Hoggar Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoggar Mountains |
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Landscape of the Assekrem region in the Hoggar in Tamanrasset Province
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Tahat |
| Elevation | 2,908 m (9,541 ft) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Error {{native name}}: an IETF language tag as parameter {{{1}}} is required (help) |
| Geography | |
 Hoggar Mountains
Location in Algeria
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| Country | Algeria |
| 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 |
| Area | 54,000 km2 (21,000 sq mi) |
| Established | 1987 |
The Hoggar Mountains (Arabic: جبال هقار, Berber: idurar n Ahaggar) are a large group of mountains. They are found in the middle of the Sahara desert in southern Algeria. These mountains cover a huge area, about 550,000 square kilometers (212,000 square miles). They are located along the Tropic of Cancer.
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Exploring the Hoggar Mountains
These mountains are about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Algiers. Algiers is the capital city of Algeria. The land here is mostly rocky desert. Its average height is more than 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level.
The highest point in the Hoggar Mountains is Mount Tahat. It stands tall at 2,908 meters (9,541 feet). Most of the mountains are made of very old rocks. These rocks are about 2 billion years old! Some parts also have newer rocks from volcanic activity. Some of the dramatic peaks, like Ilamen, were once volcanoes. Over time, erosion wore away the softer rock, leaving behind the harder volcanic cores.
Assekrem is a famous spot in the mountains. A French monk named Charles de Foucauld built a small hermitage there in 1911. A hermitage is a place where a person lives alone to pray. The main city close to the Hoggar Mountains is Tamanrasset. It is built in a desert valley called a wadi.
Climate and Nature
The Hoggar Mountain range has hot summers. But winters can be cold, with temperatures sometimes falling below freezing. Rain is rare and does not happen often throughout the year.
However, the climate here is not as extreme as in other parts of the Sahara. This makes the Hoggar Mountains a special place for biodiversity. Biodiversity means many different types of plants and animals live there. It is home to some relict species. These are species that are found in a small area but used to be widespread. The Hoggar Mountains are part of the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands ecoregion.
The Ahaggar National Park is located within the Hoggar Mountains. It is one of the national parks of Algeria. Mount Tahat, the tallest peak, is inside this park. The park covers a huge area of about 450,000 square kilometers (170,000 square miles).
Amazing Animals of the Hoggar
In the past, the endangered African wild dog used to live near the Hoggar Mountains. However, they are now thought to be gone from this area.
Scientists found signs of the Northwest African cheetah in 2006. Between 2008 and 2010, cameras caught pictures of four different cheetahs. In 2020, a single cheetah was filmed and photographed in the national park. This happened in the Atakor volcanic field, where peaks reach almost 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).
Small groups of the West African crocodile also lived in the Hoggar Mountains. They were present until the early 1900s.
The park is also home to plant-eating animals called herbivores. These include the Saharan subspecies of the barbary sheep and the Dorcas gazelle.
Plants of the Hoggar
The plants in this area include trees like Vachellia tortilis, Vachellia seyal, myrtle, and Tamarix aphylla. These trees are spread out across the region. Other plants you might find are Citrullus colocynthis and Calotropis procera.
History and Culture
People lived in the Hoggar Mountains a very long time ago. We know this from ancient rock paintings. These paintings date back to 6000 BC.
The Hoggar Massif is the homeland of the Kel Ahaggar Tuareg. The Tuareg are a nomadic people of the Sahara. The tomb of Tin Hinan is located near Abalessa. She is believed to be the important ancestor of the Tuareg people.
The hermitage of Charles de Foucauld is still on top of the Assekrem plateau. A few Catholic monks continue to live there today.
Panoramic View
See also
In Spanish: Ahaggar para niños
