Social · urban
Favela
Definition
A favela is an informal urban settlement in Brazil, characterised by housing built incrementally by residents on land they often do not formally own, with historically limited access to public services and infrastructure. Brazil's statistics agency IBGE enumerates such areas as "aglomerados subnormais"; the 2022 census recorded 12,348 such communities housing around 17 million people — roughly 8% of the national population. Favelas range from consolidated, decades-old neighbourhoods with brick construction and commercial activity to newer, more precarious occupations.
References
informal-settlement definition, ~8% of population per 2022 census, incremental self-built housing
~17 million residents, 12,348 communities, IBGE "aglomerados subnormais"
Overview
What it means
Favelas are not simply slums but complex urban economies and cultural centres produced by decades of exclusionary land markets; the policy debate has shifted from removal to upgrading — tenure regularisation, infrastructure connection and service integration — recognising residents' right to the city.
How it is used
Used in urban studies, housing policy, SDG 11 monitoring (proportion of urban population in informal settlements) and discussions of urban inequality in Latin America.
Why it matters
A large share of the world's urban growth is informal; how cities treat settlements like favelas — upgrading versus displacement — is a defining test of inclusive, sustainable urbanisation.