Table of Contents
What is the biome of the Atlas Mountains?
| Mediterranean High Atlas juniper steppe | |
|---|---|
| Biome | montane grasslands and shrublands |
| Borders | Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests and Mediterranean woodlands and forests |
| Geography | |
| Area | 6,328 km2 (2,443 sq mi) |
What is special about the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains of northwestern Africa are home to one of the highest peaks on the continent, Mount Toubkal. The local Berber that populate the villages measure distances by hours and days — the amount of time it usually takes to travel between destinations.
What is the weather like in 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. Winter in the Atlas is hard, imposing severe conditions upon the inhabitants.
What impact do the Atlas Mountains have on surrounding areas?
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.
Where are Atlas Mountains located?
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.
What continent is the Atlas Mountains located?
Africa
Atlas Mountains/Continent
Why is the Atlas Mountains important?
Resources. Despite their inhospitability and relative inaccessibility, the Atlas Mountains have played an important part in the modern development of the Maghribian countries. The geologic formations of the Atlas are rich in minerals. The Moroccan High Atlas in particular contains important deposits.
Do the Atlas Mountains have snow?
Snow in Morocco is not unusual. Two ski resorts in the Atlas Mountains—one near Marrakech and the other near Ifrane—experience fairly regular snowfall each January and February. Snow cover in the Atlas Mountains serves more than Morocco’s ski industry.
What country is the Atlas Mountains in?
Morocco
The three mountain ranges that cross much of contemporary Morocco—the Middle in the north, the High Atlas in central Morocco, and the Anti-Atlas in the south along the Atlantic coast—form both a natural boundary and a rich natural environment.
How did the Atlas Mountains shape culture?
The Atlas Mountains quickly became a key holding for various Islamic empires for centuries, linking the Middle East to Southern Europe. Today, Berber culture is a mix of indigenous mountain traditions and Islam.
Why is Atlas Mountains important?
Resources. Despite their inhospitability and relative inaccessibility, the Atlas Mountains have played an important part in the modern development of the Maghribian countries. The mountain massifs constitute catchment areas with considerable potential.