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A red-light district is a neighborhood where prostitution is a common part of everyday life. 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 but supposedly victimless) nature of the business.

There are several explanations as to why red lights gained this particular meaning. According to one theory, it is based on the Biblical story of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who aided the spies of Joshua and identified her house with a scarlet rope. Others claim that it comes from the red lanterns carried by railroad workers, which were left outside brothels when the workers entered.

One of the many terms used for a red-light district in Japanese is akasen (赤線), literally meaning "red-line", apparently of independent origins from the English term.

Famous red-light districts

Africa

Egypt

• Wagh el Birket – Cairo (defunct)

Kenya

• Koinange Street – Nairobi

Morocco

• Avenue Lalla Yacout – Casablanca
• Petit Socco – Tangier

South Africa

• Point Road – Durban

Tunisia

• Rue Abdallah Guech – Tunis
• Manar II – Tunis

Asia

Cambodia

• Svay Pak – Phnom Penh

China, PRC

• Dashilan – Beijing
• Portland Street, Mong Kok – Hong Kong
• Simalu – Shanghai (pre-People's Republic)

India

• Mehboob Ki Kehandi – Hyderabad
• Sonagachi – Kolkata (formerly Calcutta)
• Kamathipura – Mumbai (formerly Bombay)
• G.B. Road – New Delhi

Japan

• Kabukicho – Tokyo
• Roppongi – Tokyo
• Yoshiwara – Tokyo (Edo) (in Edo period)

Korea, South

• Mia-ri – Seoul

Malaysia

• Brickfields – Kuala Lumpur
• Chow Kit – Kuala Lumpur

Pakistan

• Hira Mandi – Lahore

Philippines

• Fields Avenue – Angeles City (Clark Air Base)

Singapore

• Geylang – Singapore

Thailand

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

Austalia and Oceania

Australia

• The Valley – Brisbane
• St Kilda – Melbourne
• Kings Cross – Sydney

New Zealand

• Karangahape Road – Auckland
• Vivian Street – Wellington

Europe

Austria

• Praterstrasse – Vienna
• Spittelberg – Vienna (defunct)

Belgium

• Schipperskwartier – Antwerp
• Rue d'Aerschot/Aarschotstraat – Brussels

Croatia

• Ljudevit Gaj Street (Gajeva) – Zagreb

Czech Republic

• Břetislavova – Prague (defunct)
• Perlovka – Prague

Denmark

• Istedgade – Copenhagen

Finland

• Aleksis Kiven katu – Helsinki

France

• Boulevard de Clichy – Paris (defunct)
• Pigalle – Paris

Germany

• Bahnhofsviertel – Frankfurt
• Reeperbahn – Hamburg
• Schwabing – Munich (defunct)

Hungary

• József körút/Rákóczi tér – Budapest

Republic of Ireland

• Gropecunt Lane – Dublin (defunct)
• Leeson Street/Mespil Road – Dublin

Italy

• Navigli – Milan (defunct)
• Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele – Rome

Netherlands

• Achterdam – Alkmaar
• De Wallen – Amsterdam

Portugal

• Cais do Sodré – Lisbon
• Intendente – Lisbon

Serbia

• Picin Park – Belgrade

Spain

• Raval/Barri Xines – Barcelona
• Calle Luna – Madrid

Sweden

• Rosenlundsgatan – Gothenburg
• Malmskillnadsgatan – Stockholm

United Kingdom

England

• Breightmet Street – Bolton
• Gropecunt Lane – London (defunct)
• Kings Cross – London
• Piccadilly Circus – London (defunct)
• Soho – London
• Hockley Village – Nottingham
• Gropecunt Lane – Oxford (defunct)
• Millbay – Plymouth
• Union Street – Plymouth (defunct)

Scotland

• Coburg Street – Edinburgh (defunct)
• Salamander Street – Edinburgh (defunct)

North America

Canada

British Columbia

• Downtown Eastside – Vancouver

Quebec

• Saint Catherine Street / Saint Lawrence Boulevard – Montreal

Mexico

• La Merced – Mexico City
• Zona Rosa – Mexico City
• Zona Norte – Tijuana

United States

Alaska

• Creek Street – Ketchikan (defunct)

California

• Sunset Boulevard – Hollywood, Los Angeles
• Western Avenue – Hollywood, Los Angeles
• Sepulveda Boulevard – San Fernando Valley
• Barbary Coast – San Francisco (defunct)
• Tenderloin – San Francisco
• Beacon Street – San Pedro (defunct)

Colorado

• East Colfax Avenue – Denver

Florida

• Cervantes Street – Pensacola
• Nebraska Avenue – Tampa

Hawaii

• Hotel Street – Honolulu

Illinois

• The Levee – Chicago (defunct)

Indiana

• Wabash Avenue – Terre Haute (defunct)

Louisiana

• Storyville – New Orleans (defunct)
• Chef Menteur Highway – New Orleans East (pre-Hurricane Katrina)

Maryland

• The Block – Baltimore

Massachusetts

• Combat Zone – Boston (defunct)
• Scollay Square – Boston (razed)

Michigan

• Division Avenue – Grand Rapids

Montana

• Venus Alley – Butte (defunct)

Nevada

• Fourth Street – Reno

New Hampshire

• Marcy Street – Portsmouth (1890s–1912)

New York

• Tenderloin – New York City (defunct)
• Times Square – New York City (defunct)

Pennsylvania

• Northern Liberties – Philadelphia (defunct)

Texas

• The Reservation – Waco (defunct)

Utah

• Commercial Street – Salt Lake City (defunct)

Washington, DC

• 14th Street – Washington, D.C (defunct)
• Pennsylvania Avenue (between 10th and 15th Streets) – Washington, D.C (defunct)
• Vermont Avenue, NW – Washington, D.C

• Prostitution
• Red-light districts