Permanent Relocation Research Articles

Planned relocation may reduce communities’ future exposure to coastal inundation but effect varies with emission scenario and geography

The planned, permanent relocation of entire communities away from sea level rise (SLR) and coastal floods is an already occurring climate change adaptation strategy. Yet, planned relocations are fraught undertakings with multiple goals, and may or may not achieve their most basic objective: to reduce risk. Here we assess risk of future coastal flooding before and after moving, for three dates and three emissions scenarios, for 17 communities from a global dataset. Most communities achieved exposure reduction with less future inundation in destinations than origin sites, but the extent varies across time and emissions scenario. In all cases, origin sites have projected exposure to SLR plus a once-per-year flood, with increasing exposure under high emissions scenarios and towards 2100. In nine cases, even destination sites have projected inundation exposure under some scenarios. Small-island-to-small-island relocations had more projected inundation in destinations than moves from a small-island-to-mainland, or from mainland-to-mainland.

Flood-induced mobility in rural and urban coastal jurisdictions: a homeowner’s perspective

AbstractCoastal flooding often exceeds homeowners’ capacity to cope with repetitive damages and profoundly disrupts their livelihoods. Permanent relocation has been proposed as a solution for some coastal areas experiencing recurrent flooding and anticipating acceleration of impacts. However, it is unclear if homeowners living in such areas would support this strategy, where they would choose to go, and why. This study evaluates the willingness to relocate and the reasoning behind it among rural and urban homeowners residing in coastal high-risk areas. The rural versus urban comparison explores how attitudes toward relocation differ between these settings with distinct sociodemographic, economic, and cultural profiles. A mail survey administered on the Eastern Shore, Maryland, and in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, Virginia, measured how willingness to relocate differs across the socioeconomic spectrum, prior flood exposure, concerns with flood impacts, and preferences for relocation destination. The survey responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that more than one-third of respondents would consider relocating. The willingness to relocate was marginally influenced by socioeconomic factors and flood experiences and instead was significantly correlated with the risk of disastrous flooding, inadequate insurance compensation, and worsening crime. However, data show a clear shift in relocation support and the distance of the preferred destination from minor to significant flooding. Rural respondents are slightly less likely to relocate than urban ones. Descriptive statistics indicate nuanced differences in flood experiences, reasons to relocate, and preferences for a new destination between rural and urban populations.

Altitude illnesses.

Millions of people visit high-altitude regions annually and more than 80 million live permanently above 2,500 m. Acute high-altitude exposure can trigger high-altitude illnesses (HAIs), including acute mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) and high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE). Chronic mountain sickness (CMS) can affect high-altitude resident populations worldwide. The prevalence of acute HAIs varies according to acclimatization status, rate of ascent and individual susceptibility. AMS, characterized by headache, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, is usually benign and self-limiting, and has been linked to hypoxia-induced cerebral blood volume increases, inflammation and related trigeminovascular system activation. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier leads to HACE, characterized by altered mental status and ataxia, and increased pulmonary capillary pressure, and related stress failure induces HAPE, characterized by dyspnoea, cough and exercise intolerance. Both conditions are progressive and life-threatening, requiring immediate medical intervention. Treatment includes supplemental oxygen and descent with appropriate pharmacological therapy. Preventive measures include slow ascent, pre-acclimatization and, in some instances, medications. CMS is characterized by excessive erythrocytosis and related clinical symptoms. In severe CMS, temporary or permanent relocation to low altitude is recommended. Future research should focus on more objective diagnostic tools to enable prompt treatment, improved identification of individual susceptibilities and effective acclimatization and prevention options.

“We were leery of going”: qualitatively exploring Canadian international retirement migrants’ travel-related decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundInternational retirement migration, which is the seasonal or permanent relocation of older people to another country, has grown in popularity in recent years. These retirees are motivated by the promise of warmer winter climates that are conducive to participating in health-promoting recreational and social activities. Ease of cross-border travel facilitates this transnational practice when undertaken seasonally. However, border closures and other travel-related measures put in place to manage the spread of COVID-19, disrupted travel, including for older Canadians who typically winter in the United States (US). During the 2020-21 winter season, for example, Canadians were advised not to engage in non-essential international travel and the land border between Canada and the US was closed to all but essential travellers. Nonetheless, retirement migration remained a significant draw for many Canadian retirees. Here, we qualitatively explore the factors that Canadian international retirement migrants considered when deciding whether or not to travel to the US for the 2020-21 winter during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsGuided by case study methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 Canadian international retirement migrants who had wintered in the US prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and were in the US at the outset of the pandemic in late winter 2020. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed to decipher what factors were most important to their travel-related decision-making during the pandemic. We structure the thematic results around four factors previously identified to motivate older people to become international retirement migrants and thus inform decision-making: the destination, the people, the cost, and the movement.ResultsThe previously identified factors that motivate older people to participate in international retirement migration include: the destination (e.g., climate and amenities), the people (e.g., social networks), the cost (e.g., health insurance and living costs), and the movement (e.g., ease of travel). These factors informed how international retirement migrants made decisions to travel abroad or not in the 2020-21 winter season. For example, destination-based factors included a lack of public health measures and high case counts, people-based factors comprised of less opportunities to engage in social activities, cost-based factors involved maintaining property investments and the lack of COVID-19 treatment coverage in available travel health insurance plans, and movement-based factors included challenges in ease of access when travel was viewed as essential or non-essential. These factors disincentivized or motivated international retirement migrants to travel abroad in the 2020-21 winter season during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsThe results of this study support the need to create tailored decision-support tools for international retirement migrants to make informed travel-related decisions during crisis events so as to protect their health and wellbeing. More research is needed to explore perceptions of risk, especially health risks, among international retirement migrants and how they differently affect their travel-related decisions.

Should I stay or should I go back? Factors influencing snowbirds' permanent relocation intention

PurposeThe objective of the present study was to investigate the impacts of familiarity with and awareness of Florida as a snowbird destination, and satisfaction with the snowbird experience on Florida's image and on snowbirds' permanent relocation intention to Florida. Additionally, the influence of Florida's image on snowbirds' behavioral intention to move to Florida permanently was investigated.Design/methodology/approachData gathered from 304 snowbirds were utilized in employing structural equation modeling to assess the research model.FindingsThe study results showed that awareness of and familiarity with Florida as a snowbird destination, and satisfaction with the snowbird experience significantly influenced participants' image perceptions of Florida. In addition, awareness of and familiarity with Florida as a snowbird destination, and participants' image of Florida had a significant influence on snowbirds' intentions to move to Florida permanently.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study provide significant insights for destination marketing and management organizations and local policymakers in formulating and enacting policies in snowbird destinations to efficiently address migration trends.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first papers to empirically investigate and successfully construct a comprehensive model that explicate the determinants of snowbird tourists' permanent relocation intention.

Social capital and community integration in post-disaster relocation settlements after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Indonesia

The permanent relocation of persons from areas threatened by environmental stress is widely seen within the international humanitarian sector as problematic due to negative social and economic impacts. However, relocation is increasingly seen as a likely, if unfortunate, response to climate change as rising sea-levels, changing ecological conditions, and increasingly intense disasters create powerful push factors. The more dramatic examples of environmental migration focus on long-distance movements, including crossing national borders, which raise issues about the importance of social capital for migrants trying to build community cohesion and integrate into different cultural contexts. However, it is likely that most relocation because of environment stress will occur at sub-national to very local geographic scales, similar to what happens after large-scale disasters, meaning that persons might be resettled within familiar cultural, linguistic, and religious contexts. In this paper we use qualitative data collected in 12 resettlement complexes built in Aceh, Indonesia for persons displaced by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami to analyze the importance of social capital for building cohesion within resettlement complexes and between resettlement complexes and host communities. We find that even though tsunami-affected persons were generally relocated less than 20 km from their pre-tsunami homes, there were clear social distinctions between resettled persons and host communities, which had practical impacts on integration, access to resources, and participation within local governance structures. We found shared cultural and religious traditions and social practices served as important sources of bonding capital within resettlement complexes. However, the same attributes were less effective as bridging capital between resettlement complexes and their host communities. These findings show that governments and NGOs need to be cautious about underestimating the negative social disruptions caused by short-distance relocation and the importance of bonding social capital for fostering stable and sustainable resettlement communities.

Migration Law and Issues in Sports

The international migration of athletes has become an essential feature of sports competition. These days foreign travel is often the name of the game. The purposes and duration of such migration range from participation in single events to long-term, even permanent relocation involving professional transfers. Each purpose or duration may generate a different body of law and regulations. Varying national visa, residence and other requirements for territorial entry of noncitizens are of course essential. Regional, especially European Union law may also be foundational as it was, for example, in defeating a practice within the EU of transfer payments between clubs in different member states that impeded freedom of movement. Also applicable is international law, notably that of the several institutions within the Olympic Movement insofar as it is one of the very few NGOs vested with international legal personality. Supporting that legal authority or extending beyond it are bilateral treaties of friendship and cooperation. More broadly, international human rights law applies, particularly in reinforcing the rights of athletes to be free of political discrimination against their participation in international competition.

Using Machine Learning to Understand Relocation Drivers of Urban Coastal Populations in Response to Flooding

Abstract Many urban coastal communities are experiencing more profound flood impacts due to accelerated sea level rise that sometimes exceed their capacity to protect the built environment. In such cases, relocation may serve as a more effective hazard mitigation and adaptation strategy. However, it is unclear how urban residents living in flood-prone locations perceive the possibility of relocation and under what circumstances they would consider moving. Understanding the factors affecting an individual’s willingness to relocate because of coastal flooding is vital for developing accessible and equitable relocation policies. The main objective of this study is to identify the key considerations that would prompt urban coastal residents to consider permanent relocation because of coastal flooding. We leverage survey data collected from urban areas along the East Coast, assessing attitudes toward relocation, and design an artificial neural network (ANN) and a random forest (RF) model to find patterns in the survey data and indicate which considerations impact the decision to consider relocation. We trained the models to predict whether respondents would relocate because of socioeconomic factors, past exposure and experiences with flooding, and their flood-related concerns. Analyses performed on the models highlight the importance of flood-related concerns that accurately predict relocation behavior. Some common factors among the model analyses are concerns with increasing crime, the possibility of experiencing one more flood per year in the future, and more frequent business closures resulting from flooding.

The voices of vulnerable tenants in renovation

This paper focuses on the intersection between agendas for housing renovation and social politics for ageing-in-place and social integration of people with psycologial disabilities. The aim is to understand how elderly tenants and people on a longer sick leave are affected by a renovation. In a sample of 79 interviews, 34 tenants decided to permanently relocate as a results of a renovation. When the renovation is a driver for permanent relocation, tenants do so to avoid disturbances and temporal evacuation. If the home is subjet to a comprehensive or deep renovation, rent increases is another reinforcing factor to relocate. While tenants that move prior to a renovation worry about how the renovation will affect their daily life and their economy, tenants that move after the renovation do so because they are dissatisfied with the results of the renovation. The findings calls for awareness for how housing renovation will affect vulnerable tenants and highlights the need for the design or appropriate communication strategies.

Understanding relocation in flood-prone coastal communities through the lens of place attachment

Place attachment has been acknowledged as an important factor in mobility decision-making. However, it has not yet been explored in the context of permanent relocation in coastal communities due to accelerated flooding. The literature shows that people may be more committed to staying in place versus moving elsewhere in response to stressors if they have a stronger place attachment. Such sentiments may deter residents from considering relocation regardless of the effectiveness of this strategy in addressing the flood risk. This paper aims to develop a new approach for the spatial assessment of coastal locations based on their place attachment characteristics that will help indicate how different places may respond to the possibility of flood-driven relocation. We first conducted a structured literature review to identify the appropriate indicators of place attachment in the context of coastal flooding and population mobility. Next, we evaluated the literature's content to identify study characteristics such as methodological approach, geographic focus and attributes deemed important determinants of place attachment. Based on this analysis, we developed a coastal relocation place attachment index consisting of sixteen indicators and applied it to six coastal rural and urban locations in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The indicators were aggregated and mapped to show the spatial distribution of the relocation place attachment index in the case study locations. The results show a significant variation in place attachment attributes between rural and urban locations, with rural locations having an overall higher place attachment than urban areas.

The Relation Between Socioeconomic Status and Risk Attitudes: A Nuclear Accident Scenario in Sweden

Nuclear power plant (NPP) disasters are complex and dreaded scenarios. However, existing recovery plans presuppose that citizens will return to live in decontaminated areas following evacuation. Research on natural disasters has shown that high socioeconomic status (SES) influences people to continue living in their homes in recovery areas. This study examines the association between SES and citizens’ risk attitudes to a radiological emergency scenario and demonstrates instead that high SES implies a greater likeliness to move away from the accident-affected area. This is substantiated by survey data of Swedish citizens’ (N = 2,291) attitudes to a scenario where an NPP accident, evacuation, and remediation occur. More specifically, the study provides statistically significant results to show that high income is associated with less worry over ionizing radiation. Still, high-income individuals also appear to be more likely to move if their neighborhood is affected by radioactive fallout than low-income individuals. Moreover, the results for education show that low education is associated with remaining in the decontamination area, and the relation between education and worry over ionizing radiation provides some support for assumptions about the “anxious middle.” Overall, this study finds that decontamination is complicated by a majority of people preferring permanent relocation as well as by indications that more resourceful citizens are generally more likely to leave the area permanently, which may impede the fulfillment of state agencies’ plans for recovery.

Peregrin în Suedia. Nicolae Milescu Spătarul

Nicolae Milescu Spătarul, a scholar from Moldova (born in 1636), is known especially for his activity during the second half of his life, from his permanent relocation to Russia (1671) to the year of his death (1708). Within this interval, in which he served the Tsars’ interests as a translator at Posolski Prikaz, some sort of Ministry of External Affairs, he is sent by the Tsar Alexei Mihailovici with an embassy to the Emperor of China, thus becoming the first European scholar who travelled from Moscow to Pekin, crossing through Siberia. This paper is focused on the first half of his life, following, firstly, his studies at the Great School of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the education he received there, his relationships with the princes of Moldova, the relationships with other scholars from his time. Then follows his European journey: Berlin – Stettin – Stockholm – Paris, his relationship with the jansenists of Port Royal and the presentation of his work Enchiridion sive Stella Orientalis splendens Occidentali, in which he analyses a theological dispute that was of interest for the jansenists. The Enchiridion is made in Paris, in the year 1699, and is the first work published by a Romanian in the Occident. Our paper includes, for the first time integrally translated into Romanian, a few pages of correspondence, which illustrate, on one hand, the bond with the French ambassador of Stockholm and on the other, the accreditation of Milescu at the Court of Sweden as a representative of the former prince, Gheorghe Ștefan.

Analysis of Development Planning for Infrastructure with Land Consolidation Concept in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ) a national priority super tourism destination. The plan for holding an international MotoGP event requires the preparation of supporting infrastructure development. One of the pressing issues needing resolution is land conditions for permanent relocation. From a technical point of view, the land is still in the form of terracing, road access to the location is heavily damaged and some of the roads are unpaved. In addition, the relocation settlement area does not yet have public infrastructure. In this study sought to determine a strategy of funding sources for infrastructure development as well as priority factors for planning the development of infrastructure with the concept of land consolidation. The analysis in this study was carried out using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique, showing that environmental factors had the highest weight of 0.414, followed by infrastructural with 0.295, economy with 0.157 and social factors with 0.133. For alternative factors, accessibility had a weight of 0.167, price had a weight of 0.148, quality had a weight of 0.161, location had a weight of 0.201, infrastructure had a weight of 0.176 and tradition had a weight of 0.144.

What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation

BackgroundExtreme, prolonged wildfire smoke (WFS) events are becoming increasingly frequent phenomena across the Western United States. Rural communities, dependent on contributions of nature to people’s quality of life, are particularly hard hit. While prior research has explored the physical health impacts of WFS exposure, little work has been done to assess WFS impacts on mental health and wellbeing, or potential adaptation solutions.MethodsUsing qualitative methods, we explore the mental health and wellbeing impacts experienced by community members in a rural Washington State community that has been particularly hard hit by WFS in recent years, as well as individual, family, and community adaptation solutions. We conducted focus groups with residents and key informant interviews with local health and social service providers.ResultsParticipants identified a variety of negative mental health and wellbeing impacts of WFS events, including heightened anxiety, depression, isolation, and a lack of motivation, as well as physical health impacts (e.g., respiratory issues and lack of exercise). Both positive and negative economic and social impacts, as well as temporary or permanent relocation impacts, were also described. The impacts were not equitably distributed; differential experiences based on income level, outdoor occupations, age (child or elderly), preexisting health conditions, housing status, and social isolation were described as making some residents more vulnerable to WFS-induced physical and mental health and wellbeing challenges than others. Proposed solutions included stress reduction (e.g., meditation and relaxation lessons), increased distribution of air filters, development of community clean air spaces, enhancing community response capacity, hosting social gatherings, increasing education, expanding and coordination risk communications, and identifying opportunities for volunteering. Findings were incorporated into a pamphlet for community distribution. We present a template version herein for adaptation and use in other communities.ConclusionsWildfire smoke events present significant mental health and wellbeing impacts for rural communities. Community-led solutions that promote stress reduction, physical protection, and community cohesion have the opportunity to bolster resilience amid this growing public health crisis.

Home is restoration: Towards a health-based model of the importance of home for survivors of natural disasters

Something fundamental for health lies in the relationship between individuals and their homes, and it is missed by entire populations after destructive natural disasters. Although previous research has verified the importance of home to the psychological and physiological well-being of adults in normal conditions, natural disaster recovery plans still ignore the impact that recreating a sense of home in transitional and permanent relocation environments can have in the relief of stress and depression of the displaced people. This exploratory study draws upon the theory of embodied cognition to explain the interrelationship between home environments and physical and psychological restoration. Through a phenomenologically based analysis of in-depth interviews with five survivors of the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, a review of the literature on home, and empirical evidence and theory from the cognitive sciences, an enriched definition of home is formulated on the basis that the pleasant feelings of home are a result of the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, a physiological restorative process that is associated with environmental cues and is impaired in no-home environments. The provisional findings of this study suggest that improving access to suitable homes can be an effective non-invasive measure to prevent long-term negative health effects of relocation after a natural disaster, and that displaced individuals should always be involved in the decision-making about relocation and rebuilding. For that purpose, this study proposes a thirteen-topic survey to identify the themes that can provide a sense of home to each individual affected by displacement. • Natural disaster survivors interviewed about the meaning of home. • Hypothesized that feelings of home activate the parasympathetic nervous system. • Home is restoration from an embodied cognition perspective. • Disaster recovery policy could prevent the negative health effects of relocation.

Climate Change, Inequality, and Human Migration

Abstract This paper investigates the long-term implications of climate change on global migration and inequality. Accounting for the effects of changing temperatures, sea levels, and the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, we model the impact of climate change on productivity and utility in a dynamic general equilibrium framework. By endogenizing people’s migration decisions across millions of $5 \times 5$ km spatial cells, our approach sheds light on the magnitude and dyadic, education-specific structure of human migration induced by global warming. We find that climate change strongly intensifies global inequality and poverty, reinforces urbanization, and boosts migration from low- to high-latitude areas. Median projections suggest that climate change will induce a voluntary and a forced permanent relocation of 62 million working-age individuals over the course of the 21st century. Overall, under current international migration laws and policies, only a small fraction of people suffering from the negative effects of climate change manages to move beyond their homelands. We conclude that it is unlikely that climate shocks will induce massive international flows of migrants, except under combined extremely pessimistic climate scenarios and highly permissive migration policies. In contrast, poverty resulting from climate change is a real threat to all of us.

Planning for Disaster-Induced Relocation of Communities

Problem, research strategy, and findings Disasters displace millions of people every year. After the disaster, they must decide whether to return to their homes or move elsewhere. Planners and government officials often propose permanent relocation as a response. But relocations disrupt lives and livelihoods of households and communities and are therefore rarely the preferred option of those affected. Nevertheless, relocations happen, and planners often develop relocation policies and plan the move. We examined the dynamics of the relocation process through a conceptual framework consisting of five interrelated elements: 1) the natural science; 2) the risk decision; 3) the community’s relationship to place; 4) the relocation process, land, and money; and 5) the historical, social, and political context. This research draws from analyses of 53 cases of community relocation, including many that we have directly researched or worked on. Here we introduce this framework as a way for planners to systematically approach the task of evaluating and implementing proposed disaster-induced relocations. Takeaway for practice In planning for relocation, planners should work with all stakeholders to evaluate the risks, balance the risks of staying against those of relocation, and consider alternatives to complete relocation. Finally, planners should be astute regarding the broader contexts of relocation proposals.

Jordanian migration and mobility in the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2100–1550 BCE) at Pella

AbstractThe site of Pella, located in the foothills of the east Jordan valley, was a prosperous city–state throughout the Middle Bronze Age (MBA, ca. 2000–1500 BCE). As part of a widespread trading network, Pella enjoyed extensive socio‐economic relationships with Egypt, Cyprus, and the Aegean, Anatolia, and Babylonia during this period. We report isotopic analysis (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, and δ13C) from enamel of 22 human permanent second molars of which 13 second lower molars were used for an additional biodistance analysis based on ASUDAS. The multidisciplinary approach investigates the ancestral background of MBA Pella and the degree of temporary or more permanent relocation from other settlements. Ancillary to carbonate isotope analysis for migration investigation, dietary information in the form of δ13Ccarbonate was also collected. δ13Ccarbonate values (mean −12.3‰ ± 0.4 SD) suggest a uniform diet reliant on C3 cereals and legumes as crops and animal fodder, adhering to expected Bronze Age Levantine dietary norms. Two methods are used to identify non‐locals. Using a biospheric baseline, three individuals with non‐local 87Sr/86Sr ratios are identified. Bagplot analysis of both 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O data suggests that three individuals (14%) grew up elsewhere; two individuals who were already identified as 87Sr/86Sr outliers using biospheric data and one more with outlying δ18O values. All individuals identified as non‐locals, using either method, are from one tomb, Tomb 62. The dental nonmetric traits indicated diverse morphology and subsequent ancestry for Tomb 62 (11/13), whereas primary burials (2/13) clustered together. The commingled condition of Tomb 62 material prevented a more exhaustive biodistance analysis, but the tentative results coincide with interpretations of the tomb. Significant movements of populations throughout the Middle Bronze Age are evidenced through funerary rituals and architecture, and this study demonstrates that Pella, thought to be peripheral, nonetheless had some permanent movement evidenced through isotopes and ancestry analysis.

Mobility of the Workforce and Its Influence on Innovativeness (Comparative Analysis of the United States and Poland)

Abstract The article describes a comparative analysis of the mobility of the workforce in the United and Poland. The collected data includes permanent relocation as well as temporary travel abroad. Data also includes the reasons being taken under consideration while relocating. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of innovative people cloistering together and creating innovative cities. The article also addresses the influences of mobility of the workforce on innovative and entrepreneurial behavior. A comparison has been made between the innovativeness in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. This comparison also includes the percentage of people with higher education in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. The percentage of the immigrant population in the most innovative cities in the United States in comparison to the national average has also been provided. Since there is no accurate data related to the number of immigrants in the most innovative cities in Poland, a comparison between the United States and Poland was not possible.

Cultural adaptation and societal context: The role of historical heterogeneity in cultural adaptation of newcomers

In today’s global world, it has become increasingly important for individuals moving to a different country for work, study, or permanent relocation to successfully adapt to this new culture. Responding to recent calls in the literature for more ecological approaches to the study of cultural adaptation, we examine the effect of host country historical heterogeneity—or, the extent to which a country’s current inhabitants descended from a diverse pool of ancestors—on newcomers’ cultural adaptation to that country. Across two studies, we find that higher levels of host country historical heterogeneity predict higher rates of cultural adaptation among newcomers. This relationship persists even when accounting for individual characteristics of the newcomers and sociocultural/economic characteristics of the home and host countries. These results suggest that a country’s historical levels of diversity may contribute to the successful adaptation of newcomers above and beyond their personal characteristics, their home country environment, or current conditions in the host country, including current levels of diversity. These results have practical implications for facilitating newcomers’ successful cultural adaptation.