The Complete Guide
Key Facts
A favela is an informal urban settlement in Brazil — historically defined by precarious land tenure, self-built housing and a dense, working-class community. The 2022 IBGE census officially renamed them “Favelas e Comunidades Urbanas”.
More than 17 million Brazilians — roughly 8% of the national population — live in 12,348 favelas and urban communities, according to IBGE 2022 figures published in 2024 and updated in 2026.
Favelas are not synonymous with poverty or crime. Most residents are formally employed in the service economy. Internal commerce, construction, retail and informal services generate an estimated R$200 billion per year.
