Algeria is a geologically diverse country shaped by millions of years of tectonic evolution. In the north, the Tellian and Saharan Atlas mountain chains were formed during the Alpine orogeny and consist mainly of folded Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. They are separated by the High Plateaus, a broad region of uplifted sedimentary terrains. To the south lies the stable Saharan Platform, composed of Precambrian basement rocks covered by thick Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary sequences that host major hydrocarbon basins. Further south, the ancient Hoggar Massif, made of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks, represents one of the oldest geological provinces in Africa. This varied geology explains Algeria’s rich mineral, groundwater, and petroleum resources.
- Teacher: Asma CHEMAM