An African igloo
An igloo in Africa? Oh, that’s a silly idea? It would melt, you say?
Well, not necessarily. You see, “igloo” is the Eskimo word for
house—any kind of house. An igloo can be made of wood, stone, mud,
canvas, skins, grass—or snow. So you could have an igloo in Africa.
But not a snow igloo.
In North Africa, where it is hot and dry, mud is a good building
material. The Egyptians use mud bricks that have been dried in the sun.
And people in the Sudan make huts with mud walls. They plaster the mud
over branches.
The Southwestern United States is also hot and dry. Houses here are
often made of adobe. Adobe is the Spanish name for sun-dried bricks.
Mud or adobe houses have thick walls to keep them cool. Many have flat
roofs where people can eat and sleep on cool nights.
Afghanistan
Houses made of mud or stone are just right for the hot, dry climate of
this Asian kingdom.
Nigeria
The city of Kano is in northern Nigeria, where it is hot and dry. The
people live in mud houses. Thick walls help to keep the houses cool.
