Migration within the island of Korčula, Yugoslavia

Abstract

For several centuries the village populations on the Yugoslav island of Korcula have remained essentially isolated from each other and from the mainland. Historical, linguistic and biological data indicate that systematic population pressure predominantly came from the coastal area of the Balkan peninsula westward onto the island. To examine short and long range migration on the island, data on the place of birth of parents of adult inhabitants (1168 subjects) were presented and migration matrices analysed applying a gamma function. Most examinees were born in the same village as their parents (86.39%); only 6.33% of the parents migrated between villages on the island; and village endogamy is quite high for the past four generations (75%). When inter-village migration has occurred, migration density is greatest at a distance of 8-12 km, rather than from the immediate neighbourhood. Short range migration occurs up to a mean distance of 33.98 km, long range migration over distances greater than 28 km.