Anti-Atlas

Coordinates: 30°00′N 8°30′W / 30.000°N 8.500°W / 30.000; -8.500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Anti-Atlas
الأطلس الصغير Aṭlas Mẓẓiyn
Djebel el Kest.
Highest point
PeakJbel Sirwa
Elevation3,304 m (10,840 ft)
Dimensions
Length670 km (420 mi) ENE/WSW[citation needed]
Width180 km (110 mi) NNW/SSE[citation needed]
Geography
Country
Alleghenian
Age of rockPaleozoic
Climbing
Easiest routedrive

The Anti-Atlas, also known as Lesser Atlas or Little Atlas, is a mountain range in Morocco, a part of the Atlas Mountains in the northwest of Africa.[2] The Anti-Atlas extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest toward the northeast, to the heights of Ouarzazate and further east to the city of Tafilalt, altogether a distance of approximately 500 km. The range borders on the Sahara to the south.[2]

In some contexts,[2] the Anti-Atlas is considered separate from the Atlas Mountains system, as the prefix "anti" (i.e. opposite) implies.

Geography

The summits of the Anti-Atlas reach average heights of 2,500–2,700 m (8,200–8,900 ft), with a few peaks reaching higher. To the north lies a plateau at 1700–1800 m in height. To the south lie the Sahara highlands at approximately 700 m. On the heights of

Draa valley
, opening towards the south. The range is strongly fissured, particularly in a southerly direction.

The Anti-Atlas area is a traditionally

cave paintings in certain areas of the range.[4]

Subranges

The eastern prolongation of the Anti-Atlas is the Jbel Saghro range. The Jbel Sirwa is its northern prolongation, connecting with a section of the High Atlas range. The summit of Jbel Sirwa, of volcanic origin, reaches 3304 m. The Jbel Bani is a much lower range running along the southern side of the Anti Atlas.[5]

Jebel Sirwa, highest point in the Anti-Atlas range.

Origins

The basement rock of Africa (the

African plate) was formed in the Precambrian
(approximately 450 to 550 million years ago), and is much older than the Atlas mountains. The Anti-Atlas range developed even later.

A fraction of the

Himalayas
are today.

The Ameln valley

More recently, in the

Iberian peninsula
. Erosion continued to reduce the Anti-Atlas range so that it is today less massive than the High Atlas range to the north.

Climate

In the Anti-Atlas, the precipitation annually is typically below 200 mm, while the climatic conditions on the north and west slopes are locally more wet and agriculturally favorable. Climatically, the mountains are separated from the

Mediterranean's influence by the High Atlas to its north, and therefore they belong to the Saharan climate zone. The driest area is the Jbel Saghro.[6]

Flora

In the least dry areas to the west and the north, much of the land is covered with

argan. The quilt-like cover is endangered by overgrazing
, and in the south little but thorn shrubs remain. The transition to the desert is gradual towards the south. The Moroccan citron is cultivated there, and used as Etrog in Jewish rituals.

Human geography

The Anti-Atlas area is a traditionally

cave paintings in certain areas of the range.[4]

Village in the Anti-Atlas

The landscape of the Anti-Atlas is marked by picturesque

dry-stone retaining walls
cover the landscape. However, increasingly houses are vacated and fields are left uncultivated. With the continued migration from the land, the irrigation systems necessary for agriculture are also decaying.

Panoramic view

Panorama of the Akouker
Panorama from Jbel Aklim
Panorama of Taltemsen
Panorama of Taltemsen

See also

Notes

References

  • "Anti-Atlas" (or Jebel Saghru), The Encyclopædia Britannica, 1910.

External links

30°00′N 8°30′W / 30.000°N 8.500°W / 30.000; -8.500