A Case Study of a Fold Mountain Range - The Atlas Mountains

The Atlas Mountains

The Atlas Mountains are in Northwest Africa, covering parts of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The subductive plate boundary between Europe and Asia means that a destructive plate margin occurs and creates Fold Mountains.

At 4,167m, Djebel Toubkal is highest mountain of the Atlas Mountains and the highest peak in North Africa.

Most farmers in the Atlas Mountains use terraced land in the same location all year round but there are a few which practice “Transhumance” which means they move their livestock to higher altitude in the summer. The fruits of the farming are usually used for the owner’s life themselves, but cork trees are sometimes cut down to sell. Lots of people live in the mountains, meaning they are even overpopulated in parts, large cities such as Algiers and Casablanca are in the Atlas Mountains and people who use the mountains live there.

The Atlas mountains are rich in minerals, particularly phosphate, which is mined extensively Khouribga area. Lead and zinc are plentiful in the Middle Atlas region and…