Aimags of Mongolia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mongolia

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Mongolia
Other countries · Atlas
 Politics Portal
view • talk • edit

The Aimags are the top-level administrative divisions (provinces) of Mongolia. Each Aimag is subdivided into several sums. The capital Ulaanbaatar is administrated separately as a district. The name is derived from the Mongolian and Turkic languages word for "tribe".

Aimags of Mongolia

Aimags of Mongolia
List of aimags[1]
Aimag Mongolian Sums (2005) Population (2004) Area (km²) Density (/km²) Capital Mongolian
Arkhangai Архангай 19 94,900 55,300 1.7 Tsetserleg Цэцэрлэг
Bayan-Ölgii Баян-Өлгий 13 101,200 45,700 2.2 Ölgii Өлгий
Bayankhongor Баянхонгор 20 83,800 116,000 0.7 Bayankhongor Баянхонгор
Bulgan Булган 16 60,800 48,700 1.2 Bulgan Булган
Darkhan-Uul Дархан-Уул 4 87,800 3,280 26.8 Darkhan Дархан
Dornod Дорнод 14 73,700 123,600 0.6 Choibalsan Чойбалсан
Dornogovi Дорноговь 14 52,500 109,500 0.5 Sainshand Сайншанд
Dundgovi Дундговь 15 49,900 74,700 0.7 Mandalgovi Мандал-Говь
Govi-Altai Говь-Алтай 18 60,900 141,400 0.4 Altai Алтай
Govisümber Говь-Сүмбэр 3 12,300 5,540 2.2 Choir Чойр
Khentii Хэнтий 17 71,200 80,300 0.9 Öndörkhaan Өндөрхаан
Khovd Ховд 17 87,800 76,100 1.2 Khovd Ховд
Khövsgöl Хөвсгөл 24 121,400 100,600 1.2 Mörön Мөрөн
Ömnögovi Өмнөговь 15 46,800 165,400 0.3 Dalanzadgad Даланзадгад
Orkhon Орхон 2 78,400 840 93.3 Erdenet Эрдэнэт
Övörkhangai Өвөрхангай 19 113,200 62,900 1.8 Arvaikheer Арвайхээр
Selenge Сэлэнгэ 17 100,800 41,200 2.4 Sükhbaatar Сүхбаатар
Sükhbaatar Сүхбаатар 13 56,600 82,300 0.7 Baruun-Urt Баруун-Урт
Töv Төв 27 88,900 74,000 1.2 Zuunmod Зуунмод
Uvs Увс 19 81,000 69,600 1.2 Ulaangom Улаангом
Zavkhan Завхан 24 80,700 82,500 1.0 Uliastai Улиастай
  1. ^ Монгол улсын засаг захиргааны хуваарь, 2006

[edit] History

During the Qing Dynasty, the territory of Outer Mongolia was divided (from east to west) into the Setsen Khan, Tüsheet Khan, Sain Noyon Khan, and Zasagt Khan aimags plus the Khovd area. The northern border to Russia was guarded by a watch post area. After Mongolia's second declaration of independence in 1921, the aimags were renamed in 1923, to Khaan Khentii Uulyn Aimag, Bogd Khan Uulyn Aimag, Tsetserleg Mandal Uulyn Aimag, and Khan Taishir Uulyn Aimag, respectively. The Khovd area and the Jebtsundamba Khutughtu's great shabi (personal fiefdom) turned into aimags of their own, Chandmani Uulyn Aimag and Delger Ikh Uulyn Aimag, respectively (the latter was later merged with Tsetserleg Mandal Uulyn Aimag). But otherwise the administrative structure was largely left unchanged until the 1930s.

An administrative reorganisation was initiated in 1931, which resulted in the Aimags Khovd, Dörvod (later renamed Uvs), Altai (later renamed Govi-Altai), Khövsgöl, Zavkhan, Arkhangai, Övörkhangai, Ömnögovi, Tariachin (later split into parts of Bulgan and Selenge), Töv, Dornogovi, Khentii and Dornod (later renamed to Choibalsan). The Bayankhongor, Bayan-Ölgii, Bulgan, Dundgovi, Sükhbaatar, and Selenge aimags were created in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Choibalsan Aimag was re-renamed to Dornod Aimag in 1963, and the capital Ulan Bator was split from Töv Aimag as a separate district. The same status was given to the newly founded industrial cities of Darkhan (1961 in the Selenge Aimag) and Erdenet (1975 in the Bulgan Aimag). In 1994, two Sums of the Bulgan Aimag were taken to build the Orkhon Aimag around Erdenet, and four Sums of the Selenge Aimag to build the Darkhan-Uul Aimag around Darkhan, ending the special status of the two cities. In a highly disputed decision, the Govisümber Aimag was split from the Dornogovi Aimag in 1996.

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries
Table of administrative country subdivisions by country