with very few exceptions, the favelas in rio are almost all located on hillsides, since this area of the city was not yet occupied when favelas began to emerge and so people that found jobs in the city without a place to live started building there.

often insufficient localized public education, incomplete health system, and the scarcity of high-paying jobs contributed to the decline into poverty of many favela communities, allowing the infiltration by the drug trade.

under the former president luiz inácio lula da silva (lula) many social programs have been initiated, the minimum wage almost doubled, and police presence greatly increased, with some favelas being entirely included in the city, economically, socially and politically.

this, combined with rio's significant economic development has improved the overall condition of most people, significantly expanded the middle-class and greatly reduced the clashes between different economic groups.