Shanty town
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shanty towns are human settlements in the outskirts of many cities – especially in third world countries. Often of low cost, with houses badly built with plywood, corrugated metal, sheets of plastic, cardboard or any material available. Often irregular structures good enough to keep the rain away or to protect from the summer sun. Pets and animals are often left to roam for food and waste.
Lack of sanitation and toilets often make people specially children more exposed to contagious diseases such as hepatitis and cholera.
Many are built on land without a permit and often have no roads, numbered street, electricity or telephone lines. Some homes in shanty towns have some services but they are unkept and pose health and fire hazards. Sometimes shanty towns can take up whole parts of a city and may include millions of dwellers – such as in the cities of Brazil.
Many shanty town settlements are built on the banks of rivers and as a result the residents suffer the effect of floods or from industrial toxins in the water. Some are built close to rubbish dumps.
Residents of shanty town often have poor health, lack education, high crime, suicides and shorter life expectancy.