noun phrase · academic

rural-to-urban migration

UK/ˌrʊrəl tuː ˈɜːbən maɪˈɡreɪʃən/US/ˌrʊrəl tu ˈɜːrbən maɪˈˈɡreɪʃən/RU·ral-to-UR·ban MI·gra·tion

Band 7+task2speaking

The movement of people from rural areas into cities.

Examples

In many developing countries, rural-to-urban migration has fuelled the rapid growth of megacities.

Rural-to-urban migration often causes pressure on housing and services in city suburbs.

Policymakers need to manage rural-to-urban migration to avoid runaway urban sprawl.

Band 8 sentence

The rapid rural-to-urban migration observed over recent decades has placed enormous strain on urban housing and public services.

Collocations

  • drive rural-to-urban migration
  • result in rural-to-urban migration

Word family

migrate verbmigration nounmigrant noun

Common mistakes

people urbanise to citiespeople move to cities

migration from rural to urban areas is increasemigration from rural to urban areas is increasing

Say it for a higher band

5people moving to the city6urbanisation7+rural-to-urban migration

Synonyms

urbanisation

Easily confused

urbanisation

Rapid urbanisation has changed the landscape, but not all rural residents have migrated to cities.

internal migration

Internal migration includes both rural-to-urban moves and moves between cities.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In City & Urban life

Learn it with its set