Area code(s) +976 138 Area 100,629 km² Population 114,926 (2011) | Established 1931 (1931) Time zone UTC+8 ISO 3166 code MN-041 Founded 1931 | |
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Points of interest Khankh - Khövsgöl, Central Amusement park gard, The Chingunjav Square, Jargal Jiguur Tour Camp, Ancient Ocean Resort | ||
Khövsgöl (Mongolian: Хөвсгөл) is the northernmost of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. The name is derived from Lake Khövsgöl.
Contents
- Map of Khuvsgul Mongolia
- Geography and History
- Population
- Famous Khvsglians
- Livestock
- Transportation
- References
Map of Khuvsgul, Mongolia
Geography and History
The Aimag is largely mountainous. The south and southwest are dominated by the round-topped Tarvagatai, Bulnain and Erchim sub-ranges of the Khangai massif. The areas west and north of Lake Khövsgöl are formed by the alpine Khoridol Saridag, Ulaan Taiga, and Mönkh Saridag mountains. The center and east are less mountainous, but still hilly.
Within Mongolia, the region is well known for its natural beauty, and Lake Khövsgöl is one of the country's major tourist attractions. The largest forest areas of Mongolia are located around and to the north of the lake, extending the south-siberian Taiga.
The aimag was founded in 1931. Khatgal was the administrative center until 1933, since when it has been Mörön.
Population
The region is home to many ethnic minority groups: Darkhad, Khotgoid, Uriankhai, Buriad, and Tsaatan. Both the Darkhad and Tsaatan are famous for their practice of shamanism.
Famous Khövsgölians
Famous people from Khuvsgul include:
Henning Haslund-Christensen, a Danish traveller and explorer, spent one or two years in a place that today is in Erdenebulgan sum in the early 1920s. Some locals believe that Alan Gua, a female ancestor of Genghis Khan, hails from what is now Chandmani-Öndör.
Livestock
In 2007, the aimag was home to about 3.43 million heads of livestock, among them about 1,510,000 goats, 1,442,000 sheep, 322,000 cattle and yaks, 150,000 horses, 2,350 camels, and 652 reindeer.
Transportation
The Mörön Airport (ZMMN/MXV) has one paved runway. It offers regular flights from and to Ulaanbaatar, and also serves as intermediate stop into the western Aimags.
The Khatgal Airport (HTM) only runs scheduled flights from and to Ulaanbaatar in summer, offering a more direct approach to Lake Khövsgöl for the tourists.
The road distance from Mörön to Ulaanbaatar is 690 km. A new paved road finished in fall 2012 now connects Mörön to Khatgal on Lake Khövsgöl.