Montevideo's Informal Settlements: Two-Thirds Lack Planned Intervention

Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, grapples with a persistent issue of informal settlements, with official data revealing 345 such areas within the city. These settlements collectively span 1,200 hectares and are home to an estimated 133,086 residents, a figure likely to be an underestimate given recent census data adjustments for the entire country.

The longevity of these settlements is striking; 252 of the 345 identified areas were established before the year 2000, meaning three-quarters of Montevideo's informal settlements are over 25 years old. The 1990s marked a period of significant growth, with 125 settlements originating during that decade. Earlier decades also contributed substantially, with the 1980s adding 63 settlements and the 1970s adding 31.

Despite the scale of the problem, a significant majority of these settlements face an uncertain future regarding official intervention. Data from the Montevideo Municipality's Observatory of Settlements indicates that 227 of the 345 registered settlements have no planned interventions. Another 89 are undergoing partial intervention, 15 are in the process of regularization, nine have planned interventions, and five are being relocated.