Where are the Atlas Mountains on the map. Atlas mountains. Physical map of the Earth's hemispheres in Russian

Initially, only part was called Atlas mountain system within ancient Mauretania, that is, the west and center of the modern Atlas.

The Atlas Mountains separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts from the Sahara Desert. Populated mainly by Arabs and Berbers (Morocco), including Kabyles (Algeria).

The Atlas Mountains consist of ranges:

• Tell Atlas,
• High Atlas,
• Middle Atlas,
• Saharan Atlas,
• inland plateaus (High Plateaus, Moroccan Meseta) and plains.

The High Atlas Mountains are home to the last of the Berbers who have fully preserved their traditions. Natural beauty here are some of the most impressive in the entire Maghreb, which is why this region is very popular among lovers hiking. Remote and isolated mountain peaks most years are covered with snow.

Origin of mountains

The Atlas Mountains are the mountains of Africa, the origin of which is associated with many legends.

The Legend of the Titan Atlas

The ancient Greek legends and poems of Homer (between the 12th and 7th centuries BC) telling about the structure of the world brought the story of the great titan Atlas to the present day. It was believed that he lived on far west, for which the Greeks at that time could take the African coast, and has enormous strength - such that it is enough to support the pillars separating the firmament from the earth (this is exactly how our distant ancestors imagined the place and appearance of the earth in space). He was associated with the ocean and was considered a sea titan, treacherous and rebellious. But justice was also found for him: Atlas, who in some legends was also called the African king, had the imprudence to refuse hospitality to the legendary Greek hero Perseus. And Perseus at that time was already the owner of the magical head of the Gorgon Medusa, which turned anyone who looked at her into stone. Frustrated by the behavior of Atlas, Perseus showed the titan the ill-fated head of Medusa and turned him into the African Mount Atlas. Myths are myths, but in the north-west of Africa, where Atlas allegedly lived, there is an extended ridge - the Atlas Mountains.

They are known under this name in Europe, but local population there is no single name - only the names of individual ridges.

Geology

Atlas is a whole mountainous country. It stretches from the shores of the Atlantic, crossing the African continent from west to east almost along the coast Mediterranean Sea(Tell Atlas ridge). It is so extensive that zones change here - tropical to subtropical, providing very contrasting landscapes: mountains and traces of ancient glaciation at their most high peaks, flowering oases, desert (Sahara Range), rivers and sebkhas (salt lakes).

In the north and west, the vegetation up to altitudes of 800 m is similar to ordinary forests characteristic of the Mediterranean: picturesque thickets of evergreen bushes and cork oaks are reminiscent of Southern Europe. The south and inland areas have an arid climate, so the main species that survive here are grasses, feather grass and wormwood. Higher belts form evergreen forests of cork and holm oak (up to 1200 m), higher (up to 1700 m) maples and conifers join them. Even higher (after 2200 m) these forests are replaced by coniferous ones, in which a valuable, drought-resistant and pest-resistant species of timber tree predominates - Atlas cedar, which began to be cultivated in Europe in 1842 for decorative purposes.

The Atlas mountainous country is separated from the African tectonic platform by a fault in its southern part (South Atlas Fault).

Another fault runs along the Mediterranean coast, and it is this fault that provokes earthquakes in this part of the ridge.

The atlas was formed in three phases. The first stage of deformation (in the Paleozoic) affected only the Anti-Atlas as a result of the collision of continents. The second stage of the Mesozoic formed most of the modern High Atlas, then it rested on the ocean floor. During the Tertiary period, Atlas appeared on the surface.

Deposits of iron ore and copper, iron and lead, lime, rock salt and marble are developed in the mountains.

Population

The harsh mountains with a capricious climate are not an uninhabited region: there are rivers here (especially in the northwest), along which settlements have long been formed. Local rivers, which are fed by rainwater and often have a “temporary” character, are called oueds by the Arabs. They even experience floods in winter, but in summer they dry up almost completely, especially in the southern and inland regions.

The Berbers (indigenous peoples of North Africa) adapted to live in such conditions; they survived all the historical vicissitudes of this region and remained staunch inhabitants of the inhospitable mountains. There are differences between them both in language and in their way of life. The Berbers of the western Atlas Mountains are called Shilluh. They lead a more sedentary lifestyle, live in houses, engage in farming and successfully master a number of crafts. Their villages are most often scattered far from each other.

Farming here requires titanic labor, since first you need to create your own plot. There is often no soil on the rocky, weathered slopes of mountains, so future farmers look for places in the hollows where soil has washed or applied, and from there they carry it in baskets on their heads to their plot. Precious soil is placed in special terraces, which are hollowed out in the rocks. Then you need to take care of this soil so that it does not get washed away by rain. The plots can be so small that it is impossible to process them with a plow and everything has to be done by hand.

Residents of such villages are also involved in sheep breeding. But their neighbors from the eastern part of the mountains - the Masigs - still live in caves and tents, which, apparently, is more convenient during their active movements, because the Masigs are excellent cattle breeders: the stunted vegetation of the slopes serves as food for the livestock. You can climb to higher mountain valleys, where the grass is juicier. Some Berber tribes are exclusively pastoralists, but they also have permanent villages to which they return after grazing in the mountains, where they live in temporary camps.

The Berbers represent mainly the Moroccan part of the mountain inhabitants. On the Algerian side, they were also mastered by the Kabyles (a local variety of Berbers). Recently, people have noticeably influenced the landscape - in the north, closer to the coast, there is less natural vegetation, the area of ​​artificially irrigated land has increased, on which citrus fruits, grains are grown, olive and eucalyptus trees, and date palms are cultivated. And peach and apricot orchards, pomegranate plantations and vineyards can now be seen near private buildings. These interventions in the ecosystem even gave rise to a number of problems: for example, deforestation in some places led to soil erosion.

Mountain exploration

The existence of these mountains was discussed by the Phoenicians, who actively traveled around the world, and then by the ancient Greeks. And the Romans - in 42 the Roman commander Gaius Suetonius Paulinus (1st century) crossed the mountains. And in II century, the Greek wandering philosopher, Orator and writer Maximus of Tyre had already compiled a fairly detailed description of the mountains for that time.

But the world scientific community was able to significantly expand its understanding of this mountainous country only in the 19th century, when the outstanding German explorer of Africa Gerhard Rolfe (1831-1896) crossed the High Atlas under the guise of a Muslim in the service of the Moroccan Sultan and studied the largest oases and went deeper into the Sahara from Algeria. It was he who significantly refined the map of the ridges and created two books from descriptions of his routes and impressions.

Tourists began to come here for explorers, they are attracted by sunrises and sunsets in the mountains, beautiful views, many migratory birds, mountain oases (like Shebika in Tunisia), centers of life in the desert (like the Sauf group of oases in Algeria), date oases of Morocco and the palace Pasha of Marrakech Thami el Glaoui.

• Typically, monkeys (macaques) live in temperate latitudes and prefer Asia. But in the Atlas Mountains there is only one species that lives not only in this difficult climate, but is also the only monkey species living naturally in southern Europe (in Gibraltar) - these are the Magots, barbary monkeys, or Barbary (Maghrebian) macaques. Moreover, the Atlas Mountains region is considered their homeland. One version even admits that this species previously lived in different regions of Europe, and the colony in Gibraltar is simply the only thing left. Magoths have remarkable habits. For example, males can choose their favorite from among not only their own, but also other people’s cubs, and then they will be courted in every possible way and proudly shown to their comrades. The cubs are also shown to enemies - among the Magoths, this diplomatic technique can reduce the enemy’s aggression.
• Atlas cedar oil is an excellent antiseptic and fat breaker. It has long been used for medicinal purposes, for the production of mummifying balms, and is still used in cosmetology and perfumery.
• A local wild grass called "alpha" can be used to make high-grade paper: its fibers produce the so-called "false horsehair", suitable even for weaving. In some places they try to grow it specially.
• The prominent British politician Winston Churchill is also little known as an artist: he is believed to have painted his only painting during the Second World War in 1943 during his meeting with American President Theodore Roosevelt in Casablanca, watching the sun set over the Atlas Mountains from this Moroccan city .
• Even in extreme heat, reaching +40°C, local residents can be seen in warm jackets and knitted hats with a piece of cardboard instead of a visor. In hot and dry climates, warm clothing is no less useful than in the cold.
• Perhaps in North Africa until the end of the 19th century. there was a bear. The Atlas brown bear lived in the area of ​​the Atlas Mountains and areas that have now become part of the Sahara Desert, as evidenced by fossil remains.
• The first film set for the film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was located in one of the villages of the Atlas Mountains. To adapt to filming at an altitude of more than 4000 m, the actors had to acclimatize.
• In the Atlas Mountains there is an amazing butterfly - the Atlas peacock-eye, whose wingspan can reach 30 cm, which is why from afar it is sometimes mistaken for a bird. It scares off its enemies with a specific coloring: the edge of the front wing is curved and colored in such a way that it resembles the head of a snake.
• To help herd livestock and protect personal property, the Berbers of the Atlas Mountains have used a local breed of dog, the Atlas Shepherd, or Aidi, for hundreds of years. These human assistants different parts The countries are called differently: Aidi - in Morocco, Kabyle dogs and Chauya - in Algeria.

The Atlas Mountains are located in the extreme northwest of Africa. They are a system of complexly branched ridges stretching for almost 2000 km from southwest to northeast. Their average height 1200-1500 m. In the south, the border with the Sahara is not clearly defined everywhere; in general it coincides with the southern foot of the Atlas mountain ranges.

The Atlas Mountains are located on the border of the Mediterranean and the Sahara; this country is characterized by a number of natural features characteristic of both Mediterranean and desert tropical landscapes. In some places, Saharan landscapes penetrate north into the mountain system. Typical

Mediterranean landscapes occupy a narrow strip of coastline no more than 150 km wide.

The Atlas Mountains are heterogeneous in tectonics and geological structure. Their northern part - the Er-Rif and Tell-Atlas ridges - was created by Alpine folding. The rest of the mountain system is formed by fragmented Hercynian structures involved in Paleogene tectonic movements. At the end of the Neogene, the mountainous country of the Atlas experienced strong movements of a vertical nature, which were accompanied by processes of volcanism, determined its modern outlines and separated it from the mountains of Southern Europe. Frequent earthquakes indicate ongoing tectonic activity.

The relief of the Atlas Mountains is characterized by strong erosional dissection. Deep gorges cut through the high ridges, with steep exposed slopes and sharp peaks; the internal plateaus are crossed by a system of channels devoid of permanent watercourses. Physical weathering processes occur intensively.

In the Atlas Mountains there are northern and southern ranges, separated by a strip of internal plains and plateaus corresponding to intermountain troughs.

Northern Ranges - Er Rif in the west and Tell Atlas in the east they are separated by the Sheliff River valley. These young folded mountains, 2000-2500 m high, stretch along the Mediterranean coast. They drop steeply to the sea, bordering bays convenient for navigation, or are separated from the sea by a narrow strip of low-lying coastal plain. The Mediterranean coast experiences uplifts and, in places, subsidence. Coastal terraces are almost not expressed.

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Er-Rif (Rif Atlas) is a complex mountain range, highly dissected by erosion and most elevated in the central part. Its northern, limestone slopes are steep and precipitous; southern, shale - more flat. Tell Atlas forms three mountain ranges parallel to the coast. The ridge reaches its greatest height in the dissected crystalline massif of Djurjur (2300 m). In other places, the mountains are composed of limestone, clay, and marl. Karst is widely developed in limestones.

The southern ranges of the Atlas Mountains are folded and blocky. From the coast Atlantic Ocean the ridge stretches to the northeast High Atlas. In the Toubkal massif it reaches 4165 m - the highest height for the entire mountain system. The High Atlas is composed of Precambrian crystalline rocks. Its ridges are cut through by many river valleys, have jagged peaks and preserve traces of Quaternary glaciation - cirques, trough valleys and moraine ridges. East of the High Atlas stretches Middle Atlas. In its western part, it is a limestone, heavily karst plateau, broken by faults, with low extinct volcanic cones along the fault lines. Its eastern part is dominated by parallel anticlinal ridges separated by wide synclinal valleys. The High and Middle Atlas form the Moroccan Highlands. South of the High Atlas there is a ridge Anti-Atlas, representing the edge of the African Platform, uplifted by Cenozoic movements. Its continuation to the northeast is the ridge Saharan Atlas. These ridges are separated by narrow waterless gorges.

They are buried in rocky screes, and physical weathering is actively occurring in them.

Between the zones of the northern and southern ridges lies a strip of inland plains and plateaus, extending from the Atlantic Ocean northeast to the Mediterranean coast. Behind the narrow Atlantic accumulative lowland in the west, it rises stepwise Moroccan Meseta, adjacent to the Moroccan highlands. To the east are located high plateaus, bounded from the south by the Anti-Atlas and Saharan Atlas. The plateaus occupy a significant area and consist of vast basins separated by gentle rises.

Climatic conditions different parts of the Atlas Mountains are not the same. The northern coast and ranges have a typically subtropical Mediterranean climate, with dry, hot summers and mild, wet winters. In winter, sea air of temperate latitudes dominates. Significant amounts of precipitation are brought by westerly winds from the Atlantic. It rains from November to May, with a maximum in December-January (when the polar front occupies its southernmost position). In the west (Er Rif and Jurjur) over 800 mm of moisture falls per year, mainly in the form of heavy rains; to the east the amount of precipitation decreases sharply, dropping to 300-200 mm near the Gulf of Gabes. Average temperatures in the winter months are higher than in Southern Europe (from +10 to +15°C). Almost every year there are short-term cold spells caused by the invasion of continental temperate air in the rear of cyclones. They are accompanied by snowfall in the mountains. Snow falls very rarely and quickly on the coast

Atlas Mountains 167

melts. In summer, this area is filled with tropical marine air, coming with northwest, north and northeast winds along the periphery of the Azores High. Downward air currents prevent precipitation; the weather is dry at this time. Summer temperatures are high, they rise from west to east from + 24 to +27 ° C and are only moderated by breezes on the coast. Sometimes hot and dry sirocco winds break through from the Sahara, raising the temperature to +35- + 40 °C and sharply reducing the relative humidity of the air.

The climate of the interior of the Atlas Mountains is sharply continental, arid and dry, with significant seasonal temperature ranges and, due to the high altitude of the area, quite harsh.

The interior of the Atlas - "a cold country with a hot sun"

In winter, a local anticyclone with continental air of temperate latitudes forms in the interior regions. Winters are quite cold, with average monthly temperatures dropping to

8---- + 5°C, and in closed depressions

and in high mountains they often drop to -10 °C and below. The tops of the mountains in winter are covered with snow, the thickness of which reaches 2 m. In the High and Middle Atlas, snow lies for more than 5 months. In summer the weather is hot and dry. Daytime temperatures are + 26 - + 28°C, maximum - up to + 50°C (with a hot southern wind). Mountain ranges block moist air masses from entering the interior, and precipitation there is less than 500 mm per year. Maximum precipitation

winter everywhere. Agriculture in almost the entire region requires artificial irrigation.

The river network of the Atlas Mountains is poorly developed. The rivers are fed mainly by rain, and only those rivers that flow from the Moroccan highlands and the Jurjour massif additionally receive snow nutrition. Permanent watercourses irrigate areas adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The most large rivers- Sheliff (700 km) and Muluya. They do not dry out in the summer, although costs fluctuate sharply throughout the year. In winter, water flow in Sheliff reaches 1400 m 3 /s, in summer it drops to 4 m 3 /s. In the interior of the Atlas there is a network of dry and dry riverbeds (wa-di), filled with water only after irregular rainfall. The high plateaus are characterized by vast, drainless salt lakes - shottas, which remain dry and covered with a salt crust for a significant part of the year.

In vegetation and soil cover, as well as in relief, climate and hydrography, there are differences between the coastal and inland regions of the Atlas Mountains. On the coast and in the lower parts of the mountain slopes (up to an altitude of 400-500 m), thickets of hard-leaved evergreen shrubs (maquis) of myrtle, gorse, broom, cistus, oleander, strawberry and olive trees are developed on brown soils. However, most of the coast and adjacent foothill areas are plowed and occupied by citrus, olive, fruit, vineyards and grain crops.

Above the maquis (up to 1200-1300 m) forests of evergreen cork oak grow, the second tier and undergrowth of which consist of plants typical of the maquis; entwines tree trunks

168 Africa. Regional overview

ivy. The forests are located on leached brown soils.

Oak forests are replaced by mixed forests (from an altitude of 1200-1300 m), then coniferous forests (about 1800-2000 m). Mixed forests consist of evergreen species (holm oak), as well as trees with falling leaves (Lusitanian oak) and conifers (Atlas cedar); mountain forest brown soils develop under them. Coniferous forests are formed by Atlas cedar, which tolerates cold well, as well as yew. The understory and undergrowth of mixed and coniferous forests consist of maple, chestnut, wild pear, as well as holly and barberry.

The leeward slopes of Tell Atlas are occupied by forests of Aleppo pine with an undergrowth of Berber thuja, sparse juniper bushes, and open forests of holm oak with an undergrowth of Aleppo pine.

The upper border of the forest is formed by twisted, low-growing juniper trees.

velnikami and lies at an altitude of about 3000 m. Higher up, among rocky placers, in depressions there are spots alpine meadows, significantly inferior in their species composition to the mountain meadows of Europe. The tops of the highest ridges are devoid of vegetation and are covered with snow for a significant part of the year.

The internal plateaus and valleys of the Atlas Mountains with poor gray soils, often saline soils (salt marshes) are dry steppes and semi-deserts. Xerophytic turf grasses, rare shrubs and trees grow here. Grasses dominate over shrubs in the driest central and southern regions. The main plants are feather grass, alpha grass, wormwood, gorse, jujube bush, and halophytes grow around the chotts. In Morocco, the low-growing chamerops palm and argan tree grow among the cereals; In Tunisia there are groves of coniferous trees and gum acacia. Shrubs and low-growing trees are characteristic of areas with better moisture, often forming dense thickets; underneath them, on the carbonate weathering crust, the soils of Terra Rossa develop.

The Anti-Atlas and Sahara Atlas ranges, forming a mountain barrier on the border with the Sahara, already have typically desert landscapes. Only on the upper parts of the northern mountain slopes and on peaks that receive little rainfall are rare groves of Aleppo pine, arborvitae, holm oak (in the Saharan Atlas) and juniper (in the Anti-Atlas). At the southern foot of the mountains there are rare oases in which date palms are cultivated.

Animal world The atlas combines views of Southern Europe and Africa.

Sahara 169

There are many rodents here (hares, jerboas), and herbivores - hyraxes - can be found here. Among the predators, jackals, civets, wild cats and hyenas are ubiquitous. A tailless macaque lives on the rocks. Lots of lizards, snakes, various insects. Agriculture periodically suffers from locust attacks.

Sahara

The Sahara occupies a vast territory. It stretches from the Atlantic coast to the Red Sea and from the Atlas Mountains and Mediterranean coast to a line passing through the lower reaches of the Senegal River, Lake Chad, Khartoum on the Nile and Massawa on the Red Sea coast. The length of the Sahara from north to south is about 2000 km, from west to east - 6000 km, area - 8.7 million km 2. The landscapes of tropical deserts dominate here.

The Sahara is entirely located within the African platform. The surface of the territory is covered with strata of limestone, sandstone and clayey rocks of different ages. They form stratified plains and plateaus 300-500 m above sea level. In places, an ancient folded foundation protrudes to the surface or ancient intrusions emerge, forming crystalline plains and high highlands. Cuest ridges are developed in areas of the platform with a monoclinal structure.

In the west of the Sahara there are low plateaus of crystalline rocks (Karret-Yetti, El-Eghlab). They surround the vast El-Juf basin (syneclise of the platform) and the Er-Rir depression (pre-Atlas foothills).

deflection). Most of the trough is made up of sedimentary strata and is expressed in relief by inclined, strongly dissected plateaus.

In the central part of the Sahara rise the Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands. They are composed of crystalline and volcanic rocks (volcanic peaks on Ahaggar, lava plateaus and extinct volcanoes on Tibesti). The main peak of Tibesti is the extinct volcano Emi-Koussi (3415 m) with a large crater - highest point Sugars. Recent volcanic activity is evidenced by hot springs and emissions of sulfur dioxide gases. Mountain ranges have a highly dissected topography, their slopes are steep and rocky; a mass of coarse debris has accumulated at the foot.

The Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands are surrounded by cuesta ridges, especially well developed on the northern side. The cuestas are separated by wide longitudinal valleys, their ledges are dissected by dry transverse narrow gorges. To the north of the central Saharan highlands lies the tectonically highly fragmented Libyan Sahara with volcanic landforms (the Jebel es-Aswad plateau), rocky and sandy deserts. From the south, the peripheral parts of the Sudanese basins adjoin the highlands.

The east of the Sahara is occupied by the Libyan, Arabian and Nubian deserts. The Libyan desert does not have dry river beds, its north is occupied by lowlands, the rest is occupied by structurally stepped and remnant plateaus. Characterized by deep depressions and the world's largest accumulations of sand. The Qattara Depression (-133 m) is one of the deepest dry depressions on the globe. In the depressions there are the oases of Farafra, Bahariya, Dakhla and

170 Africa. Regional overview

Kharga. In the Arabian and Nubian deserts, the crystalline basement is elevated and in places covered by strata of Mesozoic sandstones. Here table plateaus rise up to 2000 m high, intersected by deep dry gorges, indicating strong erosional dissection in the previous wetter era. Short dry beds of ancient rivers are directed towards the Nile, their sources lie on the slopes of the Etbai ridge - a horst-block massif that survived the collapse of the arch of the Nubian-Arabian anteclise.

In the Sahara, due to processes of intense physical weathering, masses of clastic material have accumulated. About 20% of the area is occupied by sand accumulations (ergs). They are developed mainly in depressions between cuesta plateaus and in vast closed basins. Particularly large accumulations of sand in the Libyan Desert, where relative height the dunes reach 300 m, and in the northwestern part (Big Western and Big Eastern ergs). A significant part of the Sahara is occupied by rocky deserts (hamads), sand and pebble deserts (regs, serirs). Hamads are located on elevated areas and are composed of bedrock. Regs are distributed mainly on the slopes of tectonic basins and troughs, from where sandy material is washed out by water or carried away by the wind. Serirs lie in the lowest parts of the subsidence areas, occupying the bottoms of depressions (sebkhs).

Protective crusts, mainly limestone-gypsum, are widely developed in the Sahara. They protect vast plateaus from destruction and have different ages. The youngest of them are the Shotta in the Serir depressions.

In regs and hamadas, the crusts are more ancient and dense.

The climate of the Sahara is sharply continental and desert. Throughout the year, dry tropical air with low relative humidity (sometimes below 25%) prevails, and downward air currents (trade winds) predominate. Clouds over the Sahara are a rare phenomenon. The transparency and dryness of the air cause high insolation. The Sahara is one of the hottest deserts in the world, with sharp daily and annual temperature fluctuations. In summer, the heat reaches +50 °C and higher, the soil surface warms up to + 60 --- +80 °C.

The desert in July, with the exception of the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, is outlined by an isotherm of + 30 °C. The air is especially hot over the western part of the Sahara, covered by the +35 °C isotherm. Passing atmospheric depressions cause severe sand and dust storms - one of the main disasters of the desert. On hot days, with strong and uneven heating of the air, visibility conditions are distorted and mirages occur.

The absolute maximum temperature of the Earth was recorded in Tripoli (+58°C in the shade)

During the winter months the air is cooler and more stable. The central and northwestern parts of the Sahara are cooling significantly (up to 10 °C). Coastal areas, due to the moderating influence of the ocean and seas, have more high temperature. During the day the temperature stays around +20 --- +25°С,

At night, due to strong radiation, the earth's surface drops to 0 °C.

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Negative temperatures occur at the heights of the Sahara.

Much of the Sahara receives less than 50 mm of precipitation per year. In inland areas there is sometimes no rain for several years. The Libyan Desert and the area southwest of Ahaggar (Tanezruft) are especially rainless. A slight increase in precipitation (up to 100-150 mm) is typical for the Central Saharan highlands. Precipitation falls mainly in the form of occasional showers, sometimes of a torrential nature. A significant part of them evaporates before reaching the earth's surface. Other sources of moisture include fog (frequent in spring on the Atlantic coast) and dew. Along with the low amount of precipitation in the Sahara, evaporation is extremely high, so the moisture content of the territory is practically zero.

There is more precipitation on the northern and southern edges of the Sahara. In the north they fall in winter, spring and autumn and are associated with the penetration of cyclones of the polar front, in the south - in summer and are caused by cyclones of the tropical front.

There is almost no surface water in the Sahara. The desert is crisscrossed by a network of dry wadi beds. Most of them diverge from the Saharan highlands, which served as watersheds in the past, and end at closed depressions. Only after rare rains do they fill with water, which dries up after a few days, and sometimes hours. Many wadis have underground drainage.

The only major permanent watercourse in the Sahara is the Nile, which receives its nourishment from outside the desert. On the outskirts of the Sahara and in some mountainous areas there are lakes with clean water. They have survived from the previous wet period and are fed by underground watercourses.

kami. Shots are also available. Groundwater, which is richest in sandy deserts and wadis, is of great value. They are the main source of water supply in

Typical landscapes of the Sahara

villages outside the Nile Valley.

The soil and vegetation cover of the Sahara is sparse, discontinuous and extremely sparse. Vast areas are almost completely devoid of soil and vegetation. The soils are poorly developed, primitive, but contain many nutrients. The vast majority of plants are xerophytes and ephemerals, striking in their ability to adapt to harsh conditions. Ephemera after random rains in a short time

172 Africa. Regional overview

For some time they have time to germinate, produce flowers and fruits and again go into a dormant state, which can last for more than one year in anticipation of the next rain. Rocky deserts are especially lifeless. Sandy deserts absorb moisture from dew and rare rains. Sands are supported by long-rooted leafless shrubs, subshrubs and grasses. The most common among them are Saharan gorse, ephedra, and drine. Among the stones and on the sands you can find the rose of Jericho - a plant with a short stem and bent branches. Along the Atlantic coast, due to high air humidity, dew and fog, quite dense thickets of quinoa, as well as low-growing cactus-like spurges and lichens, have developed.

The Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands are better hydrated than other areas of the Sahara. Many rivers originate from their peaks, some of which are preserved.

It creates permanent watercourses in deep and shady gorges. Trees and shrubs climb high along them, forming quite dense thickets in places. Vegetation varies with altitude. In the lower, Saharan-tropical zone, typical representatives of the Sudanese flora (dum palm, acacia) are found; in the middle, Saharan-Mediterranean, oak, juniper, oleander, olive tree, myrtle and cypress grow. On the peaks, especially on Tibesti, there are patches of mountain-steppe vegetation.

One of the attractions of the Sahara is the oases, which are green spots among the vast desert spaces. They occur where there is water on or close to the surface. One of the largest oases in the world is the Nile Valley. Other oases arose near artesian wells. The main crop of the Saharan oases is the date palm, in the shade of which fruit trees and shrubs and cereals are grown.

U southern border Thickets of bushes and tough grasses appear in the Sahara. In the north, on the border with the Atlas region and on the Mediterranean coast, wild pistachios, oleanders, and jujubes are found.

The fauna of the Sahara is poor in species, but quite rich in individuals. Animals are adapted to harsh conditions, they are hardy, able to move quickly in search of water and food. Some of them are limited in their distribution to better moistened areas or water sources. The most typical for the Sahara are addax and oryx antelopes, gazelles, mountain goats, and among predators are jackals, hyenas, foxes, and cheetahs. Birds are represented by migratory and sedentary species, among the latter

Sudanese-Guinean country 173

desert raven, lizards predominate among reptiles, snakes and turtles are found. There are crocodiles preserved near rare bodies of water.

Between this plateau and the great desert. The Tell Mountains consist of separate groups, sometimes very sharply demarcated from each other by large valleys or vast plains; There are 11 such groups in the direction from W to E: Mountain chain Oujda Gadada, between the Muluya and Tafna rivers, with the peak of Jebel Fural (1400 m); Thessala ridge (1022 m), between pp. Tafna and Sig; Tlemcen Mountains, south of the previous ones, between the Moroccan border and Upper Sig, Durdus mons ancient, with the peak of Tumzait (1834 m); horn Saida chain, between the river. Sig and Mina; Jebel Vancherich group (2000 m), between Mina and Sheliff; The Algerian mountain range between Sheliff and the seashore, in the east to the Isser River, with Tagelza (1731 m) and the fertile plain of Metidje at an altitude of 1000-1640 m; Jergera (2317 m), between Isser and Oued Sagele; the southern chain of Dira-Wannuga to the south of Jergera with Dira (1810 m); Setif chain between Oued Sagel and the Constantine River, with Babor (1995 m); Numidian Mountains, between the Constantine River and Oued Sebus in the south to the Sbah Plain, with Jebel Bou Ghareb (1316 m); African mountain range with Serdch el-Ouda (1370), stretching between Medjerda and the seashore to Tunisia. To the south of these coastal chains, almost parallel to them, from Cape Good to the southwest. and W. a number of other mountain ranges stretch to 13° 20" east longitude, then continuing on the southern side of the Susa valley.

The space between both chains is filled with a plateau of chotts, or salt marshes, rising approximately 1000 m, which are located one after the other for more than 900 km and testify to a former connection with the sea (towards the east), like the more southern large chotts to the west. from the Gulf of Gabes, or Lesser Syrt. This plateau provides magnificent pastures for numerous herds of sheep and camels; in the oases there are villages of the shepherd population. The Sahara Mountains represent more connections among themselves; they form a series of narrow chains parallel to each other, occupying an average width of 150 km. In the middle and east. parts of individual chains reach significant heights and received special names; so, for example, Jebel Amur with its highest point El Gada (1657 m), rising to 1937 m Kzel with a wooded peak, two hours from Geriville, and Jebel Aures, which the ancients bore the name Aurasius mons, with the peaks of Sheliha (2398 m) and Mhammel (2306 m), the highest point in Algeria, covered with snow for 4 months of the year. The eastern spurs of A. in Tunisia serve mainly in the north. coast of the mentioned African mountain range, to the south - Jebel Um Debben, Jebel Shambi and Jebel Mehila (1445 m) adjacent to Aures and the mountain range stretching from Cape Good to the southwest with Jebel Barku and Jebel Silk. In addition, Tunisia is filled with many more small isolated hills.

In the Tel Atlas Mountains.

In Morocco, A. forms a continuous mountain range, called Idrar-Nderen among the Amasirgs, and Idrassen or Jebel Drann among the Kabyles, the height of which, according to Hooker, extends to 3960 m. This ridge divides the country into two parts, one of which has the descent to the N., the other to the S., since the Chott plateau does not extend further into Morocco. Here Rolfs found a passage between Fetz and the Tafilet oasis (2085 m), and Ball discovered the Tagerut Pass (3400 m) near Jebel Tezza (3500 m) and Miltzin (3476 m). The highest point of the main chain running from Cape Jira, or Aferni, to the northeast, seems to be Jebel Ayachin, rising to 4000 m. Parallel to A., separated from it by a large longitudinal valley, Susa stretches, starting from Jebel Autus and reaching Cape Nun, double chain Anti-Atlas, reaching 1157 m in height near Isgeder. On both sides of these chains lie vast, often interrupted plains, on the other side of which rise isolated mountain groups, such as, for example, on the north - the Reef (Errif, that is, the coastal chain) with Jebel Anna (2200 m), and on South - less significant heights of the Moroccan Sahara. Crystalline rocks appear only in the southern and northern regions. side A., in numerous coastal points of the Mediterranean Sea and in individual elliptical masses inland. In general, the geological composition of the Atlas Mountains is formed by: Silurian and Devonian transitional deposits, dolomites of an uncertain era, Jurassic Cretaceous formation, nummilite rocks and later deposits of the Tertiary period. The mineral products, as yet little discovered, consist chiefly of copper, iron and lead, rock salt, lime and marble. On the higher peaks of the mountains, snow lies for a significant part of the year, but on Miltzin it completely melts only once in 20 years; There are no glaciers at all. The northern slope is often covered with snow for several weeks in winter. - Initially, the population of the mountains, who in all likelihood ruled the country even before the invasion of the Vandals and Arabs, were Berbers, who also inhabit the West. Sugar. In the West A. they are called Shillukhi, live in houses, cultivate fertile valleys and successfully engage in crafts; to the east they are called parts Masigami, live in tents and caves, and are mainly engaged in raising livestock. Their adverbs are quite different from each other.

The article reproduces material from the Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron.

Atlas Mountains, Atlas, folded mountain system in the north-west. Africa, from several parallel chains. Length - 2,300 km. The atlas is divided into Moroccan and Algerian-Tunisian. Moroccan A. consists of three chains, of which the middle one, the highest, is called High A. (Tamjurt peak - 4,700 m). The Algerian-Tunisian A. consists of two chains, between which there is a plateau with salt lakes - shots. Northern slopes receive more rainfall; The plateau and southern slopes are dry. The population - sedentary and semi-nomadic Berbers (see) - is engaged in cattle breeding and gardening (olives, walnuts, figs). Iron, copper, lead, and zinc are mined in the Algerian Atlas. The Atlas Mountains are crossed by several railway lines; the most important of them: Bona - Tebessa, Philipville - Biskra, Oran - Figig.

The article reproduces text from the Small Soviet Encyclopedia.

Atlas(Greek Atlas), a mountainous country in the north-west. Africa. It extends from the Atlantic Ocean from west to east along the Mediterranean coast for almost 2000 km, through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Stands out as a special natural area Africa, sharply contrasting in landscapes due to mountainous terrain, exposure and climatic differences and position at the junction of the subtropical and tropical geographical zones.

Southern foothills of the Saharan Atlas.

The Atlas reaches its greatest height in Morocco, in the Er-Rif ridge, Middle and High Africa (Toubkal, 4165 m, the highest peak of Africa). To the west from the highest part the Moroccan Meseta descends in steps from a height of 1000-800 m. To the east, the Tel Atlas ridge extends along the Mediterranean coast, and the Saharan Atlas stretches along the southern edge. altitude 1200-1500 m. Between them at an altitude of 1000-1200 lie the plains of the Orano-Algerian Meseta. The spurs of the northern and southern ridges divide them into separate basins with large salt lakes - sebkhs (Chott esh-Shergi, etc.). In the east, the northern and southern ranges merge and are separated by a strip of meridional foothills from the coastal lowland of Tunisia.

The northern coastal part of Africa is an alpine folded structure with outcrops in the cores (Kabyle massifs) of ancient (Precambrian) metamorphic formations with a shell of thin Paleozoic and carbonate Triassic and Jurassic. The main role in the formation of this zone is played, however, by Cretaceous-Paleogene deposits, largely flysch. They form a system of tectonic nappes that moved from the north to the south and partially overlapped the foredeep made by the Molasse Miocene (Predrifsky, Predtelsky). In the structure of the more southern part of Africa and the West (Moroccan Meseta), a significant role is played by the geosynclinal Paleozoic strata, which experienced intense Hercynian tectogenesis. To the east, in the same strip (zone of the High Plateaus, including the Oran Meseta), relatively thin, weakly deformed shallow marine sediments of the Cretaceous and Paleogene and continental sediments of the Neogene lie on an older, probably Late Precambrian foundation. Even further south, in the zone of High and Saharan Africa, as well as in Middle Africa, the thickness of the Mesozoic increases and at the same time its folding noticeably increases. In the extreme east (in Tunisia), the folded structure is largely determined by highly plastic salt-bearing Triassic rocks. In the south, Africa is separated by a large fault (the South Atlas Fault) from the African Platform. Another fault with the subsidence of the central part of the Atlas structure runs along the Mediterranean coast, and manifestations of young volcanism and earthquakes are associated with it. Deposits of iron ores and polymetals are known in Azerbaijan.

Variegated lithology, climate fluctuations in the Pleistocene, and modern climatic differences determine the diversity of exogenous relief forms of Africa: on the highest peaks traces of ancient glaciation have been preserved (peaks, cirques, troughs, moraines); The ridges have dense and deep ancient erosional dissection. The interior areas are occupied by denudation and accumulative plains, cuesta ridges, and remnant plateaus. In the south, the mountain slopes are covered with gravelly screes, and physical weathering is actively occurring. In areas where limestone rocks are widespread, it is widely developed

The Atlas Mountains are the mountains of Africa. The ancient Greek legends and poems of Homer (between the 12th and 7th centuries BC) telling about the structure of the world brought the story of the great titan Atlas to the present day. It was believed that he lived in the far west, for which the Greeks at that time could take the African coast, and had enormous strength - such that it was enough to support the pillars separating the firmament from the earth (this is exactly how our distant ancestors imagined the place and view of the earth in space). He was associated with the ocean and was considered a sea titan, treacherous and rebellious. But justice was also found for him: Atlas, who in some legends was also called the African king, had the imprudence to refuse hospitality to the legendary Greek hero Perseus. And Perseus at that time was already the owner of the magical head of the Gorgon Medusa, which turned anyone who looked at her into stone. Frustrated by the behavior of Atlas, Perseus showed the titan the ill-fated head of Medusa and turned him into the African Mount Atlas. Myths are myths, but in the north-west of Africa, where Atlas allegedly lived, there is an extended ridge - the Atlas Mountains.
They are known by this name in Europe, but among the local population there is no single name - only the names of individual ridges. These mountains cross the territory of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and consist of several ranges: Tell Atlas (High Atlas), Middle Atlas and Saharan Atlas. Between them are plains and several internal plateaus - the High, Orano-Algerian and Moroccan Mesetas. The latter, from the most elevated part of the Er-Rif ridge, descends in terraces to the west.
Atlas is a whole mountainous country. It stretches from the coast, crossing the African continent from west to east almost along the coast (Tell Atlas ridge). It is so extensive that zones change here - tropical to subtropical, providing very contrasting landscapes: mountains and traces of ancient glaciation on their highest peaks, flowering oases, desert (Sahara Range), rivers and sebkhas (salt lakes).
In the north and west, the vegetation up to altitudes of 800 m is similar to the usual forests characteristic of the Mediterranean: picturesque thickets of evergreen bushes and cork oaks are reminiscent of southern Europe. The south and inland areas have an arid climate, so the main species that survive here are grasses, feather grass and wormwood. Higher belts form evergreen forests of cork and holm oak (up to 1200 m), higher (up to 1700 m) maples and conifers join them. Even higher (after 2200 m) these forests are replaced by coniferous ones, in which a valuable, drought-resistant and pest-resistant species of timber tree predominates - Atlas cedar, which began to be cultivated in Europe in 1842 for decorative purposes.
The Atlas mountainous country is separated from the African tectonic platform by a fault in its southern part (South Atlas Fault).
Another fault runs along the Mediterranean coast, and it is this fault that provokes earthquakes in this part of the ridge.
The atlas was formed in three phases. The first stage of deformation (in the Paleozoic) affected only the Anti-Atlas as a result of the collision of continents. The second stage of the Mesozoic formed most of the modern High Atlas, then it rested on the ocean floor. During the Tertiary period, Atlas appeared on the surface.
Deposits of iron ore and copper, iron and lead, lime, rock salt and marble are developed in the mountains.
The harsh mountains with a capricious climate are not an uninhabited region: there are rivers here (especially in the northwest), along which settlements have long been formed. Local rivers, which are fed by rainwater and often have a “temporary” character, are called oueds by the Arabs. They even experience floods in winter, but in summer they dry up almost completely, especially in the southern and inland regions.
The Berbers (indigenous peoples of North Africa) adapted to live in such conditions; they survived all the historical vicissitudes of this region and remained staunch inhabitants of the inhospitable mountains. There are differences between them both in language and in their way of life. The Berbers of the western Atlas Mountains are called Shilluh. They lead a more sedentary lifestyle, live in houses, engage in farming and successfully master a number of crafts. Their villages are most often scattered far from each other.
Farming here requires titanic labor, since first you need to create your own plot. There is often no soil on the rocky, weathered slopes of mountains, so future farmers look for places in the hollows where soil has washed or applied, and from there they carry it in baskets on their heads to their plot. Precious soil is placed in special terraces, which are hollowed out in the rocks. Then you need to take care of this soil so that it does not get washed away by rain. The plots can be so small that it is impossible to process them with a plow and everything has to be done by hand.

Residents of such villages are also involved in sheep breeding. But their neighbors from the eastern part of the mountains - the Masigs - still live in caves and tents, which, apparently, is more convenient during their active movements, because the Masigs are excellent cattle breeders: the stunted vegetation of the slopes serves as food for the livestock. You can climb to higher mountain valleys, where the grass is juicier. Some Berber tribes are exclusively pastoralists, but they also have permanent villages to which they return after grazing in the mountains, where they live in temporary camps.
The Berbers represent mainly the Moroccan part of the mountain inhabitants. On the Algerian side, they were also mastered by the Kabyles (a local variety of Berbers). Recently, people have noticeably influenced the landscape - in the north, closer to the coast, there is less natural vegetation, the area of ​​artificially irrigated land has increased, on which citrus fruits, grains are grown, olive and eucalyptus trees, and date palms are cultivated. And peach and apricot orchards, pomegranate plantations and vineyards can now be seen near private buildings. These interventions in the ecosystem even gave rise to a number of problems: for example, deforestation in some places led to soil erosion.
The existence of these mountains was discussed by the Phoenicians, who actively traveled around the world, and then by the ancient Greeks. And the Romans - in 42 the Roman commander Gaius Suetonius Paulinus (1st century) crossed the mountains. And in II century, the Greek wandering philosopher, Orator and writer Maximus of Tyre had already compiled a fairly detailed description of the mountains for that time.
But the world scientific community was able to significantly expand its understanding of this mountainous country only in the 19th century, when the outstanding German explorer of Africa Gerhard Rolfe (1831-1896) crossed the High Atlas under the guise of a Muslim in the service of the Moroccan Sultan and studied the largest oases and went deeper into the Sahara from Algeria. It was he who significantly refined the map of the ridges and created two books from descriptions of his routes and impressions.
Tourists began to come here for explorers, they are attracted by sunrises and sunsets in the mountains, beautiful views, many migratory birds, mountain oases (like Shebika in Tunisia), centers of life in the desert (like the Sauf group of oases in Algeria), date oases of Morocco and the palace Pasha of Marrakech Thami el Glaoui.

general information

Countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.

Salt lakes: Chott el Shergi.

Largest rivers: Umm Er Rbiya, Cebu (Atlantic Ocean basin), Muluya, Sheliff (Mediterranean Sea basin).

Major airports: international Airport Houari Boumediene (Algiers city, Algeria), international airport. Mohammed V (city, Morocco).

Numbers

Length: 2,400 km.
Highest point: Mount Toubkal (4167 m, Morocco).

Economy

Minerals: silver, copper, iron, lead, mercury, gas, coal, marble, rock salts.

Agriculture: crop farming, livestock farming.

Service sector: tourism.

Climate and weather

Subtropical, Mediterranean - in the north, semi-desert - in other parts.

Average January temperature:+ 12°С at altitudes up to 1500 m - lower mountain belt, Northern part), +6°С (in inland areas).

Average temperature in July:+25°С (up to 1500 m), +38°С (on inland plains).
Average annual precipitation: up to 600 mm (main part), up to 1800 mm (Tell Atlas, north and west), up to 2500 mm (High Atlas), 300 mm (southern part).

There are often frosts at night.

Attractions

■ Oases: Shebika (Tunisia), group of oases Sauf (Algeria).
■ Morocco: the city of Marrakesh, the palace of Dar el Glaoui (beginning of the 20th century) - the residence of the Pasha of Thami el Glaoui, the oasis city of Tafraout.
■ Algeria: Timgad city - ruins of the Roman era, National Park Djurjura, Lake Sidi Bel Abbes.
■ Tunisia: salt lakes.

Curious facts

■ Usually monkeys (macaques) live in temperate latitudes and prefer Asia. But in the Atlas Mountains there is only one species that lives not only in this difficult climate, but is also the only monkey species living naturally in southern Europe (in Gibraltar) - these are the Magots, barbary monkeys, or Barbary (Maghrebian) macaques. Moreover, the Atlas Mountains region is considered their homeland. One version even admits that this species previously lived in different regions of Europe, and the colony in Gibraltar is simply the only thing left. Magoths have remarkable habits. For example, males can choose their favorite from among not only their own, but also other people’s cubs, and then they will be courted in every possible way and proudly shown to their comrades. The cubs are also shown to enemies - among the Magoths, this diplomatic technique can reduce the enemy’s aggression.
■ Atlas cedar oil is an excellent antiseptic and means of breaking down fat. It has long been used for medicinal purposes, for the production of mummifying balms, and is still used in cosmetology and perfumery.

■ A local wild grass called alpha can be used to make high-grade paper: its fibers produce the so-called “false horsehair,” even suitable for weaving. In some places they try to grow it specially.

■ Prominent British politician Winston Churchill is also known to few as an artist: he is believed to have painted his only painting during the Second World War in 1943 during his meeting with American President Theodore Roosevelt in Casablanca, watching from this Moroccan city the sun set over the Atlas Mountains mountains.

■ Even in extreme heat, reaching +40°C, local residents can be seen wearing warm jackets and knitted hats with a piece of cardboard instead of a visor. In hot and dry climates, warm clothing is no less useful than in cold weather.
■ Possibly in North Africa until the end of the 19th century. there was a bear. The Atlas brown bear lived in the area of ​​the Atlas Mountains and areas that have now become part of the Sahara Desert, as evidenced by fossil remains.
■ In one of the villages of the Atlas Mountains, the first film set of the film “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” was located. To adapt to filming at an altitude of more than 4000 m, the actors had to acclimatize.
■ In the Atlas Mountains there is an amazing butterfly - the atlas peacock-eye, whose wingspan can reach 30 cm, which is why from afar it is sometimes mistaken for a bird. It scares off its enemies with a specific coloring: the edge of the front wing is curved and colored in such a way that it resembles the head of a snake.
■ To help herd livestock and protect personal property, the Berbers of the Atlas Mountains have used a local breed of dog, the Atlas Shepherd, or Aidi, for hundreds of years. These human helpers are called differently in different parts of the country: Aidi - in Morocco, Kabyle dogs and Chauya - in Algeria.

ATLAS (Atlas Mountains) - ATLAS (Atlas Mountains), on northwest Africa, within Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Atlas, mountains - mountain range in the north. zap. Africa, in present-day Barbary, was known in ancient times under the same name, but is still very little explored at the present time. The length of the ridges is 2092 km. The highest point is Mount Toubkal (4167 m), located in the southwest of Morocco.

Length approx. 2000 km. Consists of hr. Tel Atlas, High Atlas, Wed. Atlas, Saharan Atlas, inland plateaus (High Plateaus, Moroccan Meseta) and plains. Dormant volcano Kilimanjaro (5963 m) the highest point of the mainland and other most high mountains are located on the fault-broken East African Plateau. The Aberdare Range (English: Lord Aberdare Range) is a mountain range in Africa, located in the center of Kenya, north of its capital, Nairobi.

Geology and relief of Africa

From Mount Worcester turn NW-W. On the windward slopes in the west there are mainly secondary thickets of evergreen shrubs (fynbos), and in the east there are mixed coniferous-deciduous forests on brown and mountain-forest brown soils. IN East Africa The largest rift in the earth's crust on land is located (the Great East African Rifts).

In Africa there are equatorial, two subequatorial and two tropical climatic zones. The most north coast and the southern tip of the continent are located in subtropical zones. The driest region in North Africa is the Sahara. The ancient world first learned about the existence of the Atlas Mountains from the travels of the Phoenicians. The journey of two Czechoslovak engineers Jiri Hanzelka and Miroslav Zikmund in a Tatra 87 in North Africa.

The authors observe life in Africa, collect information about the cultural, geographical and other features of the “Dark Continent”, delve into ancient history Africa. In this book, the author briefly summarizes all the main events and results of his half-century-long career... An exciting, more than half-hour chase with fights and explosions in the film “The Bourne Identity” was filmed in Tangier. Initially, only part of the mountain system within ancient Mauretania was called Atlas, that is, the west and center of the modern Atlas.

Populated mainly by Arabs and Berbers (Morocco), including Kabyles (Algeria). The High Atlas Mountains are home to the last of the Berbers who have fully preserved their traditions. The ancient Greek legends and poems of Homer (between the 12th and 7th centuries BC) telling about the structure of the world brought the story of the great titan Atlas to the present day. But justice was also found for him: Atlas, who in some legends was also called the African king, had the imprudence to refuse hospitality to the legendary Greek hero Perseus.

Atlas is a whole mountainous country. It stretches from the shores of the Atlantic, crossing the African continent from west to east almost along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Tell Atlas Ridge). The south and inland areas have an arid climate, so the main species that survive here are grasses, feather grass and wormwood.

Another fault runs along the Mediterranean coast, and it is this fault that provokes earthquakes in this part of the ridge. The atlas was formed in three phases. The second stage of the Mesozoic formed most of the modern High Atlas, then it rested on the ocean floor.

Trek to Africa! Trekking in Morocco “High Atlas Mountains and climbing Toubkal”

The harsh mountains with a capricious climate are not an uninhabited region: there are rivers here (especially in the northwest), along which settlements have long been formed. They even experience floods in winter, but in summer they dry up almost completely, especially in the southern and inland regions. They lead a more sedentary lifestyle, live in houses, engage in farming and successfully master a number of crafts.

Some Berber tribes are exclusively pastoralists, but they also have permanent villages to which they return after grazing in the mountains, where they live in temporary camps. The Berbers represent mainly the Moroccan part of the mountain inhabitants. On the Algerian side, they were also mastered by the Kabyles (a local variety of Berbers).

Moreover, the Atlas Mountains region is considered their homeland. Perhaps in North Africa until the end of the 19th century. there was a bear. The Atlas brown bear lived in the area of ​​the Atlas Mountains and areas that have now become part of the Sahara Desert, as evidenced by fossil remains. The first film set for the film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was located in one of the villages of the Atlas Mountains.

Crystalline rocks appear only in the southern and northern regions. side A., in numerous coastal points of the Mediterranean Sea and in individual elliptical masses inland. On the higher peaks of the mountains, snow lies for a significant part of the year, but on Miltzin it completely melts only once in 20 years; There are no glaciers at all.

Initially, the population of the mountains, who in all likelihood ruled the country even before the invasion of the Vandals and Arabs, were Berbers, who also inhabit the West. Sugar. Africa, from several parallel chains. Length - 2,300 km. The atlas is divided into Moroccan and Algerian-Tunisian. Southern foothills of the Saharan Atlas.

Even further south, in the zone of High and Saharan Africa, as well as in Middle Africa, the thickness of the Mesozoic increases and at the same time its folding noticeably increases. The interior areas are occupied by denudation and accumulative plains, cuesta ridges, and remnant plateaus. In the south, the mountain slopes are covered with gravelly screes, and physical weathering is actively occurring.

Atlas (Greek: Atlas), a mountainous country in the north-west. Africa. The Atlas Mountains are the mountains of Africa, the origin of which is associated with many legends. Deposits of iron ore and copper, iron and lead, lime, rock salt and marble are developed in the mountains. According to Arabic literary sources, some Berber tribes living in the Atlas Mountains adhered to Judaism.