Does Colombo have sprawling slums and shanties?

By Ruwani Rajapakse and Nimaya Dahanayake

MARCH 27, 2024 | Colombo Urban Lab

The Colombo Settlements Survey for the year 2023 is the latest report on urban settlements in Colombo. The Colombo Settlements Survey, previously called the Underserved Settlements Survey, was conducted in 2001 and 2012 by SEVANATHA Urban Resource Centre, in partnership with the Colombo Municipal Council.

This infographic provides an overview of settlements in the City of Colombo. The map shows the distribution of settlements in Colombo, with the most number of settlements concentrated in Colombo North. The data shows that most settlements have upgraded on-site, and that compared to other cities in the Global South, Colombo’s settlements are smaller and fragmented, with no trend of sprawling slums and shanties to be found. The data also shows a reduction in the number of settlements, from 1735 in 2012 to 1360 in 2023. This could be attributed to the involuntary relocation of individuals living in settlements to UDA-built High Rises since 2010.

Read the full Colombo Settlements Report 2023.

CSF

Knowledge Insights

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Colombo Settlements Survey 2023

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