Central Africa

Central Africa is dominated by the Congo Basin, one of the world’s largest tropical rainforest and river systems. The Congo River and its tributaries organize much of the region, while the Cameroon highlands, the Lake Chad basin and Atlantic coastal zones add strong geographic contrasts. Equatorial humidity prevails across the central forest belt, transitioning toward tropical savannas and drier conditions to the north and south. Dense waterways and forest cover have long shaped mobility, settlement and infrastructure. Building traditions likewise draw directly on local ecologies: in humid forest areas, timber, raffia and other palm fibres, reeds, bamboo or cane, thatch and earth have supported lightweight or readily renewable structures, often with strongly pitched roofs suited to intense rainfall. In savanna and drier northern areas, earth and mud construction becomes more prominent, alongside distinctive sculpted earthen forms. Construction practices vary widely between communities and are closely tied to available vegetation, seasonal conditions and social traditions.