Termit Massif

Coordinates: 16°03′N 11°21′E / 16.050°N 11.350°E / 16.050; 11.350
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Termit Massif
ISS
Highest point
Elevation732 m (2,402 ft) Edit this on Wikidata
Coordinates16°03′N 11°21′E / 16.050°N 11.350°E / 16.050; 11.350
Dimensions
Length180 km (110 mi)
Width40 km (25 mi)
Area3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi)
Geography
CountryNiger
Geology
Type of rockSandstone
A woman in Termit

The Termit Massif (Termit Mountains or simply the Termit) is a mountainous region in south-eastern Niger. Just to the south of the dunes of Ténéré desert and the Erg of Bilma, the northern areas of the Termit, called the Gossololom, consist of black volcanic peaks rising from the surrounding seas of sand.[1] The southern Termit is a roughly east–west ridge of heavily eroded black sandstone. Its foothills to the southwest are the Koutous hills.

Location

The Termit Massif is located in the Tesker commune in the north-east of the Zinder region. Geographically, the Termite Massif is located in the western part of the Chad Basin. This is where the Sahel desert meets the Sahara. To the north and north-east lie the great sandy deserts of the Ténéré and to the east, behind the Tin-Toumma desert, the Grand Erg du Bilma. South of the mountains is the Dilia de Lagané valley, which runs in a straight line for 200 kilometres. The southern part of the range is characterised by rugged black sandstone formations. In the Gossolorom landscape to the north, isolated rocky islands of volcanic origin rise from the ochre-coloured sandy desert.[2] The Termit massif receives less than 100 millimetres of rainfall per year. The dry season lasts from November to May, while the rainy season of the West African monsoon lasts from June to September.

In 1989, the

World Heritage List.[4] Since 2012, it has been part of the Termit and Tin-Toumma Nature Reserve, one of the largest nature reserves on the planet's land surface.[5]

Geography

Topography

The Termit massif is a rocky outcrop running north–south at an altitude of 350-700m. It is mainly composed of black sandstone that is partially silted up, with a few islands of volcanic origin in its northern part, in the Gossololom region.

It is bounded by:

  • to the north and north-west: the Ténéré desert;
  • to the east: the Tin-Toumma desert;
  • to the south and south-west: the transition zones between desert and Sahelian savannah.

Termit occupies the northern part of the Gouré department, in the Zinder region.

Climate

The dry season lasts from November to May and the rainy season from June to September, bringing less than 100 mm of rainfall a year.

Fauna and flora

Human settlement

The small population of the Termit is mostly

Toubou settlements in the north and east, and more Tuareg and Diffa Arabs to the west. Covering much of the north of the Zinder and Diffa Regions, there are few permanent settlements or all weather roads in the area. Communities within the region include Termit Kaoboul in the south centre and Kandil Bouzou in the southeast. Neighbouring settlements include Tasker, Abourak and Haltouma to the southwest; Béla Hardé to the southeast, and Koussa Arma, Oyou Bezezé Denga, and Agadem on the eastern fringe. Settled communities on the south west fringe are largely Hausa, and to the south east Kanuri. The large Kanuri town of N'guigmi is to the southeast and the Hausa cities of Goure and Zinder are to the southwest.[1]

Ecological protection

Termit is home to the Termit Massif Reserve, a 700,000 hectare faunal reserve established in 1962 to protect endangered antelope and Addax populations.[7]

In 2006, the government of Niger applied to

UNESCO World Heritage Site.[8]

Gallery

  • Camels drinking in one of the parts of the Termit massif in 2001
    Camels drinking in one of the parts of the Termit massif in 2001
  • Sand dunes and rocky islands in the Termit massif, 2001
    Sand dunes and rocky islands in the Termit massif, 2001
  • Satellite image of Termit massif visible from space
    Satellite image of Termit massif visible from space
  • Termit massif from space
    Termit massif from space

References

  1. ^ .: 224–236 
  2. ^ a b Jolijn Geels: Niger. Bradt, Chalfont St Peter 2006, ISBN 1-84162-152-8, S. 224–226.
  3. ^ "Dakar Retrospective 1979–2007" (PDF). Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b c mondial, UNESCO Centre du patrimoine. "Massif de Termit". UNESCO Centre du patrimoine mondial (in French). Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Rapport d'activité 2021" (PDF) (in French). Association Noé. 2022. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  6. ^ World Database on Protected Areas / UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 2008.
  7. ^ Massif de Termit. Base de données des listes indicatives, 26 May 2006.

Further reading

  • Decalo, Samuel (1997). Historical Dictionary of the Niger (3rd ed.). Boston & Folkestone: Scarecrow Press. .