Cameroon - Housing

Differences in climate, building materials, and patterns of living have resulted in a variety of traditional structures in rural areas. After 1946, the French government took measures to cope with growing urbanization, particularly in Douala and Yaoundé. In 1976, 38.2% of all housing units were detached dwellings. There is still a housing shortage and many people still live in thatched hovels of mud and wood, with no running water or modern facilities. It has been estimated that there has been a housing deficit of at least 70,000 units per year. The Cameroonian government has engaged in housing improvement and construction programs in urban and rural areas.