Blue Mountains (Niger)

The "Montagnes Bleus" in the Aïr Massif.

The Blue Mountains ((French): Montagnes Bleus, Tamasheq: Izouzaouene, Izouzaoenehe)^[1] are a mountain range in Niger in the northeastern section of the Aïr Massif, about 100 km ENE of the town of Iférouane and 30 km NE of the Tezerik oasis. Isolated from the main Massif by dune seas of the Erg of Ténéré and a flat gravely Desert pavement plain, the rocky outcrop from the desert rises to a height of 924m, almost 300m over the surrounding topography.^[2] The area is in Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountains themselves are also within the smaller Aïr and Ténéré Addax Sanctuary. They are characterised by cipollino marble outcroppings, which give the hills a blueish tint. Despite their relative inaccessibility, they became a tourist destination during the upsurge of desert region Tourism in Niger during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

References

↑ Philippe Bourseiller. Sahara. Knesebeck Von Dem GmbH (2004) ISBN 978-3-89660-243-5
↑ Geels, Jolijn (2006). Niger. Chalfont St Peter, Bucks / Guilford, CT: Bradt UK / Globe Pequot Press. ISBN 978-1-84162-152-4. ^{:pp.178, 191–92}

Decalo, Samuel (1997). Historical Dictionary of the Niger (3rd ed.). Boston & Folkestone: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-3136-8.
IGN Carte Touristique 85029 Niger(1) (Map). 1:2000000. IGN(Paris)/IGNN(Niamey). 1994. ISBN 978-2-11-850291-1.

Coordinates: 19°34′43″N 9°12′28″E / 19.57861°N 9.20778°E / 19.57861; 9.20778

Major African geological formations

Plates	African Plate Somali Plate Madagascar Plate Seychelles Plate

Cratons and Shields	Arabian-Nubian Shield Congo Craton Kaapvaal Craton Kalahari Craton Saharan Metacraton Tanzania Craton Tuareg Shield West African Craton Zimbabwe Craton

Shear zones	Aswa Dislocation Broodkop Shear Zone Central African Shear Zone Chuan Shear Zones Foumban Shear Zone Mwembeshi Shear Zone Todi Shear Zone Western Meseta Shear Zone

Rifts	Afar Triangle Anza trough Bahr el Arab rift Benue Trough Blue Nile rift East African Rift Gulf of Suez Rift Lamu Embayment Melut Basin Muglad Basin Red Sea Rift Atbara rift White Nile rift

Sedimentary basins	Angola Basin Aoukar Blue Nile Basin Chad Basin Congo Basin Douala Basin El Djouf Foreland Karoo Basin Gabon Basin Iullemmeden Basin Kufra Basin Murzuq Basin Niger Delta Basin Ogaden Basin Orange River basin Ouled Abdoun Basin Owambo Basin Reggane Basin Rio del Rey Basin Sirte Basin Somali Coastal Basin Taoudeni basin Tanzania Coastal Basin Tindouf Basin

Mountain ranges	Aïr Mountains Atlas Mountains Aurès Mountains Bambouk Mountains Blue Mountains Cameroon line Central Pangean Mountains Chaillu Mountains Drakensberg Ethiopian Highlands East African mountains Great Escarpment Great Karas Mountains Guinée forestière Imatong Mountains Jebel Uweinat Loma Mountains Mandara Mountains Marrah Mountains Mitumba Mountains Nuba Mountains Rif Mountains Rwenzori Mountains Sankwala Mountains Serra da Leba Serra da Chela Teffedest Mountains Tibesti Mountains