Rio Case study

• Rio de Janeiro is a large city of 6 million inhabitants in the south-east of Brazil. It is Brazil's second largest city. over 1 million people live in Favellas.
• Shanty towns are characteristic of LEDC cities They are areas of unplanned, poor quality housing which lack access to basic services like clean water and sanitation.
• In 1969 there were 300 Favellas in Rio. Today there are approximately 700.
• over 25% of the city's population live in Favellas.
• Cause 1: 65% of urban growth is as a result of migration. Since the 1950s, Rio has attracted large numbers of migrants from the countryside who hope to find work in the city.
• Cause 2: Continued young rural migrants makes fertility rates rise leading to a natural increase.
• 25% of Favellas are located in the inner city and 60% in the suburbs to the west of Guanabara bay. This means that they are on the same side of the bay as the CBD. Work is most likely available there.
• Favellas are frequently forced to develop on steep hillsides, which are a threat (morros). The land is considered too dangerous for legal housing and is unwanted by developers. A number of Favellas have developed on Swanoy land along railway routes.
• Favellas are unplanned, informal housing developments which are built quickly and without government regulation.
• Favell characteristics:

  • densely populated, Rocinha has a density of 50,000 per km squared
  • Poorly services, lack of infrastructure gives bad sanitation, plumbing, etc. only 67% of people are connected to a formal sanitation network, infant mortality rates are 50% higher than elsewhere due to cholera and dengue fever
  • Low jobs, not enough jobs for demand so many use informal economy. People typically live on roughly £15 per month. Many get involved in drug related crime