ABSTRACT
Germany is currently characterised by a medium intensity of internal migration and has recorded a small decline since 2000. The changing territorial extent of the country and its complex political history make it difficult to trace long-term trends. Reunification in 1990 was a prime example of these special factors and of how economic disparities fuel migration rates (which fell as disparities decreased). The available data are discussed and the chapter then goes on to focus on inter-county trends between 1995 and 2010. The small decline since 2000 masks different trends by age: rates increased for young adults, especially over longer distances, but fell for those aged over 65 and under 18. For young adults, the expansion of higher education might be key. Movement down the urban hierarchy was lower in 2010 than in 1995, whereas moves between cities and from rural areas had grown. The relative stability in the intensity of inter-county migration in Germany may be traced to decentralised settlement pattern, housing market conditions and government policy regimes that aim at the even growth of regions. Swings in the housing market are much less pronounced in Germany than in many other countries.
