The urban population of developing countries is increasing rapidly. A result disturbing trend is the proliferation of informal housing development in most cities. Similarly, Kabul as one of those fast-growing cities has witnessed rapid urbanization with the many inevitable challenges including, the manifestation of informal settlements. Again, the limited capacity of the government to meet the high demand for building plots has led to growth of the informal settlements. This paper attempts to analyze the characteristics and conditions of phenomena of informal settlements in Kabul city, in order to assist in formulating and designing the most appropriate planning and policy strategies for their improvement. The paper found that the Informal settlements are mainly characterized by informal land tenure, inadequate access to basic urban services, substandard housing, and structures. Again, most of the residents in the surveyed areas were owner-occupiers rather than tenants as the land had been bought from local landholders or powerful individuals who had grabbed the undeveloped land and sold it at a very low price. Contrary to popular perception, residents comprised not only poor but also middle and higher income earners in the city.
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