[foxylad]

Here in NZ most roofs are corrugated iron, and people love the sound of rain on them. Different cultures...

There is another good reason for our love affair with iron - we get a lot of earthquakes. An iron roof provides a lot of structural bracing, and it's negligible weight provides much less moment than slate or tile alternatives.

[WalterBright]

Ceramic roofs are very heavy, and as you say, they don't do so well in an earthquake. The house structure has to be designed to support it.

Wood shingles rot, are slippery when moldy, are an ideal habitat for wasps, burn, and generate a demand for old growth cedar (i.e. not sustainable).

[dzhiurgis]

Math checks out! I'm from Europe and my roof in Auckland is corrugated iron. I hate it when it rains.

My father's business is roofing. His client once ordered dog booth made from corrugated metal. Even dog hated it during the rain.