Brazil: More Than 10 Million Live In ‘Favela’ Slums
By MISNA
More than 11.4-million Brazilians are living in subnormal agglomerates, irregular settlements known as ‘favelas’, equivalent to 6% of the Brazilian population, according to a 2010 census carried out by the IBGE (Brazilian Geographic and Statistical Institute), which is gradually releasing the data.
Brazil counts a total of 6,329 ‘favelas’ situated in 323 of the 5,565 municipalities. The majority are in the Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro states, respectively 23.2% and 19.1%, in the rich South-East of the country.
“They are usually located in areas less adapt for urbanization, such as Rio’s hillsides, beaches in Fortaleza, deep valleys in Maceió (north-east state of Alagoas)”, indicates the IBGE.
Based on the census, 67.3% of the slum homes have hygienic services, 72.5% electric power, 88.3% water and 95.4% garbage collection services.
