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Red-light district

A red-light district is a neighborhood where prostitution is common. The term was first recorded in the United States around 1890, and derives from the practice of placing a red light in the window to indicate to customers the (often illegal) nature of the business. This is based on the biblical story of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who aided the spies of Joshua and identified her house with a red light.

Interestingly, one of the many terms used for a red-light district in Japanese is akasen (赤線), meaning "red-line district".

Famous red-light districts

Africa

• Avenue Lalla Yacout - Casablanca, Morocco
• Wagh el Birket - Cairo, Egypt
• Petit Socco - Tangier, Morocco

Asia-Pacific

• Clinton Plaza - Bangkok, Thailand
• Geylang - Singapore
• Kabukicho - Tokyo, Japan
• Kings Cross - Sydney, Australia
• Patpong - Bangkok, Thailand
• Yoshiwara - Tokyo, Japan (in Edo period)
• Hira Mandi - Lahore, Pakistan
• Kamathipura - Mumbai, India
• Wanchai - Hong Kong
• Gion - Kyoto, Japan

Europe

• Boulevard de Clichy - Paris, France
• De Wallen - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele - Rome, Italy
• Kings Cross - London, UK
• Reeperbahn - Hamburg, Germany
• Raval/Barri Xines - Barcelona, Spain
• Picin Park - Belgrade, Serbia
• Pigalle - Paris, France
• Union Street - Plymouth, UK

North America

• The Levee - Chicago, Illinois
• Barbary Coast - San Francisco, California
• The Block - Baltimore, Maryland
• La Merced - Mexico City, Mexico
• Sepulveda Boulevard - San Fernando Valley, California
• Storyville - New Orleans, Louisiana
• Sunset Boulevard - Hollywood, California
• Times Square - New York City, New York
• Venus Alley - Butte, Montana
• Zona Rosa - Mexico City, Mexico