of the population, Asians proved the least interested in switching countries. Although substantive reasons weren't given, one can likely guess that Asia remains a region of huge potential growth and opportunity. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a desolate and desperate place for its inhabitants, and experts forecast even bleaker prospects.

The top destination is overwhelmingly the US, despite a devastated economy struggling to get back on its feet. Britain, Canada, and France were all tied for second most desirable country for immigration, with roughly 45 million stating their desire to live here. Spain and Saudi Arabia came in third and fourth, with 35 million and 30 million votes for relocation respectively. About 25 million desired to emigrate to either Australia or Germany.

There generally remains the perceived opportunity for prosperity in these countries, which perhaps serves as the predominant reason for those in economically depressed regions to desire immigration. The global economy continues to struggle, with a similar outlook for the near future. Yet once these countries get back on their feet, citizens there have vastly greater opportunities than poverty-stricken regions of the world.