The socio-economic determinants of migration in Western Balkans countries
Abstract
The high level of migration should serve as an indicator for countries of origin to better understand the factors that drive people to migrate, while considering the negative effects of this trend. According to the World Development Report of 2023, 184 million individuals, or 2.3% of the world's population, live outside their home country.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate and analyze the socio-economic drivers of migration in Western Balkan nations, which have influenced mass migration of the last decades. Push factors, such as unemployment, poverty, or national security, as well as pull ones, such as the economy, education, and desire for a higher standard of living, can influence migration movements.
In this research paper, a gravity model for migration flows in the Western Balkans will be assessed. The considered time period is from 2009 to 2022. The final result is expected to point out a significant relationship between migratory flows and indicators that influence them, such as GDP per capita, differences in the level of unemployment or corruption between countries, or gravity variables like population and distance.
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