Favela: the challenge of living in the São Paulo Metropolis

Abstract The text shows the recent evolution of the urban fabric in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo and the inequality expressed by favelas, using data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and MapBiomas. Although population growth in all sub-regions has decreased compared to previous periods, the so-called periphery still grows more than the hub. The urban structure is highly segregated, with part of the poor population living in favelas. In 2019, the metropolis had 1,703 favelas, with a population of more than 2 million inhabitants, occupying 12.26% of metropolitan households. As the population in this type of settlement grew at an annual rate of 3.44%, the result was an increase in the number of favelas, which poses problems for urban upgrading.