Roofing in Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau, a small, low-lying country of estuaries, mangroves and the Bijagós archipelago, has a higher share of thatched roofs than most of its neighbours in recent household surveys. Most homes are now roofed with corrugated zinc or metal sheet, but straw thatch is still found on about one household in five.

Climate and hazards

The climate is tropical, with a heavy rainy season and a dry season. Low-lying coastal and island areas are exposed to humidity and salt air, which shorten the life of untreated metal and organic roofing alike.

Roofing history

Guinea-Bissau was a Portuguese colony until its independence was recognised in 1974. The round thatched house of Cabo Verde, the funco, is reported to have counterparts in Guinea-Bissau, reflecting the close historical ties between the mainland and the islands.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

• Straw thatch (palha): the main traditional roof, still common in rural areas.
• Palm-leaf roofs: survey categories include roofs of folha de cibe, the leaf of the cibe (Borassus) palm, and other palm or bamboo leaves.

Roofing today

In the unweighted 2018-19 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey sample (about 7,400 households):

Main roof material	Share of sampled households
Zinc or fibre cement	69.4%
Thatch (palhas)	20.1%
Metal or aluminium	7.3%
Tiles (telhas)	0.7%
Cibe leaf	0.3%
Cement	0.3%

Taken together, metal-type sheets (zinc, fibre cement, metal and aluminium) cover about three-quarters of homes, while concrete and tile roofs are rare.

Local roofing terms

• zinco (Portuguese/Kriol): metal roof sheet.
• palha (Portuguese): straw thatch.
• folha de cibe: cibe-palm leaf used for roofing.
• telha (Portuguese): roof tile.

Sources and gaps

Published research on Bissau-Guinean roofing is scarce. Detailed documentary evidence on the development of roofs in the country: published information is limited.

Survey figures are unweighted sample counts. No accessible sources were found on the vernacular architecture of the Bijagós islands or on building regulation and industry.