Slum

A slum is a highly populated urban residential area. It is defined by densely packed housing units of weak build quality. These areas are often associated with poverty. The term is frequently used as a derogatory label. This label can sometimes be used to delegitimize land use when people want to repurpose it.

Most slums lack reliable sanitation services. They also often lack clean water and steady electricity. They may also lack law enforcement and other basic services. The United Nations defines slums as informal settlements. These settlements lack one or more specific conditions. These include access to improved water and improved sanitation. They also lack sufficient living area, housing durability, and security of tenure.

Many different factors cause slums to form and grow. One major cause is rapid rural-to-urban migration. This happens when many people move from the countryside to cities. Other causes include economic stagnation and depression. High unemployment and poverty also play large roles. Sometimes, people are forced into these areas through ghettoization. Poor urban planning and political issues can contribute as well. Natural disasters and social conflicts can also trigger their growth.

Because of these complex causes, slums appear in many different forms. They can range from shanty houses to professionally built dwellings that have deteriorated due to poor maintenance.

Slums can be categorized by their location and type. While most are in urban areas, they can also exist in suburban areas. In these places, housing quality is low and living conditions are poor. They are found in both developing countries and developed economies.

Different cultures use many different names for these areas. Examples include favelas in Brazil and barrios in other regions. Other terms include shanty towns, rookeries, and ghettos. In France, they are often called bidonvilles. Each name reflects how different societies view these informal settlements.

History shows that slums became common during the 19th and late 20th centuries. Before the 19th century, rich and poor people often lived in the same districts. The wealthy lived on high streets, while the poor lived in service streets behind them. However, as cities grew rapidly, wealthy people moved out of central areas. This left poorer residents behind in the old city centers.

In London, the term "slum" may have come from British slang. It likely evolved from a word for a room to "back slum" around 1845. This described back alleys or streets of poor people. In the United States, New York City created the first slum called Five Points in 1825. This area was built on the dry bed of a lake named Collect.

In the United States, Five Points saw many different groups of people. It was occupied by freed slaves, the Irish, Italians, and Chinese immigrants. These people were often fleeing persecution or seeking new opportunities. The area was known for crowded tenements and frequent crime.

Such conditions triggered important discussions about affordable housing. In Europe, the situation was similar. In Paris, the 1832 cholera epidemic led to debates about the link between slums and poor health. After World War II, mass migration to French cities expanded slums further. In the UK, many slums were eventually removed through government slum clearance programs.

Specific examples show the massive scale of these settlements. The world's largest slum city is located in Orangi in Karachi, Pakistan.

In Mumbai, India, the Dharavi area is a notable example. It contains an integrated informal economy within the slum. Other famous examples include the Kowloon Walled City, which existed from the 1940s to the 1990s.

These places demonstrate how large and complex informal urban settlements can become. They show the intense density that characterizes modern urban poverty.

Governments use various strategies to address these challenges. Some countries try slum removal or slum relocation. This involves moving people to different areas. Other strategies focus on slum upgrading. This means improving the existing housing and infrastructure.

Urban planning and the development of citywide infrastructure are also used. Some governments provide public housing to replace informal settlements. These efforts aim to provide better water, sanitation, and housing durability. The goal is to transform these areas into safer, more stable parts of the city.