Editing Atlas Mountains (section)

==Subranges==
[[File:Morocco High Atlas Mountains.jpg|thumb|Satellite photograph of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains. North is at the bottom; the city of [[Goulmima]] can be seen at center left.|upright=1.59]]
The range can be divided into four general regions:

* [[Anti-Atlas]], [[High Atlas]] and [[Middle Atlas]] (Morocco)
* [[Tell Atlas]] (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia)
* [[Aurès Mountains]] (Algeria, Tunisia)
* [[Saharan Atlas]] (Algeria)

===Anti-Atlas===
{{main|Anti-Atlas}}

The Anti-Atlas extends from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] in the southwest of Morocco toward the northeast to the heights of [[Ouarzazate]] and further east to the city of [[Tafilalt]] (altogether a distance of approximately {{convert|500|km|mi|sigfig=1|disp=or}}). In the south it borders the [[Sahara]]. The easternmost point of the anti-Atlas is the [[Jbel Saghro]] range and its northern boundary is flanked by sections of the [[High Atlas|High Atlas range]]. It includes the Djebel Siroua, a massif of volcanic origin with the highest summit of the range at 3,304 m. The Jebel Bani is a much lower range running along the southern side of the Anti Atlas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=du Djebel Sarho aux dunes de Merzouga|url=http://vchery.free.fr/mektoub/maroc/maroc.htm|access-date=2021-01-19|website=vchery.free.fr}}</ref>

===High Atlas===
[[Image:AtlasOasis.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|High Atlas, Morocco]]
{{main|High Atlas}}

The High Atlas in central Morocco rises in the west at the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic coast]] and stretches in an eastern direction to the Moroccan-Algerian border. It has several peaks over {{convert|4000|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}, including the highest summit in North Africa, [[Toubkal]] ({{convert|4167|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=or}}), and further east Ighil [[m'Goun]] ({{convert|4071|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=or}}), the second major summit of the range. At the Atlantic and to the southwest, the range drops abruptly and makes a transition to the coast and the Anti-Atlas range. To the north, in the direction of [[Marrakesh]], the range descends less abruptly. On the heights of [[Ouarzazate]] the massif is cut through by the [[Draa River|Draa Valley]] which opens southward. It is mainly inhabited by Berber people, who live in small villages and cultivate the high plains of the [[Ourika River|Ourika Valley]]. Near Barrage Cavagnac<ref>{{Citation|title= L'INGÉNIEUR CAVAGNAC, un nom bien connu des Anciens de Marrakech|url= http://mangin2marrakech.canalblog.com/archives/2017/04/11/35168981.html|access-date= 2018-01-01|archive-date= 2022-09-29|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220929034148/http://mangin2marrakech.canalblog.com/archives/2017/04/11/35168981.html|url-status= bot: unknown}}</ref> there is a [[hydroelectric]] [[dam]] that has created the artificial lake [[Lalla Takerkoust]]. The lake serves also as a source for fish for the local fishermen.

The largest villages and towns of the area are [[Ouarzazate]], [[Tahannaout]], [[Amizmiz]], [[Imlil, Atlas Mountains|Imlil]], [[Tin Mal]] and [[Ijoukak]].

[[File:Lake of Barrage Couvagnac Panoramic.jpg|thumb|upright=2.72|right|A panoramic picture of the artificial lake of Lalla Takerkoust near Barrage Cavagnac, with the [[hydroelectric]] [[dam]] (far right)]]

[[File:Panoramic view of typical Berber village (Morocco - High Atlas Mountains).jpg|thumb|upright=1.63|right|A panoramic view of typical Berber village in the [[Morocco|Moroccan]] part of the High Atlas]]

===Middle Atlas===

{{main|Middle Atlas}}
The Middle Atlas is completely in Morocco and is the northernmost of its three main Atlas ranges. The range lies north of the High Atlas, separated by the [[Moulouya River|Moulouya]] and [[Oum Er-Rbia River|Oum Er-Rbia]] rivers, and south of the [[Rif]] mountains, separated by the [[Sebou River]]. To the west are the main coastal plains of Morocco with many of the major cities and, to the east, the high barren plateau that lies between the Saharan and Tell Atlas. The high point of the range is the [[jbel Bou Naceur]] (3340 m). The Middle Atlas experiences more rain than the ranges to the south, making it an important water catchment for the coastal plains and important for biodiversity. It is home to the majority of the world's population of [[Barbary macaque]].

[[File:Atlas Mountains 2018009rgb.jpg|thumb|Snow on the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, January 2019]]

===Saharan Atlas===
{{main|Saharan Atlas}}

The Saharan Atlas of [[Algeria]] runs east of the High Atlas, crossing Algeria from the Moroccan border and into Tunisia. The [[Aures Mountains]] are often presented as being the easternmost part of the Saharan Atlas. Though not as high as the High Atlas, they reach similar altitudes as the Tell Atlas range that runs to the north of them and closer to the coast. The highest peak in the range, outside of the Aures Mountains, is the {{convert|2236|m|ft|abbr=on}} high Djebel Aissa. They mark the northern edge of the [[Sahara Desert]]. The mountains see some rainfall and are better suited to agriculture than the [[plateau]] region to the north. Today, most of the population of the region are Berbers ([[Imazighen]]).{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

===Tell Atlas===
{{main|Tell Atlas}}
[[File:Akouker Djurdjura April 2017.jpg|thumb|Northern slopes of Djebel Akouker ({{cvt|2184|m|ft|disp=or}}) in the Djurdjura range (Tell Atlas, Algeria)]]

The Tell Atlas is a mountain chain over {{convert|1500|km|mi|sigfig=1}} in length, belonging to the Atlas mountain ranges and stretching from Eastern Morocco to Tunisia, and through Algeria. It parallels the [[Mediterranean]] coast and joins with the Saharan Atlas in Eastern Algeria and Tunisia. The highest summit of the Tell Atlas is the {{convert|2308|m|ft|abbr=on}} Lalla Khadidja in the [[Djurdjura]] range of [[Kabylia]]. The western end of the Tell Atlas merges with the [[Middle Atlas]] range in Morocco.

The area immediately to the south of the Tell Atlas is the high plateau of the [[Hautes Plaines]], with lakes in the wet season and salt flats in the dry. The eastern half of the Tell Atlas has the most humid climate of North Africa, with annual precipitation reaching well above {{convert|1000|mm|in|abbr=on}}, and sometimes over {{convert|1500|mm|in|abbr=on}} like in the [[Collo]] Peninsula or near [[Ain Draham]]. An important amount of snow falls on the summits in winter.

[[File:Hammam Essalhine Aquae Flaviane Khenchela Mont View 2.jpg|thumb|right|[[Aurès Mountains|Aures Mountains]]]]

===Aurès===
{{main|Aurès Mountains}}

The Aurès Mountains are the easternmost portion of the Atlas mountain range. It covers parts of [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]]. The [[Aurès]] [[natural region]] is named after the range.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://countrystudies.us/algeria/51.htm| title = Algeria – Ethnic Groups and Languages}}</ref>