The Atlas Mountains stretch 2,500 kilometers from Morocco's coast to Tunisia. They support 3,500 plant species with 800 endemic and house 12 million residents across three countries. The following sections present measured data on climate, ecology, geography, geology, and human settlement.
Key Takeaways
- The Atlas Mountains receive annual precipitation of 400-1,200 mm in the High Atlas.
- The Atlas Mountains host 3,500 plant species, 800 endemic.
- Algerian nuthatch population is 1,500 pairs in Maritime Atlas., category: Ecology
- The Atlas Mountains stretch over 2,500 kilometers in length from Morocco's Atlantic coast to Tunisia's Cape Bon.
- The range includes volcanic formations like the Jbel Bou-Naceur complex.
- Atlas population totals 12 million across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.
Atlas statistics shows key trends and insights that help you make smarter decisions faster.
Related reading
01 · Category
Climate23 stats
01
The Atlas Mountains receive annual precipitation of 400-1,200 mm in the High Atlas.
02
Winter snowfall in Jbel Toubkal averages 5-10 meters depth annually.
03
The Tell Atlas experiences Mediterranean climate with 600 mm yearly rain.
04
Saharan Atlas summer temperatures exceed 45°C with less than 200 mm rain.
05
Middle Atlas has temperate summers at 20°C average and cold winters at -5°C.
06
Annual evapotranspiration in the Atlas basins reaches 1,000 mm.
07
The High Atlas' orographic precipitation peaks at 1,500 mm on north slopes.
08
Rif region records 800-1,000 mm rain concentrated October-March.
09
Anti-Atlas arid zones get under 250 mm annual precipitation.
10
Frost days number 100-150 per year above 2,000 meters elevation.
11
The Atlas wind speeds average 5-10 m/s in exposed ridges.
12
Spring droughts affect 30% of Atlas years, reducing water by 50%.
13
High Atlas cloud cover averages 40% annually, higher in winter.
14
Saharan Atlas diurnal temperature range is 20°C in summer.
15
Middle Atlas relative humidity averages 60-70% year-round.
16
The Tell Atlas has 50-70 rainy days per year.
17
Extreme rainfall events in High Atlas exceed 200 mm/day once per decade.
18
Winter low temperatures drop to -15°C in High Atlas valleys.
19
Anti-Atlas coastal fog provides 100 mm equivalent moisture yearly.
20
Atlas-wide temperature lapse rate is 6.5°C/km elevation.
21
The Rif sees northerly winds 'Chergui' at 20 m/s gusts in summer.
22
Annual sunshine hours in Saharan Atlas reach 3,500.
23
High Atlas snowmelt contributes 70% to river discharge.
Interpretation
Climate Interpretation
From a climate perspective, the Atlas Mountains shift sharply from wetter High and Tell Atlas conditions with 400 to 1,200 mm and about 600 mm of annual rain to much harsher Saharan Atlas heat where summer temperatures top 45°C and rainfall drops below 200 mm.
02 · Category
Ecology22 stats
01
The Atlas Mountains host 3,500 plant species, 800 endemic.
02
Barbary macaque population in Middle Atlas numbers 5,000-6,000 individuals.
03
High Atlas cedar forests cover 150,000 hectares.
04
The Atlas supports 80 mammal species including Barbary sheep.
05
Endemic fir Abies numidica covers 10,000 ha in Tell Atlas.
06
Over 200 bird species breed in Atlas wetlands.
07
Atlas lion historically roamed with population over 10,000 pre-1900.
08
Oak forests in Rif cover 100,000 ha with Quercus canariensis dominant.
09
42 reptile species endemic to Atlas regions.
10
High Atlas argan trees number 21 million across 800,000 ha.
11
Cuvier's gazelle reintroduced with 400 individuals in Saharan Atlas.
12
Juniper woodlands in Middle Atlas span 50,000 ha.
13
120 butterfly species unique to Atlas Mountains.
14
Barbary stag population estimated at 1,200 in Rif forests.
15
Alpine meadows above 2,500m support 300 plant taxa.
16
Fennec fox density is 0.5 per sq km in Saharan Atlas.
17
Atlas mountain viper (Vipera monticola) inhabits 20 peaks.
18
Holm oak Quercus ilex covers 200,000 ha in Tell Atlas.
19
15 amphibian species including endemic Discoglossus nigriventer.
20
Wild boar population exceeds 20,000 in High Atlas.
21
Orchid flora includes 100 species in karst zones.
22
Rüppell's fox dens found in 40% of Atlas wadis.
Interpretation
Ecology Interpretation
Ecology in the Atlas is exceptionally rich and localized, with 3,500 plant species including 800 endemics alongside major habitat coverage such as 150,000 hectares of High Atlas cedar forests and 200 bird species breeding in its wetlands.
03 · Category
Ecology, Source Url: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/algerian Nuthatch1 stats
01
Algerian nuthatch population is 1,500 pairs in Maritime Atlas., category: Ecology
Interpretation
Ecology, Source Url: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/algerian Nuthatch Interpretation
In the Ecology profile of the Atlas region, the Algerian nuthatch holds a population of about 1,500 breeding pairs in the Maritime Atlas, indicating a relatively small but clearly defined ecological presence.
More related reading
04 · Category
Geography29 stats
01
The Atlas Mountains stretch over 2,500 kilometers in length from Morocco's Atlantic coast to Tunisia's Cape Bon.
02
The Anti-Atlas range features the highest peak Jbel Saghro at 2,500 meters elevation.
03
The Tell Atlas runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea for approximately 1,000 kilometers.
04
The High Atlas divides into Western, Central, and Eastern sections spanning Morocco.
05
The Saharan Atlas covers about 1,000 kilometers in Algeria's southern regions.
06
Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, stands at 4,167 meters in the High Atlas.
07
The Atlas Mountains cover a total area of approximately 800,000 square kilometers across three countries.
08
The Middle Atlas in Morocco spans roughly 350 kilometers east-west.
09
The Rif Mountains, part of the Atlas system, extend 200 kilometers along Morocco's northern coast.
10
The Atlas Mountains form a barrier averaging 100-200 kilometers wide between coastal plains and Sahara.
11
Mokhtar Pool in the Atlas hosts Lake Aguelmame Azigza at 2,200 meters altitude.
12
The High Atlas contains over 100 peaks exceeding 3,000 meters in elevation.
13
The Maritime Atlas in Algeria reaches up to 2,308 meters at Lalla Khedidja.
14
The Atlas system includes numerous wadis draining into the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Sahara.
15
The central High Atlas features deep gorges like the Todgha Gorge at 300 meters depth.
16
The Atlas Mountains' western end begins at Morocco's Souss-Massa plain.
17
The Eastern Atlas extends into Tunisia with peaks up to 1,500 meters.
18
The range's average width varies from 50 kilometers in the High Atlas to 300 kilometers in the Saharan Atlas.
19
Ighil M'Goun at 4,071 meters is the second highest peak in the Atlas Mountains.
20
The Atlas contains several karst plateaus, including the Causse de Montaigu at 1,800 meters.
21
The Tell Atlas' Babors chain rises to 2,304 meters at Tala Remda.
22
The High Atlas' Tizi n'Test pass reaches 2,092 meters elevation.
23
The Atlas Mountains span latitudes from 27°N to 37°N.
24
The Saharan Atlas' Ksour Range includes Djebel Aïssa at 2,158 meters.
25
The Middle Atlas' highest point is Mount Bou Nasser at 3,346 meters.
26
The Atlas system's fluvial network includes the Oued Tensift with 204 km length.
27
The Rif-Atlas junction features the 2,456-meter peak of Tissouka.
28
The High Atlas hosts the longest ski run in Africa at Oukaïmeden, 4 km long.
29
The Atlas Mountains' eastern extension reaches the Gulf of Gabes in Tunisia.
Interpretation
Geography Interpretation
For Atlas geography, the mountain system spans thousands of kilometers and reaches extreme heights, with ranges like the 2,500 kilometer stretch from Morocco to Tunisia and peaks such as Jbel Toubkal at 4,167 meters.
05 · Category
Geology25 stats
01
The range includes volcanic formations like the Jbel Bou-Naceur complex.
02
The Atlas Mountains were formed by Alpine orogeny starting 80 million years ago.
03
Primary rock types include Paleozoic schists and quartzites in the core.
04
The High Atlas features Mesozoic limestone and dolomite layers up to 5 km thick.
05
Triassic red beds and evaporites underlie much of the Atlas basins.
06
The Anti-Atlas exposes Precambrian basement rocks over 600 million years old.
07
Jurassic carbonates form prominent nappes thrust over Cretaceous flysch.
08
The Tell Atlas contains Eocene flysch deposits up to 3 km thick.
09
Saharan Atlas features Quaternary alluvial fans covering 10,000 sq km.
10
Middle Atlas has extensive Jurassic limestone karst with caves up to 1 km deep.
11
Neogene salt domes pierce the Atlas structures in eastern Algeria.
12
The High Atlas rift basins accumulated 10 km of Triassic-Jurassic sediments.
13
Paleogene phosphorites are mined in the Atlas with reserves over 100 million tons.
14
Granite intrusions date to 300 million years in the Western Atlas.
15
The Rif nappe complex involves obducted ophiolites from Tethys Ocean.
16
Cenozoic compression folded the Atlas at rates of 1-2 mm/year.
17
Cambro-Ordovician sandstones form the Anti-Atlas' rigid foreland.
18
Oligocene conglomerates fill intramontane basins up to 2 km thick.
19
The Atlas hosts mineral deposits of lead-zinc with 5 million tons reserves.
20
Devonian limestones with fossils span 500 sq km in the High Atlas.
21
Pleistocene glacial moraines cover 500 sq km in the High Atlas.
22
The Tell Atlas' Miocene marls are 1,500 meters thick in depocenters.
23
Volcanic necks of Quaternary age dot the Middle Atlas with 50 features.
24
The Saharan Atlas' Paleozoic core is overlain by 1 km Cretaceous sands.
25
Fault scarps from recent earthquakes displace strata by 5 meters vertically.
Interpretation
Geology Interpretation
From the Geology perspective, the Atlas system records a long arc of Earth history, with Alpine orogeny beginning about 80 million years ago and key units stretching from over 600 million year old Precambrian rocks in the Anti Atlas to up to 5 km of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite in the High Atlas.
06 · Category
Human Aspects23 stats
01
Atlas population totals 12 million across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.
02
Morocco's High Atlas Berbers number 3.5 million speakers of Tashelhit.
03
Rural population density in Middle Atlas is 50 persons/sq km.
04
Marrakesh Tensift region hosts 3.2 million residents.
05
70% of Atlas inhabitants rely on subsistence agriculture.
06
Literacy rate in Rif mountains is 65% for adults.
07
Toubkal National Park receives 100,000 tourists annually.
08
Berber villages number 5,000 in High Atlas with adobe kasbahs.
09
Migration rate from Atlas to cities is 2% yearly.
10
Life expectancy in Saharan Atlas is 72 years.
11
40% of households in Anti-Atlas use LPG for cooking.
12
Djurdjura National Park in Algeria has 20,000 Berber residents.
13
Infant mortality in Atlas regions is 25 per 1,000 births.
14
85% of Atlas energy from biomass and wood.
15
Road density in High Atlas is 0.2 km/sq km.
16
Female labor participation in Rif is 30%.
17
1.2 million goats grazed in Middle Atlas annually.
18
Electricity access reaches 95% in Tell Atlas urban areas.
19
Traditional markets (souks) number 300 in Atlas valleys.
20
Youth unemployment in Atlas youth is 35%.
21
60% speak Arabic as first language in Saharan Atlas.
22
Healthcare facilities: 1 doctor per 5,000 in remote areas.
23
Tourism contributes 10% to local GDP in Toubkal area.
Interpretation
Human Aspects Interpretation
With 70% of Atlas inhabitants relying on subsistence agriculture and adult literacy in the Rif mountains at just 65%, the human landscape across these regions shows a strong link between livelihoods and limited access to education despite populations reaching into the millions.
report visual · Breakdown
Atlas climate contrasts
Precipitation and snowfall vary sharply across the Atlas regions, creating distinct wet and dry zones.
30%
Spring droughts affect 30% of Atlas years, reducing water by 50%.
70%
High Atlas snowmelt contributes 70% to river discharge.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Atlas Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/atlas-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Atlas Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/atlas-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Atlas Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/atlas-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level