Roofing in the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country of savanna plateau in the north and tropical forest in the south-west, drained by the Ubangi river on which the capital, Bangui, stands. Its typical rural house has walls of sun-dried brick and a roof of thatch: wild grass in the savanna, palm fronds in the deep forest. Houses of cement block with metal-sheet roofs are associated with civil servants, merchants and institutions.

Climate and hazards

The climate is tropical, with a wet season of heavy rain and a hot dry season; in the dry season many people sleep outdoors. Thatched roofs must be renewed frequently because of termites. Demand for timber for building and firewood has contributed to deforestation around towns.

Roofing history

Little has been published on the long-term history of roofing in the CAR. During French colonial rule, mud-and-wattle construction was officially discouraged, though it never disappeared. Colonial-era buildings of cement block with metal roofs are still used by government departments and religious organisations.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

• Grass-thatched brick house: sun-dried brick walls with a roof thatched in wild grass, the common rural dwelling. Floors are of pounded earth and the interior may be partitioned.
• Palm-frond roofs in the forest zone, where fronds are laid over the roof frame.
• Mud-and-wattle houses, still built despite colonial-era discouragement.
• Granaries: basket-shaped granaries kept dry beneath thatched roofs are characteristic of Central Africa.

Villages are generally open, without enclosures, except among Muslim communities and those who follow their customs.

Roofing today

In Bangui, permanent buildings of cement block with metal roofing stand alongside houses adapted to the climate, with sun-dried brick walls and grass or palm-frond roofs. Housing type depends mainly on wealth and partly on ethnic background, and few of these houses have electricity, piped water or road access.

Sources and gaps

No national figures on roof materials were found in published sources. No individually documented landmark roofs were identified.

The main source is a general cultural survey. National survey data (for example from MICS), historical studies of pre-colonial architecture, and information on codes and industry: published information is limited.