The High Atlas culminates in Mount Toubkal at 13,665 feet (4,165 metres), the highest point in the Atlas Mountains, which is surrounded by high snowcapped peaks; the Aurès Mountains are formed of long parallel folds, which reach a height of 7,638 feet at Mount Chelia.
Furthermore, what is special about the Atlas Mountains? The Atlas Mountains are not a continuous chain of mountains but a series of ranges separated by wide areas of land, which are called plateaus. The mountain range separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert. It has several passes that provide routes between the coast and the Sahara desert.
Similarly, what two physical features do the Atlas Mountains separate? It separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert. It stretches around 2,500 km (1,600 mi) through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Additionally, what is the landform of the Atlas Mountains? Climate of the Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains are the meeting place of two different kinds of air masses—the humid and cold polar air masses that come from the north and the hot and dry tropical air masses that move up from the south.
Beside above, what are some fun facts about Atlas?
- In Greek Mythology, Atlas was a Titan who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a punishment bestowed on him by Zeus.
- Atlas was the son of the Titans Iapetus and Clymene, and his siblings were Epimetheus, Menoetius and Prometheus.
The Atlas Mountains are a large mountain range located in northwest Africa, within modern-day Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia. The combination of Mediterranean and Saharan environments creates a unique, semi-arid landscape which is home to hearty plants, animals, and cultures.
What type of rock is the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains, with their folded sedimentary rocks and thick-skinned faulting, soar above dramatic gorges, lush palm oases, crumbling kasbahs, and the exotic souk in Marrakesh.
What is a description of the Atlas Mountains?
Atlas Mountains, series of mountain ranges in northwestern Africa, running generally southwest to northeast to form the geologic backbone of the countries of the Maghrib (the western region of the Arab world)—Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Why is it called Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert. Most of the people living in the Atlas Mountains are part of Berber tribes in Morocco and in Algeria. The mountains are named after the ancient Greek Titan, Atlas.
What is the climate of the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains have a typical mountain climate with cool but sunny summers and average temperatures of approximately 25°C.
Are the Atlas Mountains fold mountains?
The Atlas Mountains are relatively complex folded mountains featuring horizontal thrust faults and ancient crystalline cores. The Cape ranges on the other hand are older, simpler structures, analogous in age and erosion to the Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States.
How many mountains are in the Atlas Mountains?
Forming a barrier between the Mediterranean Sea and the vast Sahara Desert, the rugged Atlas Mountains are a major chain of peaks that runs through Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. The range contains 32,505 named peaks, the highest and most prominent of which is Toubkal (4,167m/13,671ft) in Morocco.
How cold is it in the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains In winter, temperatures frequently plummet below freezing, sometimes falling as low as minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius).
Why do you think the top of Atlas Mountains is covered with snow?
Although some peaks of the Atlas Mountains had caps of snow in January, much snowier conditions prevail a month later. … Snow cover in the Atlas Mountains serves more than Morocco’s ski industry. The snow provides a crucial reservoir of water for the country’s agriculture-based economy.
How do the Atlas Mountains affect the climate?
Westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean carry moisture into the region, but the mountains act as a weather barrier between the coastal grasslands and wetlands and the Sahara Desert. The Atlas Range causes a rain shadow effect, preventing the areas beyond the mountains from receiving much rainfall.
Was Atlas a Titan or God?
According to Hesiod’s Theogony, Atlas was one of the Titans who took part in their war against Zeus, for which as a punishment he was condemned to hold aloft the heavens.