×
Informal Housing and Its Impact on Urban Development
Analysis of Different Countries
Purpose of This Map
This interactive map visualizes global, regional, and national patterns of informal settlements and demonstrates how different types, risks, and contexts of informal urbanization manifest geographically.
The map reveals:
- Where informal settlements are most widespread
- What social, legal, and infrastructural characteristics they exhibit
- How the Global North and Global South differ in patterns and scale
- Which risks and socio-economic pressures drive informal growth
- What typologies of informal settlements exist and where they are found
Global Scale
Over 1 billion people currently live in informal settlements worldwide. By 2025, this number will reach 1.4 billion.
Regional Distribution:
- Central/South/East/Southeast Asia: 589 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 228 million
- Latin America & Caribbean: 110 million
- North Africa & Middle East: 69 million
- North America & Europe: 0.8 million
- Australia & New Zealand: 0.007 million
Country Profiles (Interactive on Map)
Click on countries on the map to see detailed information. Summary below:
| Country |
Key Statistics |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | Rio favelas: 22% of buildings, 1.4M people |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 4,800 ha illegally developed in Mexico City (1990s) |
| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 64% poor quality housing stock |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | Nairobi: 2M people (50%) in informal areas |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | Risk of losing half of agricultural land |
| 🇾🇪 Yemen | 66% urban population in informal settlements |
| 🇮🇳 India | Mumbai: 60% in slums |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Korail: 364,230 m², 100,000+ residents |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | Extensive urban periphery settlements |
| 🇺🇸 USA | Detroit squatting, LA/NY illegal construction |
Typologies of Informal Settlements
By Legal Status:
- Squatter territories: Illegal occupation of public/agricultural land
- Regulatory violations: Unauthorized floors, garage extensions (e.g., Sochi, Russia)
- Hybrid forms: Favela-Bairro program (Rio), legal improvements with informal design
By Materials:
- Temporary: Plastic, cardboard (1-3 years lifespan)
- Permanent: Brick, concrete (10+ years)
By Function:
- Residential: Individual homesteads, favelas, illegal multi-unit buildings
- Commercial: Informal markets, workshops, food stands
- Social: Religious buildings, community centers, informal schools
Four Risk Categories
- Social risks: Health issues, segregation, crime, exclusion
- Economic risks: Shadow economy, tax losses, declining investment
- Political risks: Governance deficits, instability
- Environmental risks: Unsafe land, lack of utilities, disaster zones
🇷🇺 Russian Context
Russia has no classical "slums" but exhibits latent informal housing:
- Squatting on public/municipal land
- Illegal construction ("samostroy")
- Examples: Sochi, Krasnodar (Musical District), Moscow migrant housing
- Garage cooperatives with multi-storey unauthorized extensions
Data Sources
UN-Habitat, GSDRC, World Bank, National Statistics
Author
Kostarev Mark Stanislavovich
Research Article • 2024-2025