In North Africa, there is a mountain range known as the Atlas Mountains.
You will discover geology information as well as significant historical events connected to the mountain chain in this lesson.
Where are the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains are an important geographical region with a rich history in addition to having a fantastic name.
Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco are all countries in the Atlas mountain range, which runs through North Africa.
In a process known as a convergent plate boundary, the African continent and the Iberian peninsula collided millions of years ago, giving rise to the mountains’ current morphology.
The Atlas Mountains are separated into seven distinct sub-regions, each with a distinctive environment because of its wide range.
Overall, though, the Atlas can be described as a semi-arid mountain range that lies between the vast Sahara Desert and the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean/Mediterranean Sea.
Mount Toubkal is the Atlas’ tallest peak.
Southwest Morocco is home to the almost 14,000-foot Mount Toubkal.
Plants and Animals of the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains are a region that is often unsuitable for development because of the combination of tropical and arid climates, which results in poor soil.
The Sahara has been continuously experiencing desertification, which happens when dry terrain gets drier and drier and loses water.
With the exception of shrubs in the Mediterranean type, this has wiped off much of the plant life in the Atlas Mountains.
The Argan Tree, a historic North African tree that withstood desertification and has come to represent the region, is one remarkable exception.
Despite the relatively low number of animals, there are some intriguing species present, including jackals, wild mountain goats, and Barbary macaques.
People of the Atlas Mountains
Small villages rather than towns make up the majority of the inhabitants in the Atlas region.
The Berber People, a North African civilization with ancient origins, are the most well-known and numerous of the Atlas populations.Numidia was the name of the ancient Berber kingdom that had extensive contact with the Romans.
Even during the time of Roman authority, the region underwent a cultural merging of South European and North African traditions.
The Arabic name Maghreb was later given to the Berber territory after the Islamic conquest of the Middle Ages in the first millennium AD.
For ages, various Islamic rulers used the Atlas Mountains as a strategic stronghold to link the Middle East with Southern Europe.
