It is very common to have walls surrounding most buildings in tropical countries. However, walls are rare and fences are more common in the colder(LOL) countries. Is it just a question of style or does it have anything to do with the climate?
Walls would make it easier for the snow to pileup around a building making it inaccessible. Removal of snow would also be complicated by the presence of solid structures hidden below layers of snow. Such obstructions would have to be properly marked, if heavy machinery is to be used for clearing the snow. Moreover, as the snow melts, walls without proper drainage could cause the formation of puddles and stagnation of water. These seem reasonable enough to have fences instead of walls.
Forts had walls to act as a barrier to invading armies. With the advent of modern warfare, walls have lost their significance as defenses against human armies. Cattle and wild animals can be contained within or outside walls.
