Tell Atlas

North of the Hodna basin, the ridges of the Atlas rise between the Mediterranean-facing Tell and the dry interior. The Hodna mountains run eastward toward the Belezma and the Aurès, overlooking the enclosed basin below. Their northern slopes receive more rain and support cedar, oak and pine; farther south, the vegetation gives way to juniper and hardy grasses. Water descending from the mountains gathers in the low basin rather than reaching the sea.