Africa is a continent defined by vast, ancient geology, primarily characterized by extensive high-altitude plateaus. Significant tectonic forces and volcanic activity have created diverse mountain ranges that punctuate the topography. These massive geographical features stretch from the continent’s northern edge, across its eastern rift system, and down to the southern tip. This overview describes these major mountain systems, highlighting their unique geological origins and most prominent peaks.
The Atlas Mountain System
The Atlas Mountain System is a lengthy chain stretching approximately 2,500 kilometers across the northwestern Maghreb region, spanning Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Its formation is linked to the Cenozoic collision between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it geologically distinct from most of the continent. The range acts as a barrier, separating the moderate climate of the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts from the arid Sahara Desert to the south.
The system includes the Anti-Atlas, the Middle Atlas, and the High Atlas ranges. The High Atlas in central Morocco contains the system’s most elevated peaks, including Jbel Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa, reaching 4,167 meters. The Anti-Atlas, the most southerly part, resulted from an earlier continental collision about 300 million years ago.
The East African Rift Mountains
The East African Rift Mountains include Africa’s highest summits, all related to the ongoing tectonic rifting process. This geological event is slowly pulling the continent apart, creating deep valleys and providing conduits for magma to form massive volcanoes. The resulting mountains are largely volcanic in origin, standing as isolated cones that dominate the landscape.
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the continent’s highest peak, a dormant stratovolcano reaching 5,895 meters at Uhuru Peak. It is composed of three distinct volcanic cones—Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira—with Kibo being the youngest and highest. Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest free-standing mountain above sea level.
Further north stands Mount Kenya, the second highest peak in Africa, reaching 5,199 meters at its highest points, Batian and Nelion. This ancient, extinct volcano features a craggy, heavily glaciated summit. The Rwenzori Mountains, located along the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are unique because they are not volcanic. They were created by the uplift of crustal blocks along rift valley faults, with the highest point being Margherita Peak at 5,109 meters.
The Ethiopian Highlands
The Ethiopian Highlands form a massive, rugged expanse in the Horn of Africa, often called the “Roof of Africa.” This region is a vast dome of ancient rock uplifted by magma rising beneath the Earth’s crust, beginning approximately 75 million years ago. The plateau is heavily dissected by deep canyons and valleys, creating a complex topography.
This mountain mass plays a significant hydrological role as the source region for several major water systems. The most notable is the Blue Nile, which begins at Lake Tana and contributes a majority of the Nile River’s flow. The Simien Mountains National Park features the highest elevations in the country.
The highest point of the entire region is Ras Dashen, located in the Simien Mountains, reaching 4,550 meters. The sustained altitude of the Highlands has led to the development of unique ecosystems and endemic wildlife.
Southern and Central African Ranges
The Drakensberg Mountains form the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment in Southern Africa. This escarpment separates the high central plateau from the lower coastal plains of South Africa and Lesotho. The Drakensberg is characterized by spectacular basalt cliffs capping a sandstone base.
The highest point of this range and Southern Africa is Thabana Ntlenyana, which sits at 3,482 meters within Lesotho. The range is an important watershed, serving as the source for the Orange River.
Central and West Africa feature isolated massifs distinct from the eastern and northern systems. The Cameroon Volcanic Line is an intraplate chain extending 1,600 kilometers inland from the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon, an active stratovolcano on the coast, is the line’s most prominent feature, rising to 4,095 meters, making it the highest peak in sub-Saharan West and Central Africa.
Further into the Sahara Desert stand two massive, isolated volcanic massifs: the Ahaggar and the Tibesti Mountains. The Ahaggar Mountains in southern Algeria include Mount Tahat, reaching 2,981 meters. The Tibesti Mountains, primarily in Chad, include the shield volcano Emi Koussi, the highest peak in the Sahara, with an elevation of 3,415 meters.