1. Squatter settlements in LEDCs.
Published on 14 Oct 2014
Problems of urbanisation in ELDCs of India and Brazil. Mumbai (Bombay) India, Asia and Rio de Janerio, Brazil, South America case studies.

2. Objectives Know why urbanisation is rapid in LEDCs
Be able to provide both push and pull factors when explaining the process
Be able to describe and explain the characteristics of squatter settlements in LEDCs
Be able to describe the social, economic and environmental nature of squatter settlements
Be able to explain and give examples of ‘self help’ schemes
Be able to explain the impact of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation in LEDCs

3. In Less Developed Countries the process of urbanisation is rapid.
This is because there are larger and larger number of people moving from rural areas to urban areas in these countries.
Less developed countries traditionally have larger rural communities, which often rely on agriculture for survival.
PUSH factors forcing people to leave these rural communities.

4. Explaining the process of rapid urbanisation using PUSH and PULL factors

5. Towns can’t be built quickly enough to cope with people moving from the countryside to cities in LEDCs so …..

6. The main characteristics of a squatter settlement
Squatter settlements are found on areas of undesirable land:
· marsh
· near airports
· near motorways
near railway lines
· near rubbish tips
· uneven ground

7. What is life like in a squatter settlement?
settlements are unplanned- sanitation, piped water, electricity and road access
houses are made of any material available nearby - corrugated iron, pieces of board - haphazardly assembled to provide a basic shelter
houses have a simple layout that may have a living area separate from a sleeping area
parents and large families inhabit a small shack which is often overcrowded
squatter settlements are very overcrowded
no toilets
water must be collected from a nearby source - often at a cost - and carried back
rubbish is not collected
poorly paid jobs where the income is unreliable or they work in the less well-paid jobs part of the formal sector
the residents have very little money so cannot improve their homes or environments
crime is a problem, children often do not go to school, the family lives on top of each other, there is no privacy, disease is rife and life is one of trying to survive from one day to the next

8. Practice question 9
What is the social & economic nature of a squatter settlement? (6 marks)