Informal Settlement

A term given to settlements or residential areas that by at least one criterion fall outside official rules and regulations. Most informal settlements have poor housing (with widespread use of temporary materials) and are developed on land that is occupied illegally with high levels of overcrowding. In most such settlements, provision for safe water, sanitation, drainage, paved roads, and basic services is inadequate or lacking. The term slum is often used for informal settlements, although it is misleading as many informal settlements develop into good quality residential areas, especially where governments support such development.