the word favela is often translated to 'slum' or 'shantytown' - however, none of these translations acurately capture the meaning of  favela and can be simplistic  and misleading.

the official definition of the word favela was created in 1950 by the instituto brasileiro de geografia e estatística - ibge, which defined a favela  then as

• a cluster of no less than 50 residences
• predominantly shacks or built with materials of good fortune
• built on land without permission, or belonging to others
• lacking of services such as health centers, electricity,  telephone, and water
• occupying an undeveloped area lacking roads and numbering.