Written specifically as a teaching text and authored by a team of leading academics in the field, this is the first book to bring together the key issues of rapid urbanisation with approaches to planning and housing.Outlining and explaining core concepts from ?informal settlements? to ?sustainability?, it focuses on the rapid urbanization of developing countries with case studies from Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of rapid urbanization and associated globalization on land-use and housing is described and analyzed with reference to the particular issues of poverty, health and the environment of these areas.Providing an accessible introduction to the key issues as well as enhancing current theoretical debates and exploring practical applications, this book is an essential resource for students and researchers in this area.