Internal migration in China, 1950–1988

This paper examines the long-term patterns of migration within China between 1950 and 1988. The analysis uses data from China's 1988 2/1,000 Fertility and Birth Control Survey, which asks respondents about their most recent interprovincial move. The results suggest that long-term migration patterns can be explained by political and economic changes in China. We argue that the approaches we introduce can offer significant insight into long-term migration patterns for countries where historical data on migration are unavailable or unreliable.