Migration typology of the world's coastal exclaves

Abstract

A significant contribution to the study of migration in the exclave region of Kaliningrad, including an analysis of determining factors, was made by Dr. hab. Prof Gennady Fedorov, who conceptualised migration movements as a demographic element within the geo-demographic context. He was the first to highlight the distinctive nature of migration processes in the region, shaped by its historical background and unique economic-geographical position. This article examines how the exclave position, including spatial remoteness from the parent state, affects migration patterns. To this end, migration is examined in thirteen coastal exclaves worldwide, excluding military bases and uninhabited territories. Situated in diverse regions worldwide, these areas are characterised by varying climatic, economic, and institutional conditions, as well as distinct historical and cultural features in societal development, each overcoming the challenges of spatial isolation in a unique way. These differences are reflected in the attractiveness of the exclaves to migrants and, consequently, in the current migration situation. This study is the first attempt to produce a typology of exclaves by examining local migration situations. To this end, exclaves are compared using indicators of population migration, its role in population replacement, transport connectivity with the parent and neighbouring states and the natural and socio-economic conditions of regional development from 2017 to 2022. The comparison produces a typology of coastal exclaves based on the characteristics of migration processes. Exclaves that lack attractiveness to migrants include those developing under harsh climatic conditions such as Alaska; those experiencing extreme temperatures and possessing underdeveloped economies like Oecussi-Ambeno, Temburong and French Guiana; and densely populated exclaves facing a massive refugee influx, such as Ceuta and Melilla. Attractive exclaves are economically prosperous regions that take advantage of their coastal location, such as the Kaliningrad region and Crimea, and specialise in oil and gas production, for example, Cabinda and Musandam. The third type comprises the most densely populated exclave of Gibraltar, along with the highly developed regions of Dubrovnik and Northern Ireland, where migration has minimal impact on population replacement.