Internal Migration in Chile: An Empirical Analysis of the Indigenous Population

David Ader, Pennsylvania State University

Chile, like other countries in Latin America, has seen an increase in internal migration. However migration research in Chile tends to focus on and compare aggregated populations across regions. This aggregation masks significant socio-demographic differences within the population, differences that may influence the likelihood of migration. To date, there is little quantitative evidence verifying the socio-demographic correlates of internal migration in Chile. Using nationally representative data from a household survey in Chile the author uses descriptive and multivariate analyses to shed light on the social, demographic, and spatial factors associated with the likelihood of migrating. Using two measures of migration and logistic regression models, the author finds significant differences in the likelihood of migrating between the indigenous and the non-indigenous population. The results also indicate a need for further refinement in the definition of internal migration.