Net migration refers to: A. Immigration minus emigration.  B. Emigration minus immigration.  C. Push minus pull factors.  D. Birth rate minus death rate.

Understanding Net Migration

Net migration is a concept in demography that relates to the movement of people into and out of a specific area.

1. Definition of Terms

   • Immigration: The act of moving into a country or region to live.
   • Emigration: The act of leaving one country or region to live in another.

2. Calculation of Net Migration

   • Net migration is calculated as the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants. Essentially, it reflects the net effect of migration, accounting for both inflows and outflows of population.

Analysis of Options

1. Option A: Immigration minus emigration.

   • This is the correct definition, as it captures the overall impact of migration on a population.

2. Option B: Emigration minus immigration.

   • This option incorrectly reverses the relationship and would lead to a negative number if emigration exceeds immigration, which is not the definition of net migration.

3. Option C: Push minus pull factors.

   • While push and pull factors explain why people migrate, they do not directly calculate net migration.

4. Option D: Birth rate minus death rate.

   • This option defines natural increase rather than net migration.

Final Answer

The correct definition of net migration is A. Immigration minus emigration.