What is Aïr Mountains?
{{complex|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox mountain <!-- *** Heading *** -->| name = Aïr Mountains | length_km = | map_caption = Map of Niger. The Aïr Mountains are located in the north-central part of the country, in the middle of the Sahara | area_km2 = 84000 <!-- *** Features *** -->| width_orientation = | width_km = | length_orientation = | coordinates = | native_name ={{native name list |tag1=tmh|name1=Ayar |tag2=ha|name2=Azbin|postfix2={{sp}}(eastern) |tag3=ha|name3=Abzin|postfix3={{sp}}(western)}} | range_coordinates = {{coord|18|16.6|N|8|0|E|type:mountain_region:NE|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | elevation_m = 2022 | highest = [[Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès]] | border = <!-- *** Locations *** --> | district = | region = [[Agadez Region]] | photo_caption = The Timia Valley, in the Aïr Mountains | photo = Timia valley.JPG | etymology = <!-- *** Image *** --> | other_name = Aïr Massif, Ayr <!-- *** Names **** -->| country = {{NER}} }} The '''Aïr Mountains''' is a triangular [[massif]], located in north [[Niger]], inside the [[Sahara]]. They rise to more than {{convert|1800|m|ft|abbr=on}} and go over {{convert|84000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Thorp|first=M. B.|year=1969|title=Some aspects of the geomorphology of the Air Mountains, southern Sahara|journal=Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers|volume=47|issue=47|pages=25–46|doi=10.2307/621733|jstor=621733}}</ref> In the desert, north of the Aïr plateau, with an average altitude between {{convert|500|and|900|m|ft|abbr=on}}, forms an island of [[Sahel]], which supports a wide variety of life, many pastoral and farming communities, and geological and archaeological sites. There are notable archaeological findings in the region that picture together the prehistoric past of this land.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Archaeology of Africa: Food, Metals and Towns|last1=Shaw|first1=Thurstan|last2=Sinclair|first2=Paul|last3=Andah|first3=Bassey|last4=Okpoko|first4=Alex|publisher=Routledge|year=1995|isbn=0-415-11585-X}}</ref> The endangered [[African