Marrah Mountains
Jebel Marra
Inner and outer crater, Deriba Crater
Highest point
PeakDeriba crater
Elevation3,042 m (9,980 ft)
Coordinates12°57′00″N 24°16′12″E / 12.95000°N 24.27000°E / 12.95000; 24.27000
Geography
Marrah Mountains is located in Sudan
Marrah Mountains
Location in Sudan
CountrySudan
RegionDarfur
Geology
Type of rockVolcanic field
Last eruption2000 BC

The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains (Fur, Fugo Marra; Arabic: جبل مرة, Jebel Marra) are a range of volcanic peaks in a massif that rises up to 3,042 metres (9,980 ft). They are the highest mountains in Sudan.

Geography

Waterfall.

The mountains are located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan on the border of the states of South Darfur and Central Darfur, with a smaller part of the range in the state of North Darfur. The highest point is Deriba Caldera. The upper reaches of the massif is a small area of temperate climate with high rainfall and permanent springs of water amidst the dry savanna and scrub of the Sahel below.[1]

Apart from the Aïr Mountains in Niger which are on the border of the Sahara proper, the Marrah Mountains are the only major mountain range in the otherwise flat Sahel, rising up to 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) above the plain, but are relatively unknown owing to lack of development and political conflict in the region.

The last eruption occurred around 1500 BC. The centre of activity was Deriba Caldera, and involved caldera collapse following the eruption of pumice and pyroclastic flows which travelled over 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the volcano.[2]

The vegetation was described by Gerald Wickens.[3]

History

During the War in Darfur, the Marrah Mountains came under the control of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army faction loyal to Abdul Wahid al Nur. The mountains remained one of the group's most important strongholds, housing several of its bases, as of 2021.[4]

Footnotes

  1. de Waal, Alex, Famine that Kills: Darfur, Sudan, Oxford University Press (Revised edition), 2005, ISBN 0-19-518163-8, p. 36
  2. "Jebel Marra: Eruptive History". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  3. Wickens, Gerald (1976). Flora of Jebel Marra (Sudan Republic) and its Geographical Affinities. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 9780112411000.
  4. Philip Kleinfeld; Mohammed Amin (21 April 2021). "In Darfur's rebel-held mountains, the war is far from over". The New Humanitarian. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

References


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