Roofing in the Gambia

The Gambia, mainland Africa's smallest country, follows the Gambia River inland from the Atlantic and is surrounded by Senegal. Its roofs are dominated by corrugated metal sheet, with thatch still used on a minority of rural houses and concrete slabs on some urban buildings.

Climate and hazards

The climate is Sudano-Sahelian: a single rainy season of a few months followed by a long dry season with harmattan dust. Heat gain through metal roofs is a comfort issue. Along the river, buildings at historic sites suffer from erosion and flooding.

Roofing history

The river was a focus of European trade from the 15th century. Portugal acquired Kunta Kinteh (James) Island from local rulers by 1456 and began a fort there; the British later built Fort Bullen (1826) and the Six-Gun Battery (1816) at the river mouth. These sites, linked to the Atlantic slave trade, survive mostly as ruins.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

Thatch is the traditional rural roof, and household surveys still record it on about one home in ten. Neighbouring Casamance in Senegal is home to the Diola impluvium house, a thatched house that collects rainwater in a central basin.

Roofing today

Gambian household surveys since at least 2003 have classified roofs as thatch, corrugated iron, asbestos, cement/concrete or other. In the unweighted 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey sample (about 7,400 households):

Main roof material	Share of sampled households
Metal or tin sheet	82.0%
Thatch or palm leaf	10.4%
Cement	2.3%
Ceramic tiles	0.2%
Palm or bamboo	0.2%

Notable roofs

The Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites World Heritage property consists largely of ruins; the Maurel Frères building at Juffureh was restored in 1996 and the CFAO building at Albreda has also been restored.

Sources and gaps

Gambian roofing traditions: published information is limited. No roofs of particular heritage note were documented.

Survey figures are unweighted sample counts. Published sources on Gambian vernacular roof construction, regulation and industry: published information is limited.