Population Mobility in Rural Swaziland: a Research Note

In: The journal of modern African studies: a quarterly survey of politics, economics & related topics in contemporary Africa, Band 12, Heft 4, S. 673-679

Abstract

Population mobility in its various forms has long been recognised as a major determinant of social and economic policies in many transitional, which is the stage in a country's economic development that has been defined by W. W. Rostow as the 'transitional era when a society prepares itself – or is prepared by external forces – for sustained growth'1 Although much has been published about population migration in Africa, little research has been conducted into the nature and frequency of periodic visits by rural inhabitants to the main urban centres. These journeys are of particular interest to those who are engaged in the physical planning of rural settlements as they provide a clue to the identification of those amenities and services that may be required in the future, as well as the level of demands upon the local transportation system.