Khövsgöl Province

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Khövsgöl Aimag
Хөвсгөл аймаг
Province
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates	49°38′N 100°10′E / 49.633, 100.167
Capital	Mörön
Area	100,600 km² (38,842 sq mi)
Population	123,416 (2005)
Density	1.23 /km² (3 /sq mi)
Founded	1931
Timezone	UTC+8
Area code	+976 (0)138
License plate	ХӨ_ (_ variable)
ISO 3166-2 code	MN-041
Website: http://gate1.pmis.gov.mn/huvsgul/

Khövsgöl Aimag (Mongolian: Хөвсгөл аймаг) is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. It is located in the north of the country, and including its most northern point. The name derives from the Lake Khövsgöl.

Contents 1 Geography and History 2 Population 2.1 Famous Khövsgölians 3 Livestock 4 Transportation 5 Administrative Subdivision 6 Notes and References

[edit] Geography and History

The Aimag is quite 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 countries 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.

[edit] Population

Khövsgöl aimag population ^{[1][2] [3][4]}

1956 census	1960 est.	1963 census	1969 census	1975 est.	1979 census	1981 est.	1989 census	1992 est.	1996 est.	1998 est.	2000 census	2003 est.	2005 est.
58,200	64,000	63,700	74,800	82,300	88,200	91,100	101,800	119,133	113,312	117,123	117,914	124,126	123,416

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.

Ethnic minority groups in Khövsgöl (self-identification), 2000 census[5]
Group	Population	Percentage
Darkhad	16,268	13.8%
Khotgoid	6229	5.3%
Uriankhai	3036	2.6%
Buriad	996	0.84%
Tsaatan	269	0.23%
Total population	117914	100%

[edit] Famous Khövsgölians

Famous people from Khövsgöl include:

• Chingünjav, leader of an anti-Manchu rebellion in 1756/57
• Öndör Gongor,
• Jalkhanz Khutagt Damdinbazar, a prime minister of Mongolia in the early 1920s,
• Gelenkhüü, an inventor and hero of local folklore.

Henning Haslund-Christensen, a Danish traveller and explorer, spent one or two years in today's Erdenebulgan sum in the early 20s. Some locals believe that Alan Goa, a female ancestor of Genghis Khan, hails from Chandmani-Öndör.

[edit] Livestock

In 2004, the aimag was home to about 2.3 million heads of livestock, among them about 966,000 goats, 932,000 sheep, 238,000 cattle and yaks, 156,000 horses, 2,700 camels, and 652 reindeer.^[6]

[edit] Transportation

The Mörön Airport (ZMMN/MXV) has one paved runway. It offers regular flights from and to Ulan Bator, and also serves as intermediate stop into the western Aimags.

The Khatgal Airport (HTM) only runs scheduled flights from and to Ulan Bator in summer, offering a more direct approach to Lake Khövsgöl for the tourists.

The road distance from Mörön to Ulaanbaatar is 690 km.

[edit] Administrative Subdivision

The Sums of Khövsgöl Aimag

Sum	Mongolian	Population 1987(approx.)[7]	Population 1994 [8]	Population 2000[9]	Population 2005[10]
Alag-Erdene Khatgal	Алаг-Эрдэнэ Хатгал	2,300 7,000[11]	2,809 3,756	2,825 2,498	2,992 2,831
Arbulag	Арбулаг	3,100	4,272	4,487	4,164
Bayanzürkh	Баянзүрх	3,300	4,180	4,202	3,863
Bürentogtokh	Бүрэнтогтох	3,800	5,043	4,678	4,251
Chandmani-Öndör	Чандмань-Өндөр	2,100	2,891	3,063	2,944
Erdenebulgan	Эрдэнэбулган	2,300	3,086	2,739	2,849
Galt	Галт	4,400	5,573	5,328	4,876
Khankh	Ханх	n.a.	2,227	2,140	2,346
Ikh-Uul	Их-Уул	3,200	3,767	3,959	4,126
Jargalant	Жаргалант	3,700	4,866	5,086	5,109
Mörön	Мөрөн	n.a.	27,230	28,147	35,872
Rashaant	Рашаант	2,500	3,195	3,280	3,559
Renchinlkhümbe	Рэнчинлхүмбэ	3,900[12]	4,040	4,284	4,614
Shine-Ider	Шинэ-Идэр	3,900	4,616	4,348	4,068
Tarialan	Тариалан	4,800	6,122	6,070	5,936
Tömörbulag	Төмөрбулаг	3,100	4,084	4,171	4,353
Tosontsengel	Тосонцэнгэл	2,800	3,683	4,161	3,615
Tsagaannuur	Цагааннуур	900	1,248	1,317	1,405
Tsagaan-Uul	Цагаан-Уул	4,300	5,547	5,696	5,145
Tsagaan-Üür	Цагаан-Үүр	2,000	2,590	2,421	2,442
Tsetserleg	Цэцэрлэг	4,400	5,591	5,876	4,693
Tünel	Түнэл	2,900	3,579	3,556	3,465
Ulaan-Uul	Улаан-Уул	2,700	3,396	3,726	3,898

[edit] Notes and References

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