**Squatting** is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of
[land](land "wikilink") or a building, usually residential, that the
**squatter** does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to
use. In 2004, there were an estimated one billion squatters around the
world, mainly in much of the [Global South](Global_South "wikilink"),
where extensive slums and shanty towns built on the edge of major cities
built without permission. In the [Global
North](Global_North "wikilink"), squatting is used by
[autonomists](Autonomism "wikilink") and
[anarchists](Anarchism "wikilink") to provide free housing and social
centers to cities.

## See Also

  - [List of Squats](List_of_Squats "wikilink")