Collo Massif

Geographers distinguish several "Kabylie s": Great Kabylie, Small Kabylie and Kabylie of Collo or numidique.[1] The latter, located west of Annaba and north of Constantinois, is the most watered region of Algeria, with more than 1,200 millimetres (47 in) per year. The average annual rainfall on Jebel Gouffi, west of Collo, is 1,800 mm (71 in).[2] Le climat est de type méditerranéen humide.[3]

The Collo Massif, a segment of the Tell Atlas, is heavily forested, lying between the Skikda Valley in the east and the Rhummel el-Kebir Valley in the west and strongly advancing towards the Mediterranean Sea: the cap Bougaroun, is the northernmost point of Algeria.[4]

It consists of small mountains of modest altitude culminating between 900 and 980 m (2,950 and 3,220 ft) and dominated by cork oak, as well as the replantings of maritime pines [3] qui assurent 30% de la production nationale du liège. Plusieurs oueds de la région y prennent leur source : Rhummel, Oued-el-Kebir et Saf-Saf,[1] forests are lined with fertile plains.[4]

The population of the Collo massif was a peasant society in the full sense of the term: a complete sedentary lifestyle, a strong attachment to the land, a careful development. Its social structure was strong, governed by customary rules, the land was privatized with status melk .[5] The Collo massif is, like the Petite Kabylie and the Edough, populated by Berbers arabized long-time but leading a sedentary life. Montagnards breed cattle. Goats and sheep brought supplements (milk, flesh and hair) to poor agriculture.[6] Les densités démographiques sont nettement moins élevées que celles des Grande et Petite Kabylies.[1]