Millions worldwide would like to switch countries: study (2009, unemployment)

[JL]

Millions worldwide would like to switch countries: study - Yahoo! News

Tue Nov 3, 2:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Some 700 million people worldwide, or more than all the adults of North and South America combined, think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and want to permanently move to another country, a poll showed Tuesday.
Residents of sub-Saharan African countries were the most likely to want to move abroad permanently, the polls conducted in 135 countries between 2007 and this year by Gallup showed.
On average, 38 percent of the adult population in sub-Saharan Africa, or around 165 million people, said they would up stakes and head for another country if they had the chance.
The most popular destination was the United States, where nearly a quarter of the 700 million -- around 165 million people -- said they would like to settle.
In joint second were Britain, Canada and France, each being named as the preferred destination of around 45 million people.
Thirty-five million said they would go to Spain, 30 million to Saudi Arabia, and 25 million each to Australia or Germany.
The least likely to want to emigrate were Asians -- only one in 10 Asian adults said they would move to another country.
Nearly 260,000 people aged 15 years and older were surveyed, either by phone or face-to-face, for the poll, which has a margin of error of around five percent.

[azoria]

That article title seems a bit inaccurate?

165 million people may want to escape sub-Saharan Africa, but so far as switching countries goes--nobody wants to leave anywhere else to relocate to sub-Saharan Africa. Pretty much nobody.

People may want to move, I want to move, but one place I do not want and will not move to, is tropical Africa. So the switching thing is pretty much inaccurate.

Given the chance, probably almost everybody would leave equatorial Africa. Might be best anyway. Give it back to the wildlife.

But I would be more than happy to move to Spain, thank you very much.

[poxonyou]

I can't believe the US is still the most popular destination. I suppose with all of its problems, it does appear better than 3rd world countries and is quite diverse in the cities. The UK I also don't understand. I think it's more misunderstood than the US by those not living there. Like, polite, quaint, perhaps a bit uppity anglo-saxon white folk who enjoy afternoon tea and reading a book in a beautiful 300 year old library. In reality, it has problems mirroring those of the US in poverty, drugs, aggressive behavior, wealth gap between the rich and everyone else, overworked, high unemployment, weaker safety net, etc. I understand the other choices though.

[BigSwede]

I just want to switch cities.....

[yankinscotland]

Well, I've just returned from living in sub-saharan Africa, and virtually all of them believe that everybody in western countries is wealthy. They believe if they move to the US or Europe that they will naturally become wealthy as well.

[City of Rain]

Originally Posted by poxonyou

I can't believe the US is still the most popular destination. I suppose with all of its problems, it does appear better than 3rd world countries and is quite diverse in the cities. The UK I also don't understand. I think it's more misunderstood than the US by those not living there. Like, polite, quaint, perhaps a bit uppity anglo-saxon white folk who enjoy afternoon tea and reading a book in a beautiful 300 year old library. In reality, it has problems mirroring those of the US in poverty, drugs, aggressive behavior, wealth gap between the rich and everyone else, overworked, high unemployment, weaker safety net, etc. I understand the other choices though.

when taken into consideration the fact that the US is so huge (300 million), its not really that surprising that so many people want to move there.

take the UK, it has a population of 60 million.. the US is 5 times bigger.

the article says that 165 million people want to move to the US.

if the UK was as big as the US, 225 million people would have wanted to live there.

oh, and way more people want to move to the EU than the US. its not as popular as the article makes it seem like it is.

[Eduardo983]

The U.S. is the best destination if you are African , Chinese, Arab, Jewish, etc.....

Take a look at our president...this is the land of opportunities...

In the U.S. people value merit over skin color (or national origin). Most of the times, the most qualified person among many applicants is the one who gets the job.

Now, if you are an African with 3 Phd degrees etc...you will have a hard time finding a job in Switzerland (even if you are legal)... lol... That´s a white continent...while the U.S. is a melting pot of worldwide nationalities.

[Lovely95]

Originally Posted by City of Rain

when taken into consideration the fact that the US is so huge (300 million), its not really that surprising that so many people want to move there.

take the UK, it has a population of 60 million.. the US is 5 times bigger.

the article says that 165 million people want to move to the US.

if the UK was as big as the US, 225 million people would have wanted to live there.

oh, and way more people want to move to the EU than the US. its not as popular as the article makes it seem like it is.

Too bad the Eu is not a country.

[dougie86]

Originally Posted by JL

Millions worldwide would like to switch countries: study - Yahoo! News
Tue Nov 3, 2:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) –
The most popular destination was the United States, where nearly a quarter of the 700 million -- around 165 million people -- said they would like to settle.

The least likely to want to emigrate were Asians -- only one in 10 Asian adults said they would move to another country.

According to Asia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asia Population: 4,050,404,000
10% of that will be around: 405 million people (405,040,400)

Wow this group makes up more than half of the 700 million.
And I thought all the skilled jobs are leaving US for China and India.
So are they looking for jobs at Walmart and Mr. Hero?

[rory00]

^it just goes to show that there are people who would like to move for whatever reasons, it doesn't mean that they will just as there are people who don't want to move.

i've heard people wish to move to paris, fiji, etc doesn't mean that they can. when people think of an ideal place, it's not always where they are at.