Jebel Dahar
| Jebel Dahar | |
|---|---|
 Jebel Dahar
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 689 m (2,260 ft) |
| Coordinates | 33°23′30″N 10°08′00″E / 33.39167°N 10.13333°ECoordinates: 33°23′30″N 10°08′00″E / 33.39167°N 10.13333°E |
| Geography | |
| Country | Tunisia |
| State/Province | Médenine Governorate |
Jebel Dahar (French: Djebel Dahar) is a low sandstone mountain chain of the Médenine Governorate of Tunisia.
The chain is oriented on a north-south axis, bisecting the south of Tunisia. At the northern end, it meets the east-west-oriented Jebel Tebaga. The Sahara lies to the south and west of it, and the fertile Jeffara plain to the east. It runs for over 100 kilometres (62 mi) south from Matmata, curving gently to the east to sink beneath the dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental near Tataouine. Foothills extend for a further 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the border with Libya, beyond which the chain continues as the Nafusa Mountains.
The peaks of Jebel Dahar are lower than those of the Dorsale and Atlas chains. The tallest is Djebel Zemertène, at 713 metres (2,339 ft). However, they are imposing in form: most are steep-sided mesas, separated by either narrow ravines or wide valleys.
The local climate is extremely arid with frequent wind. The temperature often falls below 0 °C (32 °F) at night during the winter, and rises as high as 45 °C (113 °F) during the day in summer. There are approximately 15–20 days of precipitation a year, primarily in winter and in the form of localised showers. There is little vegetation, consisting of lucerne, thorn bushes, and the occasional palm tree, giving the landscape a lunar appearance.
Jebel Dahar has been inhabited for thousands of years by various Berber tribes, who farm the mountain slopes on terraced fields to retain runoff water from the rare rainfall. This is called the jessour system after the native word jessr and uses earth and rock dykes to define the terraces and hold water, with spillways to divert excess to a terrace below. Olive and fruit trees and vegetables are cultivated. A number of jessour fields can be seen around Matmata.
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Wikipedia