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During the past three decades the urban population of the developing countries has increased tremendousely, Most of this urban population growth has taken place on the metropolitan fringe, Also, about 42 cent or the developing countries urban population live in formal settements, many located on the urban fringe.
The demographic processes in the Tehran Metropolitan Region (TMR) during the past three decadcs reveals that while the population of the Tehran city has grown only 2.3 times, the population of the rest or the TMR has grown by 7.8 times during the said penl1ll. is during the twenty-year period between] 'no-l t. ahout 40 per cent of the five milion-population increase uf the TMR, have resided in informal settlements.
The unprecedented growth of informal settlements in the TMR, has brought about many socio-econIJmic. cultural. environmental and political prohlems. This articlc which is based on the findings of a research project fundcd hy the Tehran University. attempts to survey sumc socio-economic characterics of the households rcsldlg In
some of the spontaneous settlements on the Tehran Metropolitan Fringe, specifically trying to answer the following questions:
1. Are these settlements functionally inegrated with
rural areas or with the Tehran Metropolis"
2. Are the residents of these settlements engaged In
the formal or informal economic activities?
This is done by surveying 206 households (selected by random sampling techniques) 111 three spontaneous settlements, namely, Bagher Abad. Saleh Ahad. and Khtoon Abad, located in the vicinity of Tehran's three major transportation routes.
The findings of the study reveal that: the spontaneous settlements studied are not functionally integrated with
rural areas. but rather with the Tehran Metropolis: and that many fringe workers are informally employed.