Home

Home is a location that serves as a place of residence for an individual, family, household, or several families in a tribe. It is often a house, apartment, or other building, or alternatively a mobile home, houseboat, yurt or any other portable shelter. A principle of constitutional law in many countries, related to the right to privacy enshrined in article 12 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is the inviolability of the home as an individual's place of shelter and refuge.

Types of Homes

Homes typically provide areas and facilities for sleeping, preparing food, eating and hygiene. Larger groups may live in a nursing home, children's home, convent or any similar institution. A homestead also includes agricultural land and facilities for domesticated animals. Where more secure dwellings are not available, people may live in the informal and sometimes illegal shacks found in slums and shanty towns. More generally, "home" may be considered to be a geographic area, such as a town, village, suburb, city, or country.

Traditional Homes

Traditional homes in agrarian societies will often consist of common materials with a community that is sourced locally. These include mud-brick homes, grass thatched homes, and homes made from wood.

Modern Homes

Modern homes in many Western countries will contain one or more bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen or cooking area, and a living room. A home may have a separate dining room, or the eating area may be integrated into another room. Some large homes in North America have a recreation room. In traditional agriculture-oriented societies, domestic animals such as chickens or larger livestock (like cattle) may share part of the house with humans.

Cultural Significance

The concept of home has a significant place in human culture. It is often associated with family, as seen in expressions like "making a home," "home is where the heart is," and "home sweet home." Many cultures have a recognition of the home as a place of personal autonomy and privacy, particularly in Western cultures.

See Also

• House
• Apartment
• Mobile home
• Nursing home