Atlasvuoristot

Atlasvuoristot, Finnish for the Atlas Mountains, are a major mountain system in North Africa that stretches from the Atlantic coast of southwestern Morocco through Morocco, into eastern Algeria and western Tunisia. The range acts as a geographic barrier between the Atlantic-facing coast and the inland basins that lead toward the Sahara. The main belt runs roughly 2,500 kilometers, consisting of several subranges.

The Atlas has several well-known components, including the High Atlas (with Jebel Toubkal, 4,167 meters), the Middle Atlas, the Anti-Atlas, and the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco. These ranges together form a stepped system with diverse landscapes, from high alpine zones to lower plateaus and desert foothills.

Geologically, the Atlas Mountains were formed during the Alpine orogeny through the collision of the African and Eurasian plates. They comprise folded sedimentary rocks, metamorphic units, and some igneous intrusions, with ongoing uplift and erosion shaping their current form.

Climate and ecology vary across the system. Northern slopes receive more rain and host forests, while southern sections are drier. Notable ecosystems include the Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) forests in the High and Middle Atlas and habitats for species such as the Barbary macaque and other Mediterranean-adapted wildlife. The region supports pastoralism, agriculture, and increasingly tourism.

Inhabited for millennia by Berber (Amazigh) communities, the Atlas Mountains have a long history of transhumant herding and trade routes. Today, they are a center for trekking and mountaineering, particularly in protected areas such as Toubkal National Park, while remaining a vital water and climate resource for surrounding regions.