ShantyTownShantyTown

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What is it?What is it?

Shantytowns (also called Shantytowns (also called slumsslums, , squatter squatter settlements campssettlements camps), are ), are settlementssettlements ((sometimes illegal or unauthorizedsometimes illegal or unauthorized) of ) of impoverished people who live in impoverished people who live in improvised dwellings made from improvised dwellings made from scrap scrap materialsmaterials: often : often plywoodplywood, , corrugated corrugated metalmetal, and , and sheets of plasticsheets of plastic. .

LocationLocation

Shanty towns are commonly located on the Shanty towns are commonly located on the outskirts of cities in poor countries, or within outskirts of cities in poor countries, or within large cities on derelict land or near rubbish tips.large cities on derelict land or near rubbish tips.Shanty towns are present in a number of Shanty towns are present in a number of countries. The largest shanty town in countries. The largest shanty town in AsiaAsia is the is the Orangi TownshipOrangi Township in in KarachKarachi, i, PakistanPakistan, while the , while the largest in Africa is largest in Africa is KiberaKibera in in NairobiNairobi, , Kenya.Another large shanty town is Kenya.Another large shanty town is DharaviDharavi in in MumbaiMumbai, , IndiaIndia which houses over 1 million which houses over 1 million people.people.

Shantytowns are mostly found in Shantytowns are mostly found in developing nations, or partially developed developing nations, or partially developed nations with an nations with an unequal distribution of wealthunequal distribution of wealth (or, on (or, on occasion, developed countries in a severe occasion, developed countries in a severe recession). In extreme cases, shanty recession). In extreme cases, shanty towns have populations approaching that towns have populations approaching that of a city. One billion people, one-sixth of of a city. One billion people, one-sixth of the world's population, now live in shanty the world's population, now live in shanty towns. towns.

Living conditions.Living conditions.

As As manymany as as sixsix people live in a shack. The people live in a shack. The walls are lined with newspaper and the walls are lined with newspaper and the floor is bare earth or cheap linoleum. floor is bare earth or cheap linoleum. BedsBeds or or mattressesmattresses are are sharedshared and there may and there may be a chair or two to sit on. Generally there be a chair or two to sit on. Generally there is one door and no windows. is one door and no windows. LampsLamps and and candlescandles are the are the main source of lightmain source of light although some have illegally tapped into a although some have illegally tapped into a power line and have ‘free’ electricitypower line and have ‘free’ electricity

Why it hinders development?Why it hinders development?On the economic level, these slums On the economic level, these slums economically dependeconomically depend on on specific types of jobsspecific types of jobs which are which are descried as inferior and marginaldescried as inferior and marginal, , legal and illegal jobs such as drugs and children trade, fruits and legal and illegal jobs such as drugs and children trade, fruits and vegetables trade transferring between the near neighborhood areas vegetables trade transferring between the near neighborhood areas as these as these slums are in the hear or on the city sidesslums are in the hear or on the city sides, in addition to the , in addition to the house workers at the side of women and small girls. Furthermore, house workers at the side of women and small girls. Furthermore, children labor is very spread in these areas correlatedchildren labor is very spread in these areas correlated with their with their maltreatment and infringement of their rights. Moreover, the slums maltreatment and infringement of their rights. Moreover, the slums dwellers are controlling a wide space of state owned lands which dwellers are controlling a wide space of state owned lands which lack the infrastructure and public services and facilities necessary lack the infrastructure and public services and facilities necessary for appropriate lifefor appropriate life. These state owned lands are illegally controlled . These state owned lands are illegally controlled by the slums with the local authorities' inattention and coma and by the slums with the local authorities' inattention and coma and unconsciousness. These slums are unconsciousness. These slums are hinderinghindering the way of the way of comprehensive development comprehensive development

Finally, the Finally, the main aimmain aim of the state is to of the state is to correlate these slums areas with the city correlate these slums areas with the city premises through the comprehensive premises through the comprehensive development in order to prevent the development in order to prevent the appearance of new areas at the heart of appearance of new areas at the heart of the city or at its away sides. the city or at its away sides.