Population transfer

Population transfer is a term referring to a policy by which a state forces the movement of a large group of people out of a region, invariably on the basis of ethnicity or religion. By contrast, individuals and smaller groups of their politically effective adherents may be banished or exiled for political reasons. Often, the affected population would be transferred to a region not adjacent or even suited to their way of life, the transfer would be forced, and would cause them substantial harm. When two populations are transferred in opposite directions at about the same time, the process has been called a population exchange . Such exchanges took place as late as the early 20th century , e.g. as part of agreements between post-Ottoman Turkey and Greece.

Population transfer is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another by state policy or international authority, most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion. Banishment or exile is a similar process, but is forcibly applied to individuals and groups. Often the affected population is transferred by force to a distant region, perhaps not suited to their way of life, causing them substantial harm. In addition, the loss of all immovable property and, when forced, the loss of substantial amounts of movable property, is implied. Population exchange is the transfer of two populations in opposite directions at about the same time. Such exchanges have taken place several times in the 20th century, such as during the partition of India and Pakistan and between post-Ottoman Turkey and Greece .

Movement of a large group of people from one region to another Beginning of Lebensraum , the Nazi German expulsion of Poles from central Poland , 1939 Population transfer or resettlement is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another, often a form of forced migration imposed by state policy or international authority and most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion but also due to economic development . Banishment or exile is a similar process, but is forcibly applied to individuals and groups. Often the affected population is transferred by force to a distant region, perhaps not suited to their way of life, causing them substantial harm. In addition, the loss of all immovable property and, when rushed, the loss of substantial amounts of movable property, is implied. This transfer may be motivated by the more powerful party's desire to make other uses of the land in question or, less often, by disastrous environmental or economic conditions that require relocation. The first known population transfers date back to Ancient Assyria in the 13th century BCE. The last major population transfer in Europe was the deportation of 800,000 ethnic Albanians, during the Kosovo war in 1999. The single largest population transfer in history was the flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II , which involved more than 12 million people. Moreover, some of the largest population transfers in Europe have been attributed to the ethnic policies of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin . The best-known recent example caused by economic development is that resulting from the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China.

Movement of a large group of people from one region to another For resettlement of UNHCR refugees, see Third country resettlement . Beginning of Lebensraum , the Nazi German expulsion of Poles from central Poland , 1939 Population transfer or resettlement is a type of mass migration , often imposed by state policy or international authority and most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion but also due to economic development . Banishment or exile is a similar process, but is forcibly applied to individuals and groups. Population transfer differs more than simply technically from individually motivated migration , but at times of war , the act of fleeing from danger or famine often blurs the differences. If a state can preserve the fiction that migrations are the result of innumerable "personal" decisions, the state may be able to claim that it is not to blame for the displacement. Often the affected population is transferred by force to a distant region, perhaps not suited to their way of life, causing them substantial harm. In addition, the process implies the loss of immovable property and substantial amounts of movable property when rushed. This transfer may be motivated by the more powerful party's desire to make other uses of the land in question or, less often, by disastrous environmental or economic conditions that require relocation. The first known population transfers date back to Ancient Assyria in the 13th century BCE, with forced resettlement being particularly prevalent during the Neo-Assyrian Empire . The single largest population transfer in history was the Partition of India in 1947 that involved up to 12 million people in Punjab Province with a total of up to 20 million people across British India , with the second largest being the flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II , which involved more than 12 million people. Prior to the forcible deportation of Ukrainians (including thousands of children ) to Russia during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the last major population transfer in Europe was the deportation of 800,000 ethnic Albanians during the Kosovo War in 1999. Moreover, some of the largest population transfers in Europe have been attributed to the ethnic policies of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin . The best-known recent example caused by economic development is that resulting from the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China. Some 12 million people were displaced in the divided province of Punjab alone, and up to 20 million in the subcontinent as a whole. Population Redistribution and Development in South Asia .

Movement of a large group of people from one region to another For resettlement of UNHCR refugees, see Third country resettlement . Beginning of Lebensraum , the Nazi German expulsion of Poles from central Poland , 1939 Population transfer or resettlement is a type of mass migration that is often imposed by a state policy or international authority. Such mass migrations are most frequently spurred on the basis of ethnicity or religion, but they also occur due to economic development . Banishment or exile is a similar process, but is forcibly applied to individuals and groups. Population transfer differs more than simply technically from individually motivated migration , but at times of war , the act of fleeing from danger or famine often blurs the differences. Often the affected population is transferred by force to a distant region, perhaps not suited to their way of life, causing them substantial harm. In addition, the process implies the loss of immovable property and substantial amounts of movable property when rushed. This transfer may be motivated by the more powerful party's desire to make other uses of the land in question or, less often, by security or disastrous environmental or economic conditions that require relocation. The first known population transfers date back to the Middle Assyrian Empire in the 13th century BCE , with forced resettlement being particularly prevalent during the Neo-Assyrian Empire . The single largest population transfer in history was the Partition of India in 1947 that involved up to 12 million people in Punjab Province with a total of up to 20 million people across British India , with the second largest being the flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II , which involved more than 12 million people. Before the forcible deportation of Ukrainians (including thousands of children ) to Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine , the last major population transfer in Europe was the deportation of 800,000 ethnic Albanians during the Kosovo War in 1999. Moreover, some of the largest population transfers in Europe have been attributed to the ethnic policies of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin . Population transfers can also be imposed to further economic development , for instance China relocated 1.3 million residents in order to construct the Three Gorges Dam . Some 12 million people were displaced in the divided province of Punjab alone, and up to 20 million in the subcontinent as a whole. Population Redistribution and Development in South Asia .