Lesson objectives:
- Improve skills in working with atlas maps, textbook text, and compiling tables.
- Ensure the development of abilities for evaluative actions and express judgments.
- Develop the ability to work in a team; develop mutual assistance.
Equipment : physical map of the world, political map of Africa, illustrations, tables, educational pictures, textbook, notebook, workbook, atlas, universal encyclopedia for youth (countries and peoples), geographical atlas of the world, multimedia technologies (technical equipment).
Forms of work : group with elements of role-playing game.
Lesson type : for didactic purposes - learning new material; according to teaching methods - role-playing game.
Lesson plan:
1. Organization of the lesson.
2. Updating students' knowledge. Setting educational objectives. Studying a new topic.
3. Students work in groups. The results of the work are in tables. Student answers.
4. Lesson summary. Evaluating student responses. Achieving the goal.
5. Practical part of the lesson.
Completing the task in the workbooks on page 43.
6. Homework.
Course and content of the lesson.
1. Stage – organizational.
Greetings. Ready for the lesson. Mark those absent in the log.
2. Stage – updating students’ knowledge.
Teacher. We continue to explore the continent of Africa. Africa is the ancestral home of man. The most ancient remains of human ancestors and tools of his work were found in rocks that are 27 million years old. Guys, let's update our knowledge.
Question No. 1 What are the geographic coordinates of a point on the earth's surface?
Answer: Latitude and longitude are the geographic coordinates of a point on the earth's surface.
Question No. 2 Define the concept of “geographical location”.
Answer: Geographical location is the position of any point or object on the earth's surface in relation to other points or territories.
Question No. 3 In what climatic zones is continental Africa located?
Answer: Africa is located in the equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical climate zones.
Question No. 4 Name the largest countries by area.
Answer: Russia, China, Brazil, USA, Canada.
Teacher: According to natural conditions and population composition, Africa can be divided into four parts: Northern, Western and Central, Eastern and Southern.
Lesson topic: “North African countries. Algeria".
The purpose of the lesson : characterize the country according to plan, show the economic activities of the population. (students write down the date and topic of the lesson in their notebooks).
3. Stage – group form of work.
Teacher: Guys, today we are working in groups. To compile a country profile, a standard plan is used (textbook - p. 313).
A standard plan is displayed on the screen. (Annex 1)
The plan questions are reflected in the tables presented to each group member. Groups have three questions, including evaluation sheets (Appendix 2), an organizer is determined who distributes the questions, listens, and evaluates the answers.
You work with atlas maps, which provide 80% of the information, with the text of the textbook §31 and additional literature. The results of the work are entered into the table.
The fourth group will prepare additional information about Algeria.
The groups begin work, the time allotted for completing tasks is 10 minutes.
Upon completion of the work, the groups give a description of the country according to the plan.
(During the characterization, each group enters the results of the other group into the table).
Description of the country according to plan.
1. What maps should be used when describing a country?
Physical map of Africa, climate map of Africa, map of natural zones of Africa, political map of Africa.
2. In what part of the continent is the country located? What is the name of its capital?
Algeria is located in northwest Africa. This is one of the large developing states of the mainland that has freed itself from colonial dependence.
The capital of the country is Algeria, geographical coordinates are 37 degrees north latitude. and 3 degrees east.
3. Features of the relief (general character of the surface, main forms of relief and distribution of heights). Minerals.
Due to the large extent from north to south, Algeria is divided into Northern Algeria and the Algerian Sahara.
The Atlas Mountains amaze with their beauty. The ridges, rising upward, end in sharp peaks with steep cliffs.
Two main mountain ranges stretch along the coast - Tell Atlas and Saharan Atlas.
The highest peak is Shelia(2328 m) in the Ores mountains. Most of the southern part of the country is an elevated plain, while highlands rise in the east Ahaggar. Most of the surface of the Algerian Sahara is rocky; and sand is found only in isolated areas. The subsoil of Algeria contains large reserves of fuel minerals – oil and gas, ore - iron and polymetallic, chemical - phosphorites.
Cast iron and steel are smelted from iron ores, non-ferrous metals are made from polymetallic ores, and mineral fertilizers are made from phosphorites.
4. Climatic conditions in different parts of the country(climatic zones, average temperatures in July and January, annual precipitation). Differences by territory and by season.
Climatic zones – subtropical, tropical. The climate of the coast is subtropical, Mediterranean.
The subtropical climate is characterized by dry, hot summers and warm, wet winters.
Northern part of Algeria: average temperature: January +8 degrees C, July +32 degrees C, average annual precipitation in millimeters –100–1000.
Southern part of Algeria: average temperature: January +16 degrees C, July +32 degrees C, average annual precipitation less than 100 mm. The reasons are geographic latitude, the influence of oceans and seas, relief features, and prevailing air masses.
5. Large rivers and lakes.
There is almost no surface water here and only one river flows - Shelif.
The Algerian Sahara contains large reserves of groundwater. Sometimes they come to the surface in the form of springs.
6. Natural areas and their main features.
Northern Algeria occupies a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs that includes the northern Atlas Mountains and the adjacent coastal plain.
This zone has a lot of heat and sufficient moisture. Therefore, the natural conditions of this part of Northern Algeria are the most favorable for human life and agriculture.
The country's once diverse wildlife is now greatly impoverished; Lions, leopards, ostriches, cormorants and some other animals and birds were exterminated by predators. Algeria has preserved monkeys, hares, jackals, and hyenas. There are many migratory birds on the lakes. Numerous reptiles: snakes, lizards, monitor lizards.
7. Peoples inhabiting the country. Their main activities.
Indigenous The population of the country is Algerians, consisting of Arabs and Berbers. The nomadic population of the Algerian Sahara is represented by tribes Tuaregs. They inhabit the harshest parts of the desert and the Ahaggar Highlands. In rural areas, rectangular dwellings are built. They have flat roofs and flat courtyards. There are walls without windows facing the street.
Algerians are mainly engaged in livestock farming - they raise sheep, goats and camels. Farming is possible only in oases, where Algerians grow date palms, and under their crown - fruit trees and grain crops.
Pottery is represented by the production of carpets, wool and silk fabrics, as well as the processing of alpha grass, from which mats, baskets and ropes are woven.
The fourth group gives additional information about Algeria.
4. Lesson stage - summing up.
Final questions:
- What do you think is the importance of access to the Mediterranean Sea for Algeria?
- What are the features of Algeria's nature?
- Which places in Algeria would you like to travel to and why?
Algeria is an agrarian-industrial country. One of the largest countries in North Africa. It ranks first in reserves of natural gas, mercury and tungsten ores and third in oil reserves.
The country has all types of land transport, as well as air and sea. Algeria is a major exporter of oil and natural gas to Europe, which contributes to the country's rise to the global economic level.
(Use of multimedia technologies, fragments of the country’s natural features are shown on the screen).
Evaluating student responses.
5. Lesson stage – practical part of the lesson.
Student completion of workbook assignments on page 43.
1. On outline maps, write the name of the country Algeria and its capital.
2. Write the names of the countries with which Algeria borders.
(Grading in diaries).
6. Homework: § 31, questions after § 31.
THANK YOU FOR THE LESSON AND FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
Due to its large extent from north to south, the territory of Algeria is located not only in different natural zones, but even in different zones. Northern Algeria occupies the central part of the Atlas natural region, which is part of the subtropical Mediterranean zone on the southern edge of temperate Africa. The main part of the country is occupied by tropical semi-deserts and Saharan deserts, i.e. it belongs to the tropical trade wind belt of the northern hemisphere. The geological structure, relief, hydrography of these two adjacent natural areas, their soil and vegetation cover and fauna are different. Thus, the nature of Algeria has a dual character.
Although Northern Algeria makes up less than 1/2 of the territory, more than 90% of the population and almost the entire economic life of the country are concentrated here. The influence of the Sahara on the nature of Northern Algeria is very great. It enhances the African specificity of nature, creating its significant differences from the countries of the non-African Mediterranean. The natural conditions of the Algerian Sahara as part of the desert zone of North Africa are mainly characterized in the essay on the nature of all of North Africa, so here we will focus primarily on the nature of Northern Algeria, which also has many internal physiographic differences.
Features of the nature of Northern Algeria, as part of the Atlas region, are associated not only with its position in the far north of Africa, but also with the specific geological structure of the region. This tectonically mobile region of Africa finally formed as the Atlas mountain fold system in Tertiary time during the Alpine tectonic cycle. During the alpine stage of mountain building, active volcanic activity also occurred, especially in coastal areas, where many coastal capes are composed of volcanic rocks. To the west of Oran, dilapidated ancient craters and craters of younger Quaternary volcanoes are still preserved. Numerous hot mineral springs remain evidence of recent volcanism.
Like most areas of the Alpine folding, the territory of Northern Algeria is seismically mobile, and earthquakes occur here every year, sometimes very destructive. For example, in 1825, an earthquake killed more than 7 thousand people, and in 1954 a strong earthquake left tens of thousands of people homeless and was also accompanied by many casualties.
The complex geological history of Algeria predetermined the presence of various minerals in the country, the study of which, although quite active during the years of the French occupation, is far from exhausted. This is evidenced by the discoveries not only of oil and gas in the Algerian Sahara, but also of other deposits made during the years of independence. The country has large reserves of high-quality iron ores, usually containing manganese; Since ancient times, the ores of lead and zinc, arsenic and mercury, antimony and copper have been mined. Many polymetallic and other ore deposits are essential for the development of the Algerian economy. Like other Atlas countries, Algeria is rich in phosphorites, mineral salts, cement raw materials, and other valuable construction and ornamental materials. Along with the oil and gas fields of the Saharan regions, this provides independent Algeria with strong natural prerequisites for the development of industrial sectors based on the processing of mineral raw materials.
The nature and economic development of Northern Algeria is greatly influenced by such orographic features as altitude. There are few high mountains in this part of the country: massifs with a height of 1600-2000 m account for less than 2% of the area, but lowlands (below 200 m) occupy only about 5%. More than half of Northern Algeria is elevated plains with average heights of 400-1200 m. Often even quite high mountain ranges rise above this peculiar base by only a few hundred meters, creating the impression of a hilly rather than mountainous country.
The Atlas Mountains consist of individual massifs and mountain ranges, the northern of which are called Tell Atlas. The Western Tell Atlas, from the borders of Morocco to the massifs surrounding the capital, forms hilly ranges alternating with coastal plains.
To the east of the city of Algiers, the Tell Atlas Mountains extend away from the coast. The coastal areas are occupied by the ancient Kabylia mountain ranges. From the south they are adjacent to younger mountains with typical alpine peaks reaching 2000 m or more. The Kabylia Mountains are cut by river gorges and are divided into many massifs and individual dome-shaped mountains. Seismically, these ancient mountains are less mobile than the Atlas. The sea, as it were, cuts off the Kabyle massifs, forming steep shores, rocky capes and sheltered coves and giving the harsh beauty of this part of the coast.
The Eastern Tell Atlas occupies the northeast of Algeria. The mountain structures here resemble hills surrounding intermountain plains and basins. In the east, the mountains diverge into two branches: the Biban chain to the northeast, the Hodna chain to the southeast. The latter forms a kind of bridge between the northern and southern Atlas mountains.
A narrow depression separates the Hodna chain from one of the highest mountain ranges in Northern Algeria, Ores. In Ores there is the highest point of the country - Jebel Shelia (2321 m). North of Ores lie the high plains of Constantine, the ancient granary of Algeria, framed to the north by mountains. These mountains are composed predominantly of calcareous rocks and are distinguished by an abundance of karst landforms. In the east, the mountains merge with the Mejerda system, which extends into Tunisia. In the south, Ores comes close to the Saharan Atlas.
Saharan Atlas - continuation of the eastern part of the Moroccan High Atlas and, like it, forms the mountain barrier of the Sahara Platform. The Saharan Atlas is a chain of mountains from the border of Morocco to Tunisia. These are the mountains Ksur, Ulad-Nail, Ziban and Nemencha. Cuesta ridges predominate here. Small landforms are greatly affected by the proximity of the desert (wind erosion, salt peaks, outcrops, etc.). The average heights in the Saharan Atlas are 1400-1500 m, and only a few peaks in the south exceed 2000 m.
Between the Tell Atlas and Saharan Atlas chains west of the Hodna Mountains, the interior of Northern Algeria is highly leveled (average altitudes 1000-1200 m) and is called the region of “high plateaus” or “high plains”. Numerous depressions and basins on these plains are occupied by drying up salt lakes - sebkhas and small temporary lakes - dai-ami. The monotonous topography of the plains is also broken by deep valleys that are dry for most of the year.
On the Mediterranean coast, leveled areas alternate with rocky ones. There are no large islands off the coast, and there are no bays protruding deep into the land. The largest bays (Oran, Arzev, Alzhirskaya, etc.) are not very favorable for the entry of modern ships and require the construction of complex protective port structures. But in the days of the rowing and sailing fleet, the Algerian coast was a base for sailors of various Mediterranean powers, and especially corsairs.
The predominance of mountainous terrain, the almost latitudinal extent of the main mountain structures and other relief features have a noticeable impact on the country's climate.
Algeria is a country with a warm climate. Almost everywhere, the average monthly temperatures of even the coldest month (January) are above 0°, with the exception of mountainous areas with altitudes above 1600 m. The difference between January temperatures on the coast, in the interior and in the southern Atlas Mountains is on average about 5°. The differences in summer temperatures (the hottest months are July-August) average 1-2°C.
Average minimum temperatures below 0° in Northern Algeria are recorded only in certain areas, but days with frost on the coast occur annually. Absolute maximum temperatures are high everywhere and even in the northern part almost everywhere reach 40° or more (in the Sahara Atlas - about 50°, and in the Shelif River valley the absolute temperature maximum of Northern Algeria is above 50°).
The climate of Northern Algeria is determined by the position of two main air fronts - polar and tropical and depends on the movement of air masses associated with them. In winter, when the Mediterranean Sea, especially in the western part, is warmer than North Africa, Northern Algeria is affected by cyclonic activity and the resulting moist air masses from the Atlantic. At this time, in some places on the mountain coast, precipitation even exceeds the norms of the temperate zone.
In the summer, when the permanent Azores anticyclone moves north, the territory of Northern Algeria is included in the zone of its influence. An anticyclonic regime with dry winds and high temperatures is established over the country for many months.
The complex terrain causes significant local variations in weather throughout the year, and it is not uncommon for Northern Algeria to experience different climatic conditions at close distances.
The climate of Northern Algeria is strongly influenced by the topography of neighboring Morocco. Moroccan mountain ranges, higher than Algeria, trap moisture flowing into North Africa from the west. For this reason, the low northwestern part of the country (the Oran region^ turns out to be drier than the coastal mountainous areas in the center and east, which are higher and more advanced to the north. These areas receive the maximum amount of precipitation in the country, but they themselves turn out to be a barrier that deprives An area bordering Tunisia with a significant portion of moisture brought from the west.
The Algerian Sahara, which belongs to the continental part of the tropical belt and is the area of greatest heating of the surface layers of air, not only affects the entire atmospheric circulation within Algeria, but also directly affects the south of the Atlas part, enhancing its climatic differences from more northern regions.
The influence of the Mediterranean Sea extends only to a narrow coastal strip, where air humidity is higher, the amplitude of temperature fluctuations is smaller, and coastal winds - breezes - are constant.
Summer temperatures, even not too high, are not easily tolerated by people and animals. In the coastal strip and adjacent areas, this is due to high humidity, as well as a slight decrease in temperatures at night. In more southern regions, where average temperatures in the summer months are close to 30°, the heat is especially difficult to bear due to drying winds - sirocco. Winds from the south-eastern directions blowing from deserts are often combined under this name. Siroccos are similar to our dry winds; they are especially destructive to crops in the spring or early summer. During the year in Northern Algeria there are up to 30-40 days with sirocco.
The climate as a whole is characterized by slight cloudiness and very long periods of sunshine, which is important for agriculture. Particular difficulties are created not so much by the general aridity of the climate as by the unevenness of precipitation between seasons. Heavy rainfall, which falls in the form of powerful short showers, is also useless and sometimes harmful to the economy. Therefore, the average annual precipitation in a country that is semi-arid in the north and arid in the south is only of relative importance for economic assessments.
Atmospheric precipitation falls mainly in the form of rain, but in winter snow often falls over the mountainous northern regions. About once every 10 years, so much of it falls that traffic is hampered and communications are disrupted. For the highest massifs of the Tell Atlas and Kabylia, Ores and even the Saharan Atlas, snow is normal in winter, and in the mountainous areas of Djurjura and Babaran, skiing is possible for a short time. Snowfall is essential for agriculture, as it additionally moistens the soil on the eve of sowing. Unlike Morocco, in Algeria snow does not play a significant role in feeding rivers. Snow cover usually lasts no more than 5 days a year and only in some mountainous areas - up to 20 or more. Hail can be dangerous, falling most often during thunderstorms in spring and early summer. Hailstones sometimes weighing 100 g or more destroy crops and kill livestock.
Inland waters are especially important. Only one river, the Shelif, has a more or less constant flow. The rest of the oueds of Northern Algeria dry up during the dry season, retaining underground channel flow and individual lakes in the valley - “gelts”. (These lakes are hotbeds for the spread of malaria mosquitoes, and in the dry season they are the only refuge for amphibians.)
The Ouedas, which flow into the Mediterranean Sea, are characterized by violent floods during the rainy season. Water flow in rivers can increase hundreds and thousands of times, but for a short time. For example, on the rivers Shelif and Makta, which have flow rates of about 2 cubic meters in summer. m/sec, maximum flow rates and floods reach 14 thousand, 1 thousand and 800 cubic meters, respectively. m/sec. Such floods, which suddenly occur within a few hours, often become catastrophic. They demolish dams, destroy bridges, and flood villages and fields. That is why in Algeria much attention is paid to the construction of protective structures against flood waters in the oueds.
The oueds of the interior regions of Northern Algeria, which flow into the drainage basins of large and small salt lakes, are especially characterized by great variability of flow and irregularity of floods. Filled with water during the rainy season, such lakes (sebkhas) turn into swamps or salt marshes during the rest of the year. Large sebkhs, often called “shotts” on maps (although in reality the Arabs have long called the high banks of sebkhs that way), have an area of hundreds and thousands of square kilometers. The Shotta el-Shergi basin receives more than 11 billion cubic meters of precipitation annually. m of water, which it loses almost all of due to high evaporation. There are theoretical calculations of the possibility of intercepting this water for use for economic needs, but the technical implementation of such a project is labor-intensive and very expensive.
An important source of water for the needs of the population and economy in the interior regions of Algeria, as well as in the Algerian Sahara, is groundwater, which is quite rich in the regions of the “High Plains”. There are numerous mineral springs, the healing properties of which have been known since the times of Roman colonization. Currently, these sources are used at balneological stations and resorts.
No matter how limited the water resources of Northern Algeria may be at first glance, they are widely used not only for water supply, but also for irrigation and hydroelectricity. In Northern Algeria there are about 20 large dams with reservoirs and several hydroelectric power stations, hundreds of small dams and thousands of artificial reservoirs of various sizes. Algeria's water management potential still has considerable reserves, the use of which became feasible thanks to the increase in the scientific and technical level of hydraulic engineering work during the years of independence.
The soil cover of Northern Algeria is characterized by different types of brown carbonate soils, similar to the soils of other arid parts of the Mediterranean. Under the forests of the most humidified coastal mountain ranges, brown forest soils, often podzolized, are developed. On the interior plains, gray-brown soils predominate, often with carbonate crusts - a sign of aridity. These soils are combined with solonchaks and other saline soils, and in the southernmost regions they gradually turn into soils of gravelly and pebble deserts.
The country's vegetation reflects the dual nature of Algerian nature: subtropical Mediterranean in the north and semi-desert and desert in the south. Typical Mediterranean vegetation has always been developed only in the narrow coastal zone of Tell At-las and the Kabyle massifs. It is most clearly represented on the slopes facing the sea. Thanks to its fertile soils and good moisture, this zone occupies a special place in the country's agriculture. Almost all lands can be cultivated here, and valuable subtropical crops (grapes, citrus fruits, oilseeds, fruit trees, etc.) can be grown. Now, in its natural form, Mediterranean vegetation has been preserved only on steep slopes not used by humans, in the highest massifs and in semi-reserved areas. But even in these places the vegetation is degraded, especially where there were once forests. In the first half century of our century alone, the area under forests decreased to 100 thousand hectares, and deforestation here began long before our era. Now an important task for the country is the restoration of forests, which is closely related to the problem of protecting slopes and other lands from dangerous soil erosion. Throughout the north of the country, extensive work is underway to plant forests on artificially terraced slopes.
The uniqueness of Algeria's vegetation is manifested in the fact that Mediterranean vegetation often borders directly on semi-desert vegetation. Such a change in botanical zones, quite rare in nature, occurs over a relatively short distance.
Typical Mediterranean vegetation - rugged thickets, or maquis, is found on the slopes of coastal massifs up to an altitude of 1000 m. Maquis is formed by evergreen, often thorny shrubs, and low trees (mastic, wild olive, pistachio, acacia, etc.). In more humid areas of the coast, groves of seaside pine have been preserved, the trunks of which are often bent towards the sea under the influence of constant winds. On the coast, natural vegetation has been almost completely replaced by cultivated vegetation. At altitudes of about 1000 m or more, evergreen Mediterranean species predominate - holm and cork oak, Aleppo pine. In place of the reduced maquis, secondary vegetation appears with a predominance of a dwarf palm that produces strong fiber, a peculiar jujube plant, etc.
Coastal areas with altitudes ranging from 500 to 1300 m, where rainfall exceeds 600 mm, are home to the main cork oak forests, which produce high-quality cork. These forests have been predatoryly exploited for a long time, they are affected by fires, and there are not many trees from which thick cork bark can be obtained. Above the belt of evergreen oaks rise forests with leaves falling for the winter; chestnut-leaved oak, maples, etc. grow in them. They differ markedly from temperate forests in that they are almost never completely exposed: part of the old foliage is always preserved until new leaves appear. The vegetation of even higher zones in this part of Northern Algeria is represented by conifers - cedar and juniper trees, to which fir and aspen are mixed in the Babor mountain range.
The Mediterranean part of the country is very characterized by some wild and cultivated plants that were brought here relatively recently, for example, prickly pear or Bereran fig and agave brought from America, eucalyptus trees, etc.
In the southern part of the Tell Atlas, in the interior of Northern Algeria, and especially in Ores and the Saharan Atlas, the vertical zonation is of a different nature. Forests of Aleppo pine are especially common here, growing well even with precipitation of 400 mm per year. It rises in these areas to 1300 m, in Ores - up to 1600 m and in the Sahara Atlas - up to 2000 m. In the latter, sometimes the belt of Aleppo pine is located directly above the semi-desert vegetation. In the Saharan Atlas and Ores, tree-like junipers often form a kind of independent belt, rising to 2200 m. In Ores you can still find relicts of the ancient forests of the Mediterranean - the beautiful Lebanese cedars.
All of the interior lowland areas of Northern Algeria are occupied by different types of semi-desert vegetation, often called steppes or dry steppes. There is widespread grass cover with the cereals alpha, sparta and wormwood. Alpha is a dry-loving plant that grows even with precipitation of 200 mm, tolerates sharp temperature fluctuations, but does not tolerate soil salinity. Alpha is of great economic importance as its fibers serve as raw material for high-quality paper, cardboard and wicker products. Salt-loving plants are widespread in the interior regions, growing mainly in the depressions of the sebkhas.
Even more than vegetation, the animal world has been depleted over historical time, although it is very diverse. Two thousand years ago, it was from here that most of the exotic animals were supplied for the spectacles of Ancient Rome. Just a hundred years ago in Northern Algeria there was a hunt for gazelles, lions, ostriches and other large animals, which were completely exterminated by the beginning of the 20th century. The basis of the modern fauna is made up of animals of semi-deserts and deserts. Forest fauna was preserved only in the islands of the least disturbed forests of Tell Atlas, Kabylia and Ores.
Of the mammals, the most notable is the Mago monkey, a Barbary macaque still found in the forests of Tell and Kabylia. Occasionally you come across hares, of a species very distant from its European relatives. In some places of Tell, Mediterranean rabbits live, which, as elsewhere, are malicious pests of crops. Many species of bats. Among rodents, jerboas, close to Asian species, are common in more southern regions; Everywhere there are mice (forest, field), garden dormice, among insectivores - shrews and hedgehogs.
Predators are now mostly small animals; these are the fox, steppe cat, aska and otter in the north, and to the south there are still quite numerous civets - gennetts, hyenas, ichneumons, or pharaoh mice. From the Saharan regions, sand cats, caracals and jackals sometimes come far to the north.
Of the ungulates, small herds of gazelles remain, and hartebeest antelopes are very rarely found in the south. Until recently, porcupines were found on the border with the Sahara, and the desert fennec fox occasionally visits. Marine mammals have become rare off the coast of Algeria. In addition to dolphins, a relict species of monk seal is known here, and Atlantic whales have made repeated appearances in the past.
The world of birds is rich, but there are few local species and endemics, and the vast majority of birds are migratory or species common to Southern Europe. In the Algerian forests the trills of our songbirds sound, woodpeckers knock, tits chirp. Birds from the passerine and raven families are numerous everywhere. In the interior regions of Northern Algeria, you can hear the familiar voice of the lark, see the crane, waders and herons, and on the reservoirs - migrating geese and ducks, sometimes ringed somewhere in the Baltics or near Moscow. There are quite a lot of birds of prey in Algeria; among them are at least four species of eagles, falcons, hawks, kites, etc.
Everywhere in the country you can see representatives of scaly reptiles. Lizards are especially diverse - thin-toed, broad-toed and fan-shaped geckos, gray monitor lizards, amphisbaenas, skinks, etc. The forests of Tell Atlas are home to harmless chameleons, which are often found in the homes of animal lovers. There are more than 20 species of snakes, 7 of them are poisonous. Snakes live everywhere. These are snakes and grass snakes, forest vipers and the dangerous epha, or Moorish viper, horned viper and Avicenna's viper, African cobra and steppe boa constrictor. Meeting sea snakes is not pleasant for swimmers. Turtles are very characteristic, of which the most common in the north is the marsh or water turtle. Among amphibians, in addition to lake frogs and toads, salamanders and newts can be seen in the north of the country.
There are few freshwater fish, but in rivers and lakes you can still fish for eels, sticklebacks, barbel, and in some mountainous areas - trout. In coastal waters, common Mediterranean fish are caught - whiting, sea bream, mackerel, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, etc.
Everywhere you can find representatives of arachnids - salpuga, or phalanx, scorpion, etc. Ticks are carriers of serious diseases in humans and animals. Among the very numerous insects there are many agricultural pests, but the most dangerous is
locusts that periodically devastate vast areas in North Africa. Repeatedly since the end of the 19th century. The vineyards of Algeria suffered heavily from aphids - phylloxera. Another type of aphid, cochineal, destroys olive and citrus plantings. Some species of ants damage cork oak plantations. Pest control is one of the important economic concerns in the country.
The main branch of the Algerian economy is the extraction of hydrocarbons. However, agriculture and fishing are also highly developed. The country's economy is eighty percent planned.
In terms of natural gas reserves, Algeria ranks 5th on the planet, and in terms of exports of this type of resource - 2nd place after Russia. About thirty percent of GDP comes from the main oil and gas company Sonatrak. This company is owned by the state.
Algeria's economy has grown rapidly since independence in 1964. Having overcome all difficulties, the state occupies an important place in the development of the African continent. It ranks fourteenth in terms of oil reserves in the world. The country is Africa's main producer of liquefied natural gas. Eight percent of the world's share of this industry belongs to Algeria.
The backbone of Algeria's economy
What are the main features of the Algerian economy? The basis of Algeria's economy is the extractive industry, namely oil and gas. They give:
- GDP - 30%
- Revenue part of the state budget - 60%
- Export revenue - 95%
The government is actively engaged in modifying its country's economy to attract more investment, both domestic and foreign. However, this process is going slower than the government would like. The banking system is also developing at a very slow pace. The main reason is the corruption and bureaucracy in the country.
Agriculture in Algeria
In the mid-1990s, approximately twenty-five percent of Algerians worked in agriculture, contributing just under twelve percent of the country's GDP. The bulk of the industry was concentrated in the northern part of the country. The most common cultivation was:
- grapes
- olives
- date
- tobacco
- citrus
- some grain crops
Animals were bred solely to feed themselves. Mainly grain crops, which occupy most of the cultivated land, are consumed by the Algerian population itself. These are mainly oats, wheat and barley. Rye, rice and millet are also grown here.
Main directions of agriculture
In the nineties, Algeria imported seventy-five percent of its grain for domestic purposes. Tobacco is considered an important crop. In addition, citrus crops are also grown here - oranges and tangerines, as well as potatoes, dates and olives. The date is grown in desert oases.
Algerian agriculture is developing slowly, largely due to the country's geographical location. Only three percent of the land is suitable for processing grain; seventeen percent is occupied by pastures and forests. The rest is occupied by the Sahara. Only sixty percent of the sown area produces crops, the rest perishes due to lack of rainfall.
Agriculture is aimed at export. Almost a third of the territory is not used for agricultural purposes, since it is located in the Sahara. The main crops are grapes, citrus fruits, tobacco and others.
Algeria, which coexists in close proximity to civilization.
Animal world
The most common representatives of wildlife in Algeria are wild boars, jackals and gazelles; foxes, jerboas, and several species of small cats are also common here. and are extremely rare and on the verge of extinction.
The abundance of bird species makes the country a haven for birdwatchers. For those who prefer other animals, snakes, monitor lizards and many different reptiles can be found in the semi-arid regions of the country. Algeria is also home to many endangered species, which are currently protected under Algerian law.
The country's most endangered species is the serval, a beautiful wild cat that is larger than a domestic cat but smaller than a leopard or cheetah. Its head is slightly disproportionate to its body, small and with long, graceful ears. also has the longest legs relative to the body in the cat family, and its color is similar to a leopard. Some of these elegant animals are believed to still live in the northern regions of Algeria.
Another beautiful creature that is endangered in Algeria is the monk seal. They live in caves and rocky rapids along the Algerian coast and their numbers are rapidly declining due to overfishing and pollution. Monk seals have a low birth rate and typically only produce one pup. This means that attempts to increase the population of these seals are slow and difficult. In addition to the serval and monk seal, Algerian wild dogs and representatives of the order Chiroptera are also listed as endangered.
Vegetable world
Algeria has a Mediterranean climate in the north and a Saharan climate in the south, causing the country's flora to change dramatically from north to south. In the north, you will find cedars, pines, briars, arbutus and several types of oaks such as cork oaks. The plateaus are covered with the herbaceous plant esparto, also called alpha, or trailing feather grass, which is used in the production of ropes and espadrilles. Cypress trees, turpentine trees, palm trees and strawberry trees grow on the territory of the Saharan Atlas. In the Sahara itself, acacias and olive trees mainly grow.
Protecting Algerian Wildlife
Endangered species of flora and fauna are protected in 11 national parks and a number of reserves in Algeria. Wildlife protection programs are not functioning properly, although there are several that have been in place for a long time. Some programs are not directly related to the protection of Algerian wildlife, but are dedicated to the breeding of domesticated wild felines and their reintroduction into the wild. The main focus is currently on , which is native to the region but has not been found in the wild since 1922. Unfortunately, reintroduction efforts are no longer possible for some Algerian animals, such as the scimitar oryx and the dama gazelle, which have not been seen in the country for more than a decade.
Trees native to Algeria also require special protection. After centuries of deforestation, many ancient forested areas have completely disappeared. There are still areas in the mountainous regions where cork oak, pine and cedar grow, but large parts of the Sahara have been devoid of trees. In Tassili N'Adjer National Park, endangered plant species such as Saharan myrtle and cypress are protected by law. Some cypress trees in this region are over a thousand years old.
Algerian nature photos
Most of it is located in extremely hot and dry climates. In this article we will talk in detail about the climate, terrain features and mineral resources of the country.
Algeria: general geographical information
The Algerian People's Democratic Republic is one of the North African countries with wide access to the Mediterranean Sea (the length of the coastline is almost 1000 km). The total area of Algeria is 2.38 million square meters. km. Thus, it is the largest state on the continent.
More than 80% of Algeria's area is occupied by the largest desert on the planet - the Sahara. Therefore, it is not surprising that the vast majority of the inhabitants of this country (at least 90%) are concentrated on a narrow strip of sea coast.
The climate in most of Algeria is tropical desert (in the far north it is maritime subtropical). Summers in this country are very hot and dry. In the Sahara, air temperatures can warm up to +50 degrees during the day. Average annual precipitation varies from 20 mm in the desert to 1200 mm in the mountains. There are small rivers with a constant flow only in the north of the country. They originate in the Atlas Mountains and carry their waters to the Mediterranean Sea.
Relief and minerals of Algeria (briefly)
As mentioned above, 4/5 of Algeria’s territory is occupied by the Sahara Desert. Here it is not homogeneous and consists of separate massifs - rocky and sandy. In the southeastern part of the Algerian Sahara, an elevated region stands out - the Ahaggar Highlands. This is nothing more than the emergence to the surface of the ancient foundation of the Sahara Platform, the age of which is estimated by geologists at 2 billion years. The highlands are surrounded on almost all sides by rocky plateaus, which add some variety to the rather “boring” Saharan landscape (Tanezruft, Tademait, Tassilin-Adjer and others).
In the north of the country, two ridges of the Atlas Mountains stretch parallel to each other along the coast - the Saharan Atlas and Tel Atlas. Between them are raised structures - High Plateaus. The Atlas is a geological structure of Alpine age. In other words, these mountains are still forming today. Therefore, these areas are characterized by frequent earthquakes, from which many Algerian residents suffer.
Relief and minerals are known to be closely related to the tectonic and geological structure of the territory. Geologically, the country's territory is clearly divided into two regions - the platform Saharan region (in the south and center) and the folded Atlas region (in the far north). The first contains deposits of fuel resources, and the second contains ore deposits and construction raw materials.
Are there many mineral resources in Algeria? In the depths of this country lie oil and gas, ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as a variety of construction raw materials.
Atlas Mountains
The name of the mountain system, as you probably already guessed, comes from the name of a mythological character who holds the vault of heaven on his mighty shoulders. Apparently, the ancient Greeks, admiring these high and rocky ridges, really thought that they “propped up the sky.” A similar identification, by the way, is found in Ovid and Herodotus.
The Atlas is the largest mountain system in Africa. It stretches through three states - Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The total length is over 2000 km. Within Algeria, the mountain system is represented by two parallel ridges (the Saharan Atlas and Tel Atlas). The plateaus located between them are dissected by deep gorges. By the way, it is in the mountains and foothills of the Atlas that the richest deposits of phosphorites are concentrated - one of the key minerals of Algeria.
It is curious that the highest point of Algeria is not located in the Atlas Mountains, but within the Ahaggar Highlands.
Ahaggar Highlands
Ahaggar is a highland in the southeastern part of Algeria. It covers an area of 50 thousand square kilometers and consists mainly of volcanic rocks. The climate in the highlands is the driest in the entire Sahara. In summer it is extremely hot here, but in winter temperatures can drop below zero. Within the highlands there is a national park of the same name.
The indigenous population of the Ahaggar Highlands are the Tuaregs (a people from the Berber group). For two centuries (from 1750 to 1977) they even had their own state - Kel-Ahaggar. At the end of the twentieth century it became part of Algeria.
Tassilin-Adjer plateau
This plateau is located south of the Ahaggar Highlands, near the border with Niger. Its diameter is about 500 km, the highest point is Mount Azao (2158 meters). The plateau is composed of sandstones, in the thickness of which, as a result of erosion processes, stone pillars, arches and other objects of bizarre shapes were formed. The name "Tassilin-Adjer" literally translates as "plateau of rivers". Once upon a time, the massif was indeed covered with a dense network of watercourses. But then the climate changed, and all that remained were dried up riverbeds, in which water appears extremely rarely.
Numerous petroglyphs have been discovered on this plateau. Scientists date some of them to the 7th millennium BC. These drawings show scenes of hunting wild animals. Moreover, the animals (rhinoceros, antelope, buffalo) are depicted incredibly realistically. Thanks to these finds, part of the territory of the Tassilin-Adjer plateau was included in the UNESCO protected list in 1982.
Highest and lowest points in Algeria
The highest point of the country is in the Ahaggar highlands. This is Mount Takhat with a height of 3003 meters (according to other sources - 2918 m). The summit was first conquered by Swiss climber Edward Wyss-Dunant back in the 30s of the last century. By the way, ancient rock paintings dating back to the period between the eighth and second millennia BC were also found at the foot of the mountain.
The lowest point of Algeria is located in the north of the country. This is a salty and partially dry Lake Melgir. The absolute height of this point ranges from 26 to 40 meters with a minus sign (depending on the water level in the lake). At maximum filling, the diameter of the reservoir reaches 130 kilometers. In summer, Melgir often dries out, turning into a typical salt marsh.
Cave of Anu Ifflis
In the foothills of Tel Atlas there is a vertical cave called Anu Ifflis, which is the deepest not only in Algeria, but in all of Africa. “Leopard Cave” - this is how its name is translated from French. The depth of the karst cavity reaches 1170 meters. The cave was discovered only in 1980 by a group of French and Spanish speleologists. To date, it has been poorly studied. At a depth of 200-500 meters, the walls of the cave are covered with thin veins of gold ore. This pattern is very reminiscent of the spotted skin of a leopard (hence the name of the cave).
Geography and structure of the country's mineral resources
Algeria ranks first in terms of total and explored mineral reserves in North Africa. The country's mineral resources include fuel, ore and non-metallic resources. Among them are oil, natural gas, coal, iron and manganese ore, uranium, copper, phosphorites and others.
Algeria's mineral resources are distributed quite unevenly across its territory. Their main deposits are concentrated in three areas. Significant reserves of iron ores, phosphorites and barites are concentrated in the mountains and foothills of the Atlas. The second region is a plateau in the western part of the country, where significant iron ore deposits are located. Finally, in the south, Algeria's mineral resources are represented by non-ferrous (including precious) metals. Diamond deposits have also been discovered within the Ahaggar Highlands.
Algeria's top ten mineral resources (by proven reserves) are as follows:
- Barite (6,700 thousand tons).
- Natural gas (3950 billion cubic meters).
- Oil (1900 million tons).
- Iron ore (1535 million tons).
- Zinc (890 thousand tons).
- Lead (500 thousand tons).
- Phosphorites (150 million tons).
- Hard coal (66 million tons).
- Copper (160 thousand tons).
- Marble (24 million cubic meters).
The total reserves of gold and silver are estimated by geologists at 30 and 700 tons, respectively.
What mineral resources are being most actively developed in Algeria today? We will talk about this further.
Oil and gas
Among Algeria's mineral resources, oil occupies a special place. How important it is for the Algerian economy is eloquently demonstrated by one fact: 98% of this country’s exports come from the hydrocarbon sector. The oil industry is the main engine of Algeria's economic growth. At the same time, huge foreign investments are pouring into the state’s oil and gas industry, which only creates the preconditions for a further increase in the volume of “black gold” production.
According to Oil and Gas magazine in 2007, Algeria contains about 12 billion barrels of oil, which puts it in third place in Africa. Most of these reserves are contained in the Hassi Mesaoud field. Algerian crude oil is considered one of the highest quality in the world. In particular, it complies with all strict EU standards regarding the sulfur content of fuel.
Algeria ranks second in Africa in terms of natural gas reserves (after Nigeria). The real “gas giant” is the Hassi R’Melle field, which was discovered in the mid-twentieth century. It accounts for a quarter of the production of this fuel resource in the country. Algeria has a total of 183 oil and gas fields. Almost all of them are located in the northeastern part of the Sahara.
Metal ores
Among all African countries, Algeria ranks 2nd in reserves of iron ores, mercury and antimony, 4th in reserves of uranium and zinc, 1st in reserves of tungsten ores. The iron ore that lies in the depths of this country is not of such quality (ferrum content is in the range of 40-55%). However, its deposits are very numerous.
The main reserves of polymetallic ores (lead and zinc) are concentrated in the north of Algeria. Within the Ahaggar Highlands there are hydrothermal uranium deposits. Mercury deposits are also associated with thermal springs. The largest deposit of cinnabar in Algeria is Mra-S'Ma.
There is also gold in the depths of this North African country. The most valuable metal lies mainly in the south of Algeria, on Ahaggar.
Phosphorites and barites
Phosphorites are another mineral wealth of Algeria. In terms of its reserves, the country ranks 5th on the continent. Phosphorite deposits are located in the north of the country and are confined to carbonate and clay deposits of the Upper Cretaceous. The largest of them are Mzaita, El Kuif and Jebelyonk.
Algeria ranks second in Africa in terms of reserves of barite, a crystalline mineral that is widely used in the chemical, oil and paint industries. It also lies in the northern part of the country. Thus, the total reserves of the Algerian Mizab deposit alone are estimated at more than two million tons of barite.
In addition to all of the above, quite rich deposits of pyrites, celestine, and rock salt have been explored in Algeria. The study of Algerian subsoil to search for new deposits of copper, molybdenum, tungsten and manganese ores is considered promising.
Finally
The largest country in Africa is extremely rich in mineral resources. Algeria's main mineral resources are oil, gas, iron and zinc ores, phosphorites, barites, coal, and marble. In terms of oil reserves, the state ranks third in Africa, second only to Nigeria and Libya.
The relief of Algeria is quite diverse. The Atlas mountain ranges rise in the north of the country, while the southern and central regions are occupied by highlands and plateaus. More than 80% of Algeria's territory is covered with sandy and rocky massifs of the Sahara Desert.