TheTermit Massif (Termit Mountains or simplythe Termit) is a mountainous region in south-easternNiger. Just to the south of the dunes ofTénéré desert and theErg of Bilma, the northern areas of the Termit, called theGossololom, consist of black volcanic peaks rising from the surrounding seas of sand.^[1] The southern Termit is a roughly east–west ridge of heavily eroded black sandstone. Its foothills to the southwest are theKoutous hills.

Termit Massif
Termit Massif visible fromISS
Highest point
Coordinates	16°03′N11°21′E / 16.050°N 11.350°E /16.050; 11.350
Dimensions
Length	180 km (110 mi)
Width	40 km (25 mi)
Area	3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi)
Geography
Termit Massif Zinder Region,Diffa Region
Country	Niger
Geology
Rock type	Sandstone

The Termit Massif is located in theTesker commune in the north-east of theZinder region. Geographically, the Termite Massif is located in the western part of theChad Basin. This is where theSahel desert meets theSahara. To the north and north-east lie the great sandy deserts of the Ténéré and to the east, behind the Tin-Toumma desert, the Grand Erg du Bilma. South of the mountains is the Dilia de Lagané valley, which runs in a straight line for 200 kilometres. The southern part of the range is characterised by rugged black sandstone formations. In the Gossolorom landscape to the north, isolated rocky islands of volcanic origin rise from the ochre-coloured sandy desert.^[2] The Termit massif receives less than 100 millimetres of rainfall per year. The dry season lasts from November to May, while the rainy season of the West African monsoon lasts from June to September.

In 1989, theParis–Dakar Rally crossed the Termit Massif.^[3] In 2006, Niger proposed to UNESCO that the Termit Massif be included on theWorld Heritage List.^[4] Since 2012, it has been part of the Termit and Tin-Toumma Nature Reserve, one of the largest nature reserves on the planet's land surface.^[5]

The Termit massif is a rocky outcrop running north–south at an altitude of 350-700m. It is mainly composed of black sandstone that is partially silted up, with a few islands of volcanic origin in its northern part, in the Gossololom region.

It is bounded by:

• to the north and north-west: the Ténéré desert
• to the east: the Tin-Toumma desert
• to the south and south-west: the transition zones between desert and Sahelian savannah

Termit occupies the northern part of the Gouré department, in the Zinder region.

The dry season lasts from November to May and the rainy season from June to September, bringing less than 100 mm of rainfall a year.

Mendes antelopes anddama gazelles live in the Termit Massif, both of which are threatened with extinction. There are alsodorcas gazelles,fennecs,cheetahs,barbary sheep,jackals, birds and reptiles.^[4] In the 1970s, the wildlife in the Termit Massif was still largely intact, but populations have since declined sharply.^[2] The animals are particularly threatened byhunting parties fromDubai andLibya.^[6] The plant life in the Termit Massif includesumbrella acacias,toothbrush trees,panicle millet,Danthonia,indigofera and the shrubLeptadenia pyrotechnica.^[4]

The small population of the Termit is mostlynomadic, withToubou settlements in the north and east, and moreTuareg andDiffa Arabs to the west. Covering much of the north of theZinder andDiffa Regions, there are few permanent settlements or all-weather roads in the area. Communities within the region includeTermit Kaoboul in the south centre andKandil Bouzou in the southeast. Neighbouring settlements includeTasker,Abourak andHaltouma to the southwest;Béla Hardé to the southeast, andKoussa Arma,Oyou Bezezé Denga, andAgadem on the eastern fringe. Settled communities on the southwest fringe are largelyHausa, and to the southeastKanuri. The large Kanuri town ofN'guigmi is to the southeast and the Hausa cities ofGoure andZinder are to the southwest.^[1]

Termit is home to theTermit Massif Reserve, a 700,000 hectare faunal reserve established in 1962 to protect endangered antelope and Addax populations.^[7]

In 2006, the government of Niger applied toUNESCO to have the Termit Massif area named aUNESCO World Heritage Site.^[8]

•  
  Camels drinking in one of the parts of the Termit massif in 2001
•  
  Sand dunes and rocky islands in the Termit massif, 2001
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  Satellite image of Termit massif visible from space
•  
  Termit massif from space

• Decalo, Samuel (1997).Historical Dictionary of the Niger (3rd ed.). Boston & Folkestone: Scarecrow Press.ISBN 0-8108-3136-8.