ABSTRACT
Despite the globalisation of the world economy, increased population movements, the spread of telecommunications, and the comparable economic and demographic conditions in the countries of Western Europe, rates of immigration in both absolute and proportional terms vary greatly from one country to another and from one year to the next.4 To explain these differences, it is necessary to consider both geographical and historical factors. A nation’s geographical position has a tremendous impact on immigration flows. As land borders are more difficult to control than sea borders, it is easier for France, which only has land borders with developed countries, to control immigration than it is for Germany which shares borders with several East European nations.
