Hoggar Mountains
| Hoggar Mountains | |
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| جبال هقار Idurar Uhaggar Idurar n Ahaggar |
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Landscape of the Asskrem region in the Hoggar
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Tahat |
| Elevation | 2,908 m (9,541 ft) |
| Coordinates | 23°17′0″N 05°31′0″E / 23.28333°N 5.51667°E |
| Geography | |
| Country | Algeria |
| Province | Tamanrasset |
| Range coordinates | 23°17′N 5°32′E / 23.29°N 5.53°ECoordinates: 23°17′N 5°32′E / 23.29°N 5.53°E |
The Hoggar Mountains (Arabic: جبال هقار, Berber: idurar n Ahaggar, Tuareg: Idurar Uhaggar), also known as the Ahaggar, are a highland region in the central Sahara, southern Algeria, along the Tropic of Cancer.
Contents
Geography[edit]
This mountainous region is located about 1,500 km (930 mi) south of the capital, Algiers. The area is largely rocky desert with an average elevation of more than 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level. The highest peak, Mount Tahat, is at 2,908 m (9,541 ft). Assekrem is a famous and often visited point where Charles de Foucauld built a hermitage in 1911.[1] The main city near the Hoggar Mountains is Tamanrasset, built in a desert valley or wadi.
Environment[edit]
The Hoggar Mountain range is chiefly volcanic rock and contains a hot summer climate, with a cold winter climate (temperatures fall below 0 °C (32 °F) in the winter). The mountains are young—about 2 million years old. Rainfall is rare and sporadic. However, since the climate is less extreme than in most other areas of the Sahara, the Hoggar Mountains are a major location for biodiversity and host relict species. The Hoggar Mountains are part of the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands ecoregion. It is also one of the national parks of the country.
Fauna and flora[edit]
Slightly to the west of the Hoggar range, a population of the endangered painted hunting dog (Lycaon pictus) remained viable into the 20th century, but is now thought to be extirpated within this entire region.[2]
In scat collections there are records of the presence of these elusive and very rare carnivores, Including the Northwest African Cheetah[3][4]
Relict populations of the West African crocodile persisted in the Hoggar Mountains until the early 20th century.[5]
The park also contains a population of herbivores such as the saharan subspecies of the barbary sheep and the Dorcas gazelle [6]
Vegetation in this Area includes trees such as Vachellia tortilis, Vachellia seyal, myrtle and Tamarix aphylla which are scattered throughout the area. Other plants may include Citrullus colocynthis and Calotropis procera.
Cultural significance[edit]
Prehistoric settlement is evident from extant rock paintings dating to 6000 BC.[7] The Hoggar massif is the land of the Tuaregs or Kel Hoggar. The tomb of Tin Hinan, the woman believed to be the ancestor of the Tuareg is located at Abalessa, an oasis near Tamanrasset. According to legend, the Tim Lam are from the Tafilalt region in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains.[citation needed]
Panoramic view[edit]
See also[edit]
| Hoggar National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Locator map
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| Location | Tamanrasset Province, Algeria |
| Nearest city | Tamanrasset |
| Coordinates | 22°50′N 5°20′E / 22.833°N 5.333°E |
| Area | 3,800 km2 |
| Established | 1987 |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ahaggar Mountains. |
References[edit]
- ^ Sattin, Anthony Ham, Nana Luckham, Anthony (2007). Algeria (1st ed.). Footscray, Vic.: Lonely Planet. p. 188. ISBN 1741790999.
- ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2009
- ^ see Busby, 2006, http://users.ox.ac.uk/~some2456/docs/Busby_GBJ_North_African_Cheetah_thesis.pdf.
- ^ http://users.ox.ac.uk/~some2456/docs/Carniv_Mol_Gen_Ahaggar_Report_2006.pdf
- ^ "Crocodiles in the Sahara Desert: An Update of Distribution, Habitats and Population Status for Conservation Planning in Mauritania". PLOS ONE. February 25, 2011.
- ^ http://www.algeria.com/national-parks/ahaggar/
- ^ Peter Haggett. 2001
Further reading[edit]
- Peter Haggett. 2001. Encyclopedia of World Geography, Published by Marshall Cavendish, 3456 pages ISBN 0-7614-7289-4, 9780761472896
- C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Painted Hunting Dog: Lycaon pictus, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
- Jeremy Keenan. 1977. "The Tuareg: People of Ahaggar", Published by Allen Lane, Penguin Books Ltd., London, 385 pages, ISBN 0-7139-0636-7
