Mapping the World’s Largest Human Migration

Today, Tuesday, February 17th, 2026, marks the first day of the Lunar New Year. As we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, hundreds of millions of people across China are sitting down for reunion dinners, lighting fireworks, and celebrating the most significant date on the lunar calendar.

For the Chinese people, the Spring Festival (Chunyun) isn't just a holiday; it is a cultural imperative to return to one’s ancestral home. This creates the "Chunyun" period - the largest annual human migration on Earth. Whether by high-speed rail, plane, or car, workers from megacities like Shanghai and Shenzhen head back to rural provinces to see elderly parents and relatives.

To visualize this tectonic shift in population, there is no better tool than the Baidu Migration Map.

A Real-Time Look at a Nation in Motion

The Baidu Migration Map (百度迁徙) is a masterclass in handling massive datasets. Using real-time location data from Baidu Maps and its suite of apps, the platform provides a live, granular look at where China’s 1.4 billion people are going.

At first glance, the map presents a macro view of the country, with glowing flow-map arcs showing the volume of travel between provinces. But the real power of this visualization lies in its interactivity. On the left-hand sidebar, you’ll find the Popular Inbound/Outbound Cities list. Today’s data shows massive activity in transport hubs like Chongqing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.

If you select a specific city from the "Top Destinations" list (for example, Chongqing), the global view instantly filters down to a localized flow map. You will see a "starburst" of lines radiating toward that city from every corner of China. Each line is weighted and animated, showing exactly which cities are "exporting" the most people to that destination. This transforms abstract statistics into a clear, visual story of each city’s regional and national pull.

The Migration Scale Index

Beneath the map is the Migration Scale Index - a proprietary metric that allows for historical comparisons. You can toggle between different years (comparing 2026 to 2025 or even the pandemic-era data of the early 2020s) to see how economic shifts or infrastructure improvements have changed travel habits.