Introduction

For a large continent, Africa is surprisingly free of mountain ranges. Africa contains an ancient core where mountain ranges have long ago been reduced to plateaux.

The Atlas mountains in North Africa are the only mountain ranges to have formed from relatively recent collisions of crustal plates.

The mountains in East Africa are volcanoes, formed where East Africa is splitting apart along the line of the rift valley.

Atlas Mountains

Location: 28-37N 10W-10E (North Africa). Length: 2,300km; Highest summit: Djebel Toubkal: 4,167m.

The Atlas Mountains are a system of mountain ranges that stretch from Morocco through Algeria to Tunisia in North Africa. They were formed by the collision of Africa with Europe and are, therefore, the same age as the Pyrenees and Alps.

The Atlas mountains separate the Mediterranean climate of the North African coast from the extreme desert climate of the Saharan region to the south.

Drakensberg

Location 30S 29E (South Africa); length 1,100km.

The Drakensberg, or 'Dragon Mountain', is one of the main mountain ranges in southern Africa. It runs parallel to the coast, separating the hot but moist coastal region of Transkei from the inland plateau, which is cooler but dry. The Drakensberg is also a major barrier to communications within South Africa.

Ethiopian Highlands

Location: 10N 37E (Ethiopia); Highest Point: Ras Dashen 4,620m.

Ethiopia is dominated by some of the highest mountains in Africa. These ranges are collectively called the Ethiopian Highlands. They are made up of the Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, and Rift Valley. The Western Highlands cover the largest area and are very rugged Mount Ras Dashen is 4,620m) and the highest mountain in Ethiopia

Kilimanjaro

Location: 2S 37E (Tanzania) Height: 5,895m

Kilimanjaro is Africa's tallest mountain, lying almost on the Equator. Its snow and ice-sapped summit makes a magnificent backdrop to the game parks such as Amboselli.

Kilimanjaro is a volcano, formed at the same time as the East African Rift Valley. Its twin peaks are called Kibo, and Mawenzi.

Mount Kenya lies just to the north along the edge of the East African Rift valley.

Ruwenzori

Location: 2S 30E (Uganda); Highest Point: Margherita Peak, 5,000m

The Ruwenzori range (also known as the 'Mountains of the Moon') lie along the border of Uganda and Zaire in central Africa.

The Ruwenzoris are made of some of the world's oldest and hardest rocks that have been thrust up into a narrow range of high mountains.

The highest peak, Margherita Peak, is just over 5,000m high. The slopes of the Ruwenzoris are densely forested and the foothills heavily farmed.

Table Mountain

Location: 35S 20E (South Africa) Height: 1000m.

Table Mountain, which towers behind the city of Cape Town, South Africa, is the highest part of a long ridge of nearly flat-topped mountains. The cloud that covers the mountain is known as 'the Tablecloth'.