about 80% of the population lives in a slum. In the coming years, numbers of slum-dwellers

worldwide are only set to rise. Why do so many people live in slums? And what are the

largest slums in the world?

Well, first of all, what is a slum? Well, the UN defines them as having five specific

characteristics. They usually lack permanent housing, sufficient space for inhabitants,

clean water access, appropriate sanitation, and personal safety. Many slums are located

on the outskirts of towns, and are poorly constructed, without any housing authority

regulations.

People live in urban slums in order to access more work opportunities. However, the work

is often not enough to fully extricate them from the cycle of poverty. A majority of slum

dwellers live on mere dollars per day.

Where are the world’s biggest slums? Well, they reside in the developing nations in Asia,

Africa and Latin America. The UN reports that the most “DEPRIVED” slum-dwellers live

in Sub Saharan Africa. According to a 2013 analysis by the Borgen Project, the top five

most populous slums are found in the countries of South Africa, Kenya, India, Pakistan and

Mexico. South Africa’s biggest slum is home to around 400 thousand people, while Mexico’s

biggest slum is said to contain 4 MILLION residents.

One of India’s largest slums in Mumbai, contains up to a million people, and served

as the backdrop for the Oscar winning film, “Slumdog Millionaire”. In what may be

the most populous slum in the world, near Mexico City, residents live near a massive

landfill, and are exposed to one of the highest crime rates in the nation.

Accurate statistics are hard to come by for many slums, but experts believe that slum

areas are some of the fastest growing human habitats, worldwide. Despite the UN’s and

many nation’s best efforts, the growth of slums continue to outpace social and structural

urban improvements. Still, the UN continues to push for increased government oversight

in slums, in the hopes that residents will be able to overcome their living situations,

and eventually prosper elsewhere.

One of the most interesting slums in the world is in one of the tallest buildings in the

world. To learn about the story of this South African monument, watch Seeker Daily’s video

here. There’s a link in the description if you want to check it out. Thanks as always

for watching! We love you!