List of red-light districts - 2012

The term "red light district" is said to have originated with early railroaders. The men carried lit red lanterns when they left the train so in case of an emergency the crew caller would be able to find them. These lanterns were left outside bordellos when crew members stopped to pay the ladies a visit and sometimes were brought inside to be placed in a window.

A list of world red-light districts as of 01/2012

Africa

Egypt

Cairo
- Wagh el Birket (defunct)

Kenya

Nairobi
- Koinange Street

Morocco

Tangier
- Petit Socco

South Africa

Durban
- Point Road

Asia

Cambodia

Phnom Penh
- Svay Pak

People's Republic of China

Beijing
- Dashilan (defunct)
Hong Kong
- Portland Street, Mong Kok, Wan Chai
Shanghai
- Simalu (also called Huileli) (pre-People's Republic)

India

Delhi
- Chawri
- GB Road
Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad
- Mehboob Ki Mehndi
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta)
- Sonagachi
Mumbai (formerly Bombay)
- Kamathipura
Pune
- Budhwar Peth

Indonesia

Jakarta
- Blok M

Japan

Kyoto
- Shimabara (defunct)
Osaka
- Kujo
- Tobita
Tokyo
- Kabukicho
- Roppongi
- Yoshiwara

South Korea

Daegu
- Jagalmadang
Seoul
- Cheongnyangni 588
- Mia-ri
- Yeongdeungpo

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur
- Chow Kit

Pakistan

Hyderabad, Pakistan|Hyderabad
- Serey Ghat
Karachi
- Napier Road
Lahore
- Hira Mandi
Multan
- Ghanta Ghar

Philippines

Angeles City (Clark Air Base)
- Fields Avenue, Balibago

Singapore

Singapore
- Geylang

Thailand

Bangkok
- Clinton Plaza (defunct)
- Patpong
- Sukhumvit Road Area (including Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy)
Phuket
- Soi Bang-La – Patong Beach
Pattaya#Nightlife_and_Prostitution|Pattaya
- Pattaya Beach

Australia and Oceania

Australia

Brisbane
- Fortitude Valley, Queensland|The Valley
Melbourne
- St Kilda, Victoria|St Kilda
Sydney
- Kings Cross, New South Wales|Kings Cross
- Darlinghurst, New South Wales|Darlinghurst/East Sydney, New South Wales|East Sydney

New Zealand

Auckland
- Karangahape Road
Christchurch
- Manchester Street
Wellington
- Vivian Street

Europe

Belgium

Antwerp
- Schipperskwartier
Brussels
- Rue d'Aerschot|Rue d'Aerschot/Aarschotstraat

Czech Republic

Prague
- Perlovka

Denmark

Copenhagen
- Istedgade

France

Bordeaux
- Quartier de la gare Saint Jean : Belcier, quai de paludate
- Quartier Saint-Rémi : rue du pont de la mousque, rue courbin
- Les quinconces
- Passage Birly, rue de Ruat : massages
Le Havre
- Cours de la République
Lille
- Quartier Peuple Belge (Place de Gand, Rue de Courtrai, Place aux Bleuets)
Lyon
- Quartier Mermoz
Mantes-la-Jolie
- Quartier du Val Fourré
Marseille
- Rue Thubaneau
- Bd du Prado
Paris
- Bois de Boulogne
- Boulevard de Clichy
- Porte de Vincennes
- Quartier Pigalle
- Rue de la Gaité
- Rue Saint-Denis
Rouen
- Boulevard des belges
Toulouse
- Rue Bayard
- Quartier du Canal
- Boulevard de Strasbourg

Germany

Berlin
- Oranienburger Strasse
Frankfurt
- Bahnhofsviertel
Hamburg
- St. Pauli (Reeperbahn)
Munich
- Hansastraße
Nuremberg
- Frauentor-Mauer

Republic of Ireland

Dublin
- Gropecunt Lane (defunct)
- "The Monto" (Montgomery Street) (defunct)

Italy

Milan
- Navigli (defunct)

Malta

Gżira (defunct)
Valletta
- Strait Street (defunct)

Netherlands

Alkmaar
- Achterdam
Amsterdam
- De Wallen

Norway

Bergen
- Vågen harbour
Oslo
- Tollbugata
- Skippergata
Stavanger
- The Harbour

Portugal

Lisbon
- Cais do Sodré
- Intendente
Porto
Trindade, Porto|Trindade

Spain

Madrid
- Casa de Campo

Sweden

Göteborg
- Rosenlund
Stockholm
- Malmskillnadsgatan

Switzerland

Geneva
Rue de Bern

United Kingdom

England

Bolton
- Breightmet Street/Shiffnall Street
Bradford
- Manningham Lane
Bristol
- St.Pauls
- Stapleton Road, Easton
Doncaster
- Netherall
Leeds
- Spencer Place, Chapeltown, West Yorkshire|Chapeltown
- Harehills Lane, Harehills
Leicester
- Highfields, Leicestershire|South Highfields
London
- Gropecunt Lane (possible; defunct)
- Kings Cross, London|King's Cross
- Piccadilly Circus (defunct)
- Soho
Manchester
- Roberts House co-owned by Ben B. Balls., Canal Street
Plymouth
- Millbay, Plymouth|Millbay
- Union Street, Plymouth|Union Street (defunct)
Sheffield
- Broad Lane/Shalesmoor
Shrewsbury
- Grope Lane (possible; defunct)
Swindon
- Manchester Road, Swindon|Manchester Road/Gorse Hill
Wolverhampton
- All Saints, Wolverhampton|All Saints/Parkfield, Wolverhampton|Parkfield –

Northern Ireland

Belfast
- Linenhall Street

Scotland

Edinburgh
- Rose Street/Leith Walk/Coburg Street/Salamander Street (all defunct)
Glasgow
- Blythswood Square (defunct)

North America

Canada

British Columbia

Vancouver
- Downtown Eastside
- Seymour Street, Downtown Vancouver|Downtown

Ontario

Windsor, Ontario|Windsor
- Drouillard Avenue / Ford City Neighbourhood
Thunder Bay, Ontario|Thunder Bay
- Simpson Street
Toronto
- Dundas Square
- Yonge Street

Quebec

Montreal
- Saint Catherine Street

Mexico

Mexico City
- La Merced, Mexico City|La Merced
- Zona Rosa
Nuevo Laredo
- Zona de tolerancia

United States

Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage
- Spenard Road
Ketchikan, Alaska|Ketchikan
- Creek Street (defunct)

Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix
- Van Buren Street
Prescott, Arizona|Prescott
- Whiskey Row (defunct after 1956)

California

El Centro, California|El Centro
- Adams Avenue
Los Angeles
- Sunset Boulevard – Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood
- Western Avenue (Los Angeles)|Western Avenue – Hollywood
San Fernando Valley
- Sepulveda Boulevard
San Francisco, California|San Francisco
- Barbary Coast, San Francisco, California|Barbary Coast (defunct)
- Tenderloin, San Francisco, California|Tenderloin

Colorado

Denver
- East Colfax Avenue

Florida

Orlando, Florida|Orlando
- Orange Blossom Trail (OBT)

Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia

Atlanta
- Metropolitan Parkway (formerly known as Stewart Avenue)
Macon
- Broadway
Savannah
- River Street
Warner Robins
- Front Street

Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu
- Hotel Street

Illinois

Chicago, Illinois|Chicago
- The Levee (defunct)

Indiana

Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute
- Wabash Avenue (defunct)

Louisiana

New Orleans
- Storyville (defunct)
- Bourbon Street

Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore
- The Block (Baltimore)|The Block

Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts|Boston
- Ann Street, Boston|Ann Street (defunct)
- Combat Zone (Boston)|Combat Zone (defunct)
- Scollay Square (razed)

Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids
- Division Avenue

Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis
- Washington & Central Avenue

St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul
- Payne Avenue

Montana

Butte, Montana|Butte
- Venus Alley (defunct) pavilion n5445

Nevada

Reno
- Fourth Street

New York

New York City
- Hunt's Point
- Tenderloin, Manhattan|Tenderloin (defunct)
- Times Square (defunct)

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City
- South Robinson Avenue (between 29th and 44th Streets)

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia
- Northern Liberties (defunct)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh
- Liberty Avenue (Pittsburgh)|Liberty Avenue (largely defunct)

Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville
- Dickerson Pike (somewhat defunct)
- Murfreesboro Pike (somewhat defunct)

Texas

Austin, Texas|Austin
- 6th Street (defunct; '60s & '70s)
- South Congress Avenue (defunct; '70s and '80s)
Waco, Texas|Waco
- The Reservation (defunct)

Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City
- Downtown Salt Lake City#Commercial Street|Commercial Street (defunct)

Washington, DC

Washington, D.C
- 14th Street Northwest and Southwest (Washington, D.C.)|14th Street (defunct)
- Pennsylvania Avenue (between 10th and 15th Streets) (defunct)
- Vermont Avenue, NW