Where is the atlas mountains on the map. Atlas mountains - the land of the Berber barbarians

The Atlas Mountains are a chain of mountain ranges stretching along the northern coast of Africa, capturing the territories of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The mountains got their name in honor of the ancient Greek Atlas Atlas, however, this is how they are called all over the world except for the local population.

They generally prefer not to name the entire mountain range, giving only names to individual peaks, ridges and plateaus. The highest point of the Atlas Mountains is Toubkal Peak (4167 m), which is located in the southwest of Morocco. It is through the territory of Morocco that the main routes pass for those wishing to conquer the Atlas Mountains or simply admire their beauty.

The Atlas Mountains are quite old - this is how the High Atlas area began to form in the Paleozoic, and the Anti-Atlas ridge is the result of the displacement of a giant plate in the Cenozoic. Many peaks, including Toubkal, were active volcanoes in the distant past.

The history of the formation of the Atlas Mountains

Atlas was once part of one large mountain system which included the south of Europe, however, the actions of tectonic plates divided the once single continent by the Strait of Gibraltar. Underground activity in this area continues to this day, reminding of itself with rather frequent earthquakes.

The climatic conditions in the mountains are very difficult. If in the northwestern part of the Atlas the influence of the Atlantic is strong, which is accompanied by a large amount of precipitation and strong winds, then on the high plateaus the climate is sharply continental - there are many sunny days, but in the winter months there are severe frosts reaching -15 ° С. In most of the Atlas Mountains, the climate is arid: rivers and lakes, replenished mainly by melt water, dry up by summer.

Inhabitants, nature of the Atlas mountains

The situation is bad with fertile soils - strong winds blow them into hollows. Here, the local population - the Berbers - collect this meager soil cover and put it in artificially created terraces, where they manage to grow pomegranates, peaches, citrus fruits and other crops.

The flora in the Atlas Mountains, despite the harsh climatic conditions quite varied. On the coastal slopes, shrubs and dwarf palm trees grow, just above the cedar and yew, the plateau is covered with thickets of acacias, wormwood, pistachios and wild-growing alpha, which is used to make paper. Here, the local population breeds camels, sheep, and other livestock, which are content with the scarce grass of intermountain pastures.

Alpine meadows are sometimes found at an altitude of 3000 meters, but most of the year the vegetation of these places is covered with snow. At the southern foot of the mountains, in the middle of the desert, you can find small oases - date palm is cultivated here. Being in Africa, it is simply impossible not to visit the famous having been in this city is worth all, without exception, vacationers. The city is incredibly beautiful and rich in various attractions and interesting places.

Fauna of the Atlas Mountains

There are also animals in the Atlas. There are many rodents here - jerboas, hares, and if you're lucky, you can meet hyrax - a clumsy herbivorous animal, whose meat the locals eat. There are also many predators - jackals, wild cats, hyenas.

Until recently, the Atlas bear lived in the mountains - a species of brown bear that disappeared in 19th century... True, reports of the appearance of this predator appear to this day. Previously, lions used to come here, but now this region is not suitable for their habitation. But magota - a tailless macaque - on the rocks can even be found.

Tours to the Atlas Mountains go through Marrakech - the heart of the Muslim East. It is here that the traveler can get acquainted with the old, untouched by civilization of Morocco. The trekking itself begins in the ski resort of Oukaimden.

Accompanied by mules that will drag the load, tourists, overcoming pass after pass, ascend towards the highest point of Atalas Tobkal. Those who manage to conquer Tobkal will be rewarded with a stunning view from the top: endless expanses on one side Atlantic Ocean and on the other the sultry sands of the Sahara. A glass of sweet mint tea at the top will quickly revive you, making it easy to get back on track.

If you are an intricate traveler and love to discover something unusual, but for you still somewhat terra incognita, then you should definitely plan a trip to these places at the first opportunity. It's easy to become an explorer here - a land with a pristine, untouched nature gives a lot of opportunities. First of all, you can test your strength by visiting the Atlas Mountains in. This is a real kingdom for lovers of hiking and forest walks.

General information

It is enough to open an introductory course on the geography of Africa in order to understand where the Atlas Mountains are located, they are also the Atlas Mountains. This huge mountain system, striking in its size and heights, stretches from Atlantic coast Morocco to the shores of Tunisia. The Atlas Mountains separate the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast from the arid sands of the Sahara Desert. The name of this mountain system originates in the myths of the titan Atlanta (Atlas), who held the firmament in his arms.

The Atlas Mountains in Morocco are composed of ranges such as the High Atlas, Middle Atlas and Anti-Atlas, as well as inland plateaus and plains. The height of the peaks of the Atlas Mountains often reaches 4 thousand meters above sea level, and the highest point is (4165 m). It is located 60 km away and is one of its main natural areas. It thrives here in winter, as the top is evenly covered with a layer of snow.

This is the largest massif of the Atlas Mountains. We can say with firm confidence that it got its name for a reason - after all, it is here that the largest concentration of the largest peaks of Africa is located. The ridge stretches from the Atlantic plains to the border with Algeria, its total length is 800 km, and the width in some places is about 100 km. Average height mountains in the High Atlas reaches 3-4 thousand meters above sea level. Stone plains and steep gorges run between the peaks.

Surprisingly, Berber tribes live in such a remote region. They are the custodians of the local traditional culture. Their way of life is based on blood ties and solidarity. On the mountain slopes, they plow the land and keep fields on which to grow cereals, corn, potatoes and turnips, as well as graze goats and sheep.

This place is very popular in terms of tourism. Geographically in the High Atlas mountains is located national park Toubkal, along which several tourist routes different difficulty levels. On average, the duration of the expeditions is 3-4 days. Of the places that deserve special attention, the following can be distinguished: the Ait-Bugemez valley, the natural bridge Imi-n-Ifri, the Mgun valley and gorges, the Uzud waterfall, the gorges of the Todra and Dades rivers. However, if for some reason you cannot fully travel in the mountains, and you really want to get to know the Atlas Mountains, then you can settle in the small village of Imali. This will be a great starting point for many scenic spots Moreover, such outings will not take more than a day in time, and you can always sleep well and rest in comfortable conditions.

This part of the huge mountain range will appeal to lovers of forest walks. The tops of the mountains here are covered with dense thickets of cedar trees, and the massif itself is cut by bottomless gorges. In length, this part of the Atlas Mountains reaches 350 km, and the height of the peaks is not much inferior to the High Atlas.

Experienced travelers speak of this place as small European state... The nature here is amazing and wonderful, and small towns are completely distinguished by a certain picturesqueness. Such landscapes in Africa are amazing, and I can't even believe that the most great desert on the ground.

In terms of tourism, three places are very popular here: the Azrou cedar groves, the high-altitude station Imouzzère du Kandard and the town. Small flocks of macaques can be found on walks in the forests of the Middle Atlas. They are quite peaceful here, but it is still worth exercising some caution. This ski resort in winter it becomes somewhat similar to the Swiss, in any case, it is in no way inferior to them. Also, there are a lot of fish in the local mountain lakes, which fishing lovers will certainly use.

Antiatlas

This mountain range directly borders on the Sahara, so the area is practically uninhabited. However, on the border with the High Atlas, in the interior regions, there is the Ida-Utanan region, which is also called the Paradise Valley. In its center is the village of Imuzir, where the Berber tribes live. Almost the whole world this place is famous for aromatic thyme, honey, cactus and lavender.

Atlas mountains

The Atlas Mountains are the mountains of Africa. The ancient Greek legends and poems of Homer (between the 12th and 7th centuries BC), which tell about the structure of the world, have brought the history of the majestic titan Atlas to our days. It was believed that he lives in the last west, for which the Greeks at that time could take the African coast, and has great strength - such that it is enough to support the pillars separating the firmament from the earth (this is how our distant forefathers imagined the place and the view of the earth in space). He was associated with the ocean and was considered a dangerous and rebellious sea titan. Yes, and he found justice: Atlas, who in some legends was also called the African king, had the imprudence to refuse hospitality to the famous Greek hero Perseus. And Perseus was then already the owner of the magical head of the Gorgon Medusa, which guided anyone who looked at her into the stone. Saddened by the behavior of Atlas, Perseus showed the titan the ill-fated head of Medusa and sent him to the African Atlas mountain. Legends are legends, but in the north-west of Africa, where the Atlas seemed to live, there is an extended ridge - the Atlas Mountains.

Under this name they are known in Europe, but the local population does not have one name - only the names of individual ridges. These mountains cross the terrain of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and consist of several ridges: Tell Atlas (Highest Atlas), Middle Atlas and Sahara Atlas. Between them there are plains and several inner plateaus - Vysochaische, Orano-Algerian and Moroccan Meseta. The latter, from the more elevated part of the Rif ridge, descends in terraces to the west.

Atlas is whole Mountain country... It stretches from the shores of the Atlantic, crossing the African continent from west to east, actually along the coast Mediterranean Sea(Tell-Atlas ridge). It is so long that belts change here - tropical to subtropical, providing very contrasting landscapes: mountains and traces of old icing on their largest peaks, blossoming oases, desert (Sahara ridge), rivers and sebkhas (salt lakes).

In the north and west, the vegetation, right up to heights of 800 m, resembles ordinary forests, appropriate for the Mediterranean: the picturesque thickets of evergreen shrubs and cork oak are reminiscent of southern Europe. The south and inland regions are characterized by an arid climate, so that mainly grasses, feather grass and wormwood survive here. Higher belts are formed by evergreen forests of cork and stone oak (up to 1200 m), higher (up to 1700 m), maples and conifers join them. Even higher (after 2200 m), these forests give way to conifers, in which the valuable, drought-resistant and pest-resistant species of the construction tree - the Atlas cedar, which since 1842 began to be cultivated in Europe for decorative purposes, prevails.

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

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

The atlas was formed in 3 phases. The first step of deformation (in the Paleozoic) affected only Anti-Atlas as a result of the collision of continents. The 2nd step of the Mesozoic era formed a huge part of the modern Highest Atlas, then it rested on the ocean day. In the Tertiary period, Atlas appeared on the surface.

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

The formidable mountains with a capricious climate are not an uninhabited region: there are rivers (especially in the northwest), along which settlements have long been established. Local rivers, which feed their forces with rainwater and often have a "temporary" character, are called by the Arabs uedami. They even experience floods - in winter, but in summer they practically dry up one hundred percent, especially in the southern and inland regions.

Berbers (indigenous peoples of North Africa) adapted to live in such criteria, having survived all the historical vicissitudes of this region and remained persistent inhabitants of inhospitable mountains. There are differences between them both in language and in the way of life. The Berbers of the Western Atlas Mountains are called Shillukhs. They lead a more sedentary lifestyle, live in houses, are engaged in agriculture and are successful in a number of crafts. In most cases, their villages are scattered far from each other.

Farming here requires gigantic labor, because first you need to make your own allotment. On the stony, weathered slopes of the mountains, there is often no land, therefore future farmers look for places in the hollows where soap or soil has been applied, and from there they carry it in baskets on their heads to their own plot. The precious soil is laid in special terraces that are hollowed out in the mountains. Then you need to look behind this land so that it is not washed away by the rain. Plots are so small that it is unrealistic to process them with a plow and you have to do everything manually.

The inhabitants of such villages are also engaged in sheep breeding. But their neighbors from the eastern part of the mountains - Masigi - still live in caves and tents, which is apparently more convenient with their active movements, because Masigi are good pastoralists: the stunted vegetation of the slopes serves as livestock feed. You can climb to higher plains where the grass is juicier. Some Berber tribes are engaged only in cattle breeding, but with all this they have permanent villages, where they return after grazing in the mountains, where they live in temporary camps.

Berbers mainly represent the Moroccan part of the inhabitants of the mountains. From the Algerian side, they were also mastered by the Kabila (a local variety of Berbers). In the near future, people had a noticeable effect on the landscape - in the north, closer to the coast, there was less natural vegetation, the area of ​​artificially irrigated lands increased, on which citrus and grain are grown, olive and eucalyptus trees, and date palms are cultivated. Peach and apricot orchards, pomegranate plantations and vineyards can now be seen at 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 traveled extensively around the world, and then the most ancient Greeks. And the Romans - in 42 g the mountain was crossed by the Roman commander Gaius Suetonius Paulinus (1st century). And in II in the Greek wandering philosopher, orator and writer Maxim from Tire already compiled a rather detailed description of the mountains for that time.

But the world scientific society was able to significantly expand its ideas about this mountainous country only by the 19th century. when the outstanding German explorer of Africa Gerhard Rolfe (1831-1896) crossed the Highest Atlas under the guise of a Muslim in the service of the Moroccan sultan, explored the largest oases and went deep into the Sahara from the Algerian side. Specifically, he significantly clarified the map of the ridges and made two books from descriptions of his own routes and memoirs.

For researchers, tourists began to come here, they are attracted by the sunrises and sunsets in the mountains, beautiful views, a huge number of migratory birds, mountain oases (like Shebik in Tunisia), centers of life in the desert (like the Sauf group of oases in Algeria), date oases of Morocco and the palace of the Pasha of Marrakesh Tkami el Glaoui.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.

Salt Lakes: Shott El Shergi.

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

Length approx. 2000 km. Consists of hr. Tel Atlas, High Atlas, Cf. Atlas, Sahara Atlas, Inland Plateaus (High Plateau, Moroccan Meseta) and Plains. Dormant volcano Kilimanjaro (5963 m) the highest point of the mainland and other most high mountains are located on the East African plateau broken by faults. 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 (finbosh), in the east there are mixed coniferous-deciduous forests on brown and mountain-forest brown soils. V East Africa there is the largest fault in the earth's crust on land (the Great East African faults).

On the territory of Africa, there are equatorial, two subequatorial and two tropical climatic zones. The northernmost coast and the southern tip of the mainland are located in subtropical zones. Driest in North Africa- in the Sahara. For the first time, the ancient world learned about the existence of the Atlas Mountains from the travels of the Phoenicians. Journey of two Czechoslovak engineers Jiri Hanzelka and Miroslav Zikmund in a Tatra 87 across North Africa.

The authors observe life in Africa, collect information about the cultural, geographical and other features of the "Black Continent", delve into ancient history Africa. In this book, the author briefly summarizes all the main events and results of his half-century activity ... Fascinating, more than half an hour, chase with fights and explosions in the movie "The Bourne Identification" was filmed in Tangier. Initially, only part of the mountain system within ancient Mauretania was called the Atlas, that is, the west and center of the modern Atlas.

Inhabited mainly by Arabs and Berbers (Morocco), including Kabil (Algeria). The High Atlas Mountains are home to the last of those Berbers who have fully preserved their traditions. The ancient Greek legends and poems of Homer (between the 12th and 7th centuries BC) that tell about the structure of the world have brought the history of the great titan Atlas to our days. But he also found justice: 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 Mediterranean coast (Tell Atlas ridge). The south and inland regions are characterized by an arid climate, so that mainly grasses, feather grass and wormwood survive here.

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

Hike 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 (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 are more sedentary, living in homes, farming and successfully mastering a number of crafts.

Some Berber tribes are exclusively engaged in cattle breeding, but at the same time they have permanent villages, where they return after grazing in the mountains, where they live in temporary camps. Berbers represent mainly the Moroccan portion of the mountain dwellers. From the side of Algeria, they were also mastered by the Kabyles (a local variety of Berbers).

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

Crystalline rocks protrude only in the south and north. to the A. side, in numerous coastal points of the Mediterranean Sea, and in individual elliptical masses inland. For more high peaks In the mountains, snow lies during a significant part of the year, but on Miltzin it completely melts only once in the course of 20 years; there are no glaciers at all.

Initially, the population of the mountains, in all likelihood, who owned the country even before the invasion of the Vandals and Arabs, were Berbers, who also inhabit the West. Sahara. Africa, from several parallel circuits. Length - 2.300 km. The Atlas is divided into Moroccan and Algerian-Tunisian. Southern foothills of the Sahara Atlas.

Farther south, in the zone of High and Sahara A., and also in Middle A., the thickness of the Mesozoic increases, and at the same time its folding noticeably increases. The inner regions are occupied by denudation and accumulative plains, cuesta ridges, and remnant plateaus. In the south, the slopes of the mountains are covered with rubble talus; physical weathering is actively proceeding.

Atlas (Greek Atlas), a mountainous country in the northwest. Africa. The Atlas Mountains are the mountains of Africa, with many legends associated with their origin. Deposits of iron ores and copper, iron and lead, lime, rock salt and marble are being developed in the mountains. According to Arab literary sources, some of the Berber tribes living in the Atlas Mountains adhered to Judaism.

The mountain range in the sowing. app. Africa, in present-day Berberia, known in antiquity under the same name, but still very little explored at present. A. stretches for approximately 2300 km in a direction from west to south west. on V.S.V. across… … Encyclopedic Dictionary of F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

ATLAS (Atlas Mountains), in northwest Africa, within Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The length is about 2000 km. It consists of the ranges Tel Atlas, High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Sahara Atlas, inner plateaus (High plateaus, Moroccan Meseta) and ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Modern encyclopedia

- (Atlas Mountains) in northwest Africa, within Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Length approx. 2000 km. Consists of hr. Tel Atlas, High Atlas, Cf. Atlas, Sahara Atlas, Inland Plateaus (High Plateau, Moroccan Meseta) and Plains. Height up to 4165 ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Atlas- (Atlas Mountains), in northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). The length is about 2000 km. height up to 4165 m (Toubkal mountain). It consists of ridges (Tel Atlas, High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Sahara Atlas), inner plateau (High Plateau, Moroccan ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

The mountain range in the sowing. app. Africa, in present-day Berberia, known in antiquity under the same name, but at the present time is still very little explored. A. stretches for approximately 230 km. in the direction from the southwest. at VSV. through Morocco, ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

- (English Atlas of Canada) Internet atlas published by the Ministry Natural resources Canada (English Natural Resources Canada) and contains information about each settlement Canada. The atlas was originally published in print ... ... Wikipedia

I. ATLAS a; m. [German. Atlas from the Greek. Atlas (Atlantos)]. which and with def. 1. Collection of geographical, astronomical, etc. kart. A. the world. A. highways... Geographic a. Zvezdny A. ● Based on the image of the mythological titan Atlanta on the first ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

1.in Greek mythology ora, in Greek mythology, the goddess of nature and the seasons. There were usually three of them, and they personified spring, summer and winter. They were portrayed as young and beautiful maidens, accompanied by nymphs and graces (harit). According to… … Collier's Encyclopedia

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