The favelas in Rio de Janeiro have a complex history. They were originally founded in the late 19th century by soldiers and their families who had been evicted from their homes. The government then began forcibly evicting people from the city center and pushing them into informal settlements. In the mid-20th century, there was a significant increase in immigration to Rio de Janeiro, which led to the growth of the favelas. Today, about a quarter of the city's population lives there, and they continue to face problems such as poverty and violence.