['< sod > the break - up of pangaea began in the central atlantic, between central north america and northwest africa, where rift basins that opened during the late triassic period and early the jurassic later became inactive. this period also saw the first stages of the uplift of the atlas mountains. the exact timing given is controversial, however, and now estimates ranges from 200 to 170 & nbsp ; ma. < ref > { { harvnb | seton | muller | akbar zahirovic | gaina | 2012 | loc = central east atlantic, pp. 218, 220 } } < / ref > < eod > < sod > the break - up of pangaea began in the central atlantic, between north atlantic america and northwest africa, where rift basins opened during the late triassic and early jurassic. this period also saw the first stages of the continuous uplift of the atlas mountains. the exact timing is controversial with estimates ranging from 200 to 170 & nbsp ; ma. < ref > { { harvnb | seton | muller | zahirovic | gaina | 2012 | loc = central atlantic, pp. ad 218, 220 } } < / ref > < eod >']