The Use of Geo-spatial Technologies in Understanding Informal Settlements

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Informal settlements are typically associated with poverty and slums. This paper presents examples of the use of diverse geospatial technologies to delineate, assess, and enumerate informal settlements: in short, to better understand such settlements. The examples are from three countries, India, Nigeria, and Brazil, based primarily on use of four distinct, yet interdependent, technologies. These examples involve the use of geographic information systems (GIS) in India, the use of classified remotely-sensed imagery in Kenya, the use of drones (as well as smartphone-based apps) in Nigeria, and the use of global positioning systems (GPS) on personal digital assistant (PDA) devices to map and enumerate favelas in Brazil. The findings of the study showed that the use of geospatial technologies in relation to informal settlements are aligned, despite the wide dispersal of the settlements. The study also revealed that a better understanding of the three countries on different continents may help re- searchers in other developing countries to access a wide range of data on informal settlements using geospatial technologies.

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• Land Management, Land Tenure, & Agricultural Issues