What are the main mountain ranges within the Atlas Mountains?

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The Atlas Mountains are a vast system of ranges in northwestern Africa, spanning Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The system is composed of several distinct chains and sub-ranges:

  • Moroccan Chains: The Atlas Mountains in Morocco comprise three primary chains: the High Atlas, which contains the system's highest peak, Mount Toubkal; the Middle Atlas; and the Anti-Atlas, which extends toward the Atlantic.1
  • Tell Atlas: This range extends approximately 1,000 miles from eastern Morocco through Algeria to Tunisia. It includes the Rif Mountains in Morocco and the Great Kabylie in Algeria.2
  • Saharan Atlas: Located south of the Tell Atlas, this chain stretches across Algeria into Tunisia. Its principal ranges include the Ksour, Amour, Ouled-Naïl, Zab, Aurès, and Tébessa.3

While the Rif Mountains are often associated with the region's topography, they are geologically distinct from the Atlas system, though they are sometimes categorized as part of the Tell Atlas range.12