A large part of Africa is located on the African lithospheric plate.It is the oldest platform in the past was part of a huge continent of Gondwana.In the Triassic period under the influence of external forces of the Earth high mountain ranges that existed on the old continent, collapsed.Crustal faults, horst formation, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions led to the formation of the hilly plains, high plateaus, basins and major new peaks.Africa - the only continent on which the new mountain ranges were formed not in the areas of folded structures.Africa's highest mountains stretch for the East African highlands.Drakensberg Mountain system was formed in the east of the southern part of the continent.South of the continent is bordered by flat-topped mountains of the Cape, and in the northwest of the Atlas Mountains stretching.Their northern ridges are placed directly on the junction of two lithospheric plates.
Atlas Mountains, or Atlas, constitute the northwest projection of the African continent, which is separated from southern Europe only the Strait of Gibraltar.North-west coast of the continent to the west by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and north - the Mediterranean Sea.In the south, there is no clearly defined boundaries of the Sahara, it is made by the southern foot of the Atlas mountain ranges, which are wedged in desert landscapes.
Atlas is the most significant elevation of northwest Africa.Mountain system stretches from the Atlantic coast of Morocco through Algeria up to the coast of Tunisia.It consists of the High Atlas mountain ranges, Tel-Atlas, the Saharan Atlas, Middle Atlas, Anti-Atlas, inland plateaus and plains.The highest point in North Africa and the High Atlas is the Toubkal mountain, reaches a height of 4167 m. It is also the highest mountain of North African.In this part of the Atlas mountain range it is very reminiscent of the Alps and the Caucasus.In contrast, the Middle Atlas is a plateau-like top with a cut through deep gorges.To the northeast extension of the High Atlas is the Saharan Atlas.South of the High Atlas mountain range is Anti-Atlas - Cenozoic motions raised edge of the ancient plates.
origin of the Atlas Mountains is associated with deep faults forming the lineaments (linear topographic features).In geological terms the Atlas Mountains is also remarkable for the fact that the recharge area to serve this vast sea of groundwater artesian basin, which is under the greatest in the world of the Sahara desert.
along the Mediterranean coast, following the contours of the coast, towering young folded mountain ranges of the Rif Atlas, Atlas Tel height of 2500 meters. They are a direct continuation of the mountains of Sicily and southern Spain.Many peaks, including the Toubkal are extinct volcanoes.
Interestingly, the local population of the Atlas is no common name of this mountain system, there are only the names of the individual plateaus and ridges.Themselves the name "Atlas Mountains", "atlas" of the local population do not apply.They are taken in Europe and has its origins in ancient myths, which were sung as the "Mountain of Atlanta," a mythological titan Atlas, or Atlas, Perseus transformed into the African mountain for refusing hospitality.
The existence of the Atlas Mountains first became aware of the journeys of the Phoenicians.Detailed description of the mountain range is contained in the writings of Maximus of Tyre.But significantly expanded understanding of the mountain range by the outstanding German researcher Rolf Gerhard Africa.He was disguised as a Muslim crossed the High Atlas, he said map mountain ranges, has studied the largest oasis and from Algeria plunged into the Sahara.
Atlas Mountains, located not far from Marrakech, considered to be the oldest.Their age is determined by the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods.
features contemporary relief of the Atlas Mountains depend sharply continental and rather dry climate.The intense weathering processes lead to the destruction of the mountains and at their feet the accumulation of a large amount of debris, among which are the high ridges with fairly steep slopes and sharp peaks.Features relief and a strong erosive dismemberment.Mountain ranges cut through deep ravines, the internal surface of the plateau crossed by a system of channels - heritage of a bygone era.
to the Atlas Mountains is characterized by a Mediterranean climate.However, it is unpredictable and depends on the height of quite severe.Thus, the area of the High Atlas features a typical mountain climate with cool sunny summers and very cold winters.The average summer temperature is + 25⁰S winter temperatures sometimes drop to -20⁰S.Near Atlas Mountains features a significant rainfall during the winter.In this area there are often floods.
In the summer the surface of the inner valleys and plateaus much warming up, the temperature can reach + 50⁰S.Night, on the contrary, quite cool and with frequent frosts.
Atlas vegetation cover varies with moving from coastal areas to inland.Lower slopes covered with groves of palm dwarf, evergreen shrub thickets, forests of cork oak.The higher slopes are covered with forests of yew and Atlas cedar.Interior valleys, plateaus with saline soils are scarce semidesert and dry steppe.
High in the mountains there are alpine meadows, characterized by their species composition of the European mountain meadows.Sami tops of ridges devoid of vegetation and a significant part of the year are covered in snow.At the southern foot of the mountains are located desert area with few oases.
Fauna Atlas is represented by various species of animals of Africa and Southern Europe: Daman, jerboas, hares, hyenas, jackals, wild cats and civets.On the rocks found Barbary Macaque, and many snakes and lizards.
population High and Middle Atlas is concentrated in the foothills and in the valleys, where the land is irrigated and processed under plantations of olives, citrus and other crops.On the terraces of mountain slopes grapes are grown.The local population is also engaged in animal husbandry, cultivation of cereal hard alpha - a valuable raw material for the manufacture of fine paper.
