Bayan-Ölgii Province


Bayan-Ölgii is the westernmost of the 21 aimags of Mongolia. The country's only Muslim and Kazakh-majority aimag, it was established in August 1940, having its capital at Ölgii.
WWW bayan-olgii.gov.mn

Geography

The aimag is located in the extreme west of the country and shares borders with both Russia and China. The border between the two neighbouring countries is very short here, though, and ends after about 40 km at the eastern end of Kazakhstan. Within Mongolia, the neighbouring aimags are Uvs in the north east and Khovd in the south east.
Bayan-Ölgii is the highest Mongolian aimag. For the most part it is located in the Mongol Altai, at the transition point to the Russian Altay. About 10% of the territory is covered by forests, consisting primarily of Siberian Larch.
The Nairamdal Peak of the Altai Tavan Bogd massif mountain marks the corner between the three neighbouring countries. About 2.5 km further south on the Mongolian-Chinese border, the Khüiten Peak is the highest point of Mongolia at a height of 4,374 m. The massif includes several glaciers, such as the 19 km Potanin Glacier, and is only accessible to experienced climbers with local guidance.
The Khovd River has its origin in this aimag. It is fed by the three lakes Khoton, Khurgan, and Dayan, and in turn feeds the lake Khar-Us in the Khovd Aimag. The Tolbo Lake is a large saline lake about 50 km south of the aimag capital. It features clear and cold water on an elevation of 2,080 m.

National parks

The Altai Tavan Bogd National Park covers 6,362 km² and is located south of the highest mountain of Mongolia. It includes the lakes Khoton, Khurgan, and Dayan. The protected area offers a home for many species of alpine animal, such as the Argali sheep, Ibex, Red deer, Beech marten, Moose, Snow cock, and Golden eagle.
The Khökh Serkhiin Nuruu Protected Area and the Siilkhemiin Nuruu National Park are of similar character.
The Develiin Aral Natural Reserve is established around Develiin Island at the confluence of the rivers Lsan Khooloi and Khovd. Since 2000 it has provided protection for various birds and animals including pheasants, boars, and beavers.
The Tsambagarav Uul National Park includes 1,115 km² of land around the glaciers near the Khovd aimag and protects the snow leopards living there, among others.

Demographics

Most inhabitants of Bayan-Ölgii are Kazakhs. The rest of the population is composed of Uriankhai, Dörvöd, Khalkha, Tsengel Tuvans, and Khoshuud. A significant portion of the population speaks Kazakh as their mother tongue and the Mongolian language only as a second language, if at all.
After democratization, many inhabitants moved to their historical homeland, Kazakhstan, assuming they would find a better future there. The result was a noticeable loss of population in 1991–1993, when approximately 80 thousand repatriated to Kazakhstan. A noticeable number of former immigrants have been returning, so that the population has risen again.
1956
census		1960
est.		1963
census		1969
census		1975
est.		1979 census1981
est.		1985
est.		1989 census1991
est.		1993
est.		1995
est.		1998
est.		2000 census2010 census2020
census		2024
est.
38,80044,60047,80058,10066,60071,40074,50082,40090,900102,81775,04382,25987,34194,09488,056108,530110,799

Culture

The culture of the Kazakh majority is strongly influenced by Islamic traditions. The Abu-Bakr Siddiq Central Mosque also houses the Islamic Center of Mongolia. It is placed at an unusual angle within the fabric of the city, because the building was oriented exactly towards Mecca. There is also a madrasah at the same place.
The aimag is famous for the traditional practice of hunting with trained eagles. The captive eagles work in a similar way as hunting falcons do. While eagles are used for hunting in other parts of the world, particularly Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the practice is most common in Bayan-Ölgii, where an estimated 80 percent of the world's eagle hunters live. The annual Golden Eagle Festival is held in Ölgii every October to display the skill of eagle hunters, with about 70 hunters participating per year.

Administrative subdivisions

Administratively, Bayan-Ölgii is divided into 13 sums, 1 tosgon, and 99 bags.
The farthest district center from Ölgii is Jargalant, center of Bulgan, at 300 km, while the closest is Buga, center of Bugat, at 5 km.
With an area of 6.5 thousand km², Tsengel is the largest sum in the province, while Altantsögts, covering 1.8 thousand km², is the smallest.
Sum (District)MongolianDistrict
population
District
population
District
population
District
population
District
population
District population
Area
Density
Distance
from
Ölgii
city
AltaiАлтай3,4003,2373,9143,6593,8114,3003,163.561.4110
AltantsögtsАлтанцөгц3,3003,0383,0383,1143,0802,9511,786.101.745
BayannuurБаяннуур4,8004,5075,3205,0125,0335,0522,339.502.2126
BugatБугат3,3002,7773,6043,7413,6424,2492,049.102.05
BulganБулган5,0005,1155,9015,8275,5284,5084,977.330.9300
BuyantБуянт2,3002,5463,0022,6832,5142,8051,845.671.575
DelüünДэлүүн6,6006,7828,1837,0787,1337,4855,594.991.3150
NogoonnuurНогооннуур7,500 *6,3316,5396,5666,3756,7233,818.601.6110
ÖlgiiӨлгий24,00021,56928,24828,49628,44842,061100.92416.80
SagsaiСагсай4,1003,7465,1855,1745,0895,5943,139.991.827
TolboТолбо4,1003,7464,2604,0764,1364,4742,974.691.576
Tsagaannuur Цагааннуур-1,8781,5281,4521,4731,6881,403.34n/an/a
TsengelЦэнгэл6,7006,5398,3648,3058,3489,9156,463.171.575
UlaankhusУлаанхус7,3006,8078,6728,7488,4078,9946,047.931.545

Economy

The main economy activity of the province is animal husbandry. In 2022, there were 2.3 million head of livestock in the province. In 2010, the GDP of the province is divided into agriculture, services and industry. In 2018, the province contributed to 1.15% of the total national GDP of Mongolia.

Governors

First secretaries
  1. Shymshyryn Nogai
  2. Düzelbain Jeniskhan
  3. Sharavyn Vanchinkhüü
  4. Malikiin Khashkhynbai
  5. Mukhammadiin Khurmankhan
  6. Juangany Yrym
  7. Malikiin Khashkhynbai
  8. Khamatjany Musakhan
  9. O. Dulamragchaa
  10. Bugyn Dejid
  11. Ya. Jigjid
  12. L. Khürlee
  13. Baitazagiin Khurmyetbyek
Chairmen of executive committee
  1. Bajiin Khabi
  2. A. Begzjav
  3. Duzelbain Jyeniskhan
  4. Mukhammadiin Khurmankhan
  5. Ch. Shagdar
  6. Mukhammadiin Khurmankhan
  7. Shabiin Khabdyl
  8. Juangany Yrym
  9. Askhanbain Sarai
  10. Khusbyekiin Khyzyrkhan
  11. T. Davaajav
  12. Küntugany Mizamkhan
Governors
  1. Küntugany Mizamkhan
  2. Khadyryn Myeiram
  3. Khavdislamyn Badyelkhan
  4. Omaryn Khavsatar
  5. Sakyein Khaval
  6. Khuzkyein Darmyen
  7. Aipyn Gylymkhan
  8. Dalyeliin Bauyrjan
  9. Akhmediyagiin Kameliyat
  10. Yesyentain Zangar

Transportation

The Ölgii Airport has one runway, unpaved until 2011. It offers regular flights to Ulaanbaatar and irregular flights to Ulaangom and Mörön in Mongolia and Almaty in Kazakhstan.
A road connecting to Russia starts in Tsagaannuur.
The border with China is open only for a short time in the summer.