Changing in Population Settlement Patterns in Iran with an Emphasis on Internal Migration During the period 1991-2016

Migration is the most important source of providing the human force for labor markets and the development economies. Thus, the greater and more comprehensive knowledge of migration and its spatial pattern in scientific research and applied planning is necessary.  The goal of this paper is to study the migrant settlement pattern and its changes during 1991-2016. The method used was secondary analysis of 4 period census data during 1991 to 2016. The results showed that the net migration rate in the country experienced some fluctuation during different periods, but the considerable issue in net migration rate was the spatial distribution of this indicator. The central counties of the country such as Karaj, Pakdasht, Isfahan, Semnan and  etc.,  experienced continuously greater immigration, while the counties of the border areas especially west, northwest, southeast areas, have faced by greater emigration. Consistent  with this pattern, the results of the spatial distribution of internal migration also showed that the human settlement patterns during this period, has always been from counties with less population density to the areas with greater population density. And only during the period 2006-2011, the migration pattern showed a weak reverse trend. Consequently, the immigration rate of large counties is still increasing, and in the case of continuation of this trend, the country will face challenges in welfare and services infrastructure, environmental pollution, false employment, and so on.