Dharavi is a locality of Mumbai where India’s largest slum is situated. Dharavi is also regarded as the third largest slum of world after the slums of Mexico’s Neza-Chalco-Itza and Karachi’s Orangi. Though some people believe that, there are larger slums in Mumbai than the Dharavi. 

• Dharavi was founded in 1882 at the time of British Raj. During the 18th century unplanned localities started to grow when the urbanization of Mumbai was going on. As a result Mumbai became vulnerable to the epidemics. After the bubonic plague spread in Mumbai, British government transferred some polluting industries and some Indian localities to the place where dharavi is located. Gradually, the locality spread and the slum was born.
• It is spread over an area of 535 acres. It lies between the two railway lines, the western and central railway. It is surrounded by Mahim, Bandra in west, Mithi river in north, Sion in south, and Matunga in east.
• Dharavi is highly populated. Exact population of dharavi is unknown. It is estimated that about a million people lives there. That is about 600-2000 people per acre.
• 60 percent of the population is hindu, 33 percent of the population is muslim and 6 percent of the population is Christian. The first mosque of dharavi -'The Badi Masgid' was started in 1887. The oldest temple was founded in 1913. The first school in dharavi started in 1924.
• Dharavi is the home of about 5000 businesses and 15,000 single room factories. Total annual turnover of dharavi is about $650 million to $1 billion.