‎ The Temporal and Spatial Variation of Trends and Patterns of Reverse Internal Migration in ‎Jordan During the Period (1994 to 2015)‎

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the temporal and spatial variations in patterns of reverse internal migration in Jordan during the period 1994 to 2015, and to identify any changes that have occurred.

Methods: The research adopts the historical-evolutionary approach. It also relies on the descriptive-analytical approach by using various quantitative methods to measure reverse population migration geographically.

Results: The study reveals the presence of two streams of reverse internal migration. The first indicates movement from the centers of governorates to urban areas, while the second indicates movement from the centers of governorates and other urban areas to rural areas. Additionally, the study demonstrates variations in the scale of reverse migration across Jordan. More than 75% of migrants were concentrated in Amman, Balqa, Zarqa, and Irbid. The largest reverse migration stream was observed in Amman in 2004, while the smallest was in Aqaba in 1994. Similarly, the largest stream of the second trend was in Amman in 2004, while the smallest was in Madaba in 1994. The results of the reverse migration effectiveness index show that the northern region is the most attractive for reverse migrants, with Zarqa being at the forefront in terms of the percentage of incoming reverse migrants.

Conclusions: The study indicates the presence of a reverse migration trend in Jordan, highlighting a pattern of returning to the outskirts of cities. The study recommends an investigation into the influencing factors and impacts of this phenomenon.