Answer:
Key words: informal settlement, urbanization, land, environment and poverty
SUMMARY
Despite having a long history of physical planning, Zanzibar has been experiencing
increasing problems associated with the informal settlements (IS). According to a recent
study, over 70 per cent of urban residents live in informal settlements (GoZ 2005). A vast
majority of the dwellers live in extremely poor conditions. A rapid increase in the urban
population and the limited capacity of the government to meet the high demand for
building plots has led to mushrooming of the informal settlements (Scholz 2006).
Urbanization is one of the root causes for the spread of informal settlements on the fringe
of Zanzibar town. The land administration and planning policies, which have often been
seen as rigid and inadequate to meet ever increasing demand for housing by the poor
majority, have also been associated with the mushrooming of the IS.
The growth of the IS has resulted in many, and complex socio-economic and
environmental consequences. These include pollution, deforestation, flooding, waste of
agricultural lands and the like.
Explanation:
