Columbus: 13th in Sub-Saharan African immigration (Russia: living in, legal, vs.)

[Tex?Il?]

On another thread in the general forum or city vs. city, a poster posted a list of which metro areas gained the most legal immigrants in the last ten years for every cultural region of the world.

And it is cool that an Ohio city made one of the top 15 for one of the categories.

Columbus came in 13th for total Sub-Saharan African immigrants.

What is about Columbus that attracted such a large number? I'm sure Ohio state has something to do with it. Any other ideas?

[CASHCOUNTY614]

I think the "American Dream" of living in cheap suburban areas on the north or far eastside is what attracts them. Plus the abbundance of low paying ($10-12) jobs you can find all over the city at major corporations like The Limited. That's what attacks blacks and Africans alike to the city. Theirs Alot more diversity in Columbus then the experts on city-data would lead you to believe.

[blowingdown]

For whatever reason, Columbus became a popular destination for Somali refugees once the civil war broke out in '91 and the reputation spread. Refugees continue to migrate to the city, as Columbus has the 2nd largest Somali population in the nation.

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by blowingdown

For whatever reason, Columbus became a popular destination for Somali refugees once the civil war broke out in '91 and the reputation spread. Refugees continue to migrate to the city, as Columbus has the 2nd largest Somali population in the nation.

Immigration trends like this have always fascinated me. Columbus, Minneapolis and Lewiston-Auburn, Maine have become the three most significant destinations for Somali refugees. It seems random, but it likely has to do with someone's family moving to a particular place first, and then others follow.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

Immigration trends like this have always fascinated me. Columbus, Minneapolis and Lewiston-Auburn, Maine have become the three most significant destinations for Somali refugees. It seems random, but it likely has to do with someone's family moving to a particular place first, and then others follow.

Wow, Lewiston-Auburn I would never have thought. I mean Minneapolis and Columbus, are at least large cities with good economies, but Lewiston-Auburn does seem kind of random.

[gwillyfromphilly]

What does Columbus,OH rank among the total continent of African immigrants? The Sub-Saharan region doesn't cover the whole continent, which can be misleading.

[cooks50]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

What does Columbus,OH rank among the total continent of African immigrants? The Sub-Saharan region doesn't cover the whole continent, which can be misleading.

Sub-Sahara is a majority of the continent of Africa, so whats your point?

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by cooks50

Sub-Sahara is a majority of the continent of Africa, so whats your point?

Its not the whole continent represented, thats my point! I personally think they put to much emphasis on the term Sub-Saharan when referencing Africa but thats a entirely different topic on to itself and I will probably have to stop here because this topic may be to deep for this specific type of thread.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Wow, Lewiston-Auburn I would never have thought. I mean Minneapolis and Columbus, are at least large cities with good economies, but Lewiston-Auburn does seem kind of random.

A lot of the Maine refugees came by way of Atlanta.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

What does Columbus,OH rank among the total continent of African immigrants? The Sub-Saharan region doesn't cover the whole continent, which can be misleading.

1. Sub-Saharan Africa is most of Africa

2. And more importantly, they are COMPLETELY totally two different cultural regions. North Africa is in every way an extension of the middle east. Moroccro through Egypt is ethnically and culturally Arab, as well as Berber.

Sub-Saharan Africa is what we think of Africa. Physiologically "black" with all related languages and certain cultural features that many of them have in common.

The Sahara was such a significant barrier throughout history that it limited exchange except along very narrow routes like along the Nile.

Its like you wouldn't call a ethnic Russian an Asian person, because they live in the Asian Siberia portion of Russia. Likewise Mexico is has just about everything in common more with Colombia than Canada, even though they are technically on separate continents.