Worlds Apart
One billion people, one-sixth of the world's population, now live in shanty towns.
Stereotypes present shanty towns as inevitably having high rates of crime, suicide, drug use, and disease. However the observer Georg Gerster has noted (with specific reference to the invasões of Brasilia), "squatter settlements [as opposed to slums], despite their unattractive building materials, may also be places of hope, scenes of a counter-culture, with an encouraging potential for change and a strong upward impetus."
Shanty towns are present in a number of countries. The largest shanty town in the world is the Neza-Chalco region in the state of Mexico, Mexico. The largest shanty town in Asia is the Orangi Township in Karachi, Pakistan, while the largest in Africa is Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. Another large shanty town is Dharavi in Mumbai, India which houses over 1 million people.
Other countries with shanty towns include South Africa (where they are often called squatter camps) or imijondolo, Australia (mainly in Aboriginal areas), the United States, the Philippines (often called squatter areas), Venezuela (where they are known as barrios), Brazil (favelas), West Indies such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago (where they are known as Shanty town), Peru (where they are known as pueblos jóvenes), and Haiti, where they are referred to as bidonvilles. There are also shanty town population in countries such as Bangladesh and the People's Republic of China. In many countries there are now large movements of shanty town residents which often face severe state repression.
For those interested in more information follow this link to the online home of the Abahlali baseMjondolo, the South African shackdwellers' movement. www.abahlali.org/
Explore: August 22nd, 2009 - #289
© All rights reserved
Worlds Apart
One billion people, one-sixth of the world's population, now live in shanty towns.
Stereotypes present shanty towns as inevitably having high rates of crime, suicide, drug use, and disease. However the observer Georg Gerster has noted (with specific reference to the invasões of Brasilia), "squatter settlements [as opposed to slums], despite their unattractive building materials, may also be places of hope, scenes of a counter-culture, with an encouraging potential for change and a strong upward impetus."
Shanty towns are present in a number of countries. The largest shanty town in the world is the Neza-Chalco region in the state of Mexico, Mexico. The largest shanty town in Asia is the Orangi Township in Karachi, Pakistan, while the largest in Africa is Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. Another large shanty town is Dharavi in Mumbai, India which houses over 1 million people.
Other countries with shanty towns include South Africa (where they are often called squatter camps) or imijondolo, Australia (mainly in Aboriginal areas), the United States, the Philippines (often called squatter areas), Venezuela (where they are known as barrios), Brazil (favelas), West Indies such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago (where they are known as Shanty town), Peru (where they are known as pueblos jóvenes), and Haiti, where they are referred to as bidonvilles. There are also shanty town population in countries such as Bangladesh and the People's Republic of China. In many countries there are now large movements of shanty town residents which often face severe state repression.
For those interested in more information follow this link to the online home of the Abahlali baseMjondolo, the South African shackdwellers' movement. www.abahlali.org/
Explore: August 22nd, 2009 - #289
© All rights reserved