Network analysis of international migration

Abstract: The paper analyses international migration flows from the network perspective by the evaluation of centrality indices. In order to find the most influential countries in the international migration network classical centrality indices and new centrality indices are evaluated. New centrality indices consider short (SRIC) and long-range (LRIC) indirect interactions and the node attribute: population of the destination country. The model is applied to the annual data on international migration flows from 1970 to 2013 provided by United Nations Organization. The analysis is made for one year of each decade and indices dynamics is described. It is shown that countries with huge migration flows are outlined by both classical and SRIC, LRIC indices, and SRIC and LRIC indices point out countries with considerable outflows of migrants to countries highly involved in international migration and the most interconnected countries.