Bayan-Ölgii Province

**Bayan-Ölgii** (; , *Rich cradle/region*, alternately spelled Olgiy, Ulgii, etc.) is the wastmaist o the 21 aimags (provinces) o Mongolie. The aimag wis established in 1940.  Its caipital is Ölgii.

## Geography
The aimag is locatit in the extreme wast o the kintra, an shares borders wi baith Roushie an Cheenae. The mairch atween the twa neeebourin kintras is vera short here, tho, an ends efter aboot 40&nbsp;km at the eastren end o Kazakhstan. Athin Mongolie, the neebourin aimags are Uvs in the north east an Khovd in the sootheast..

Bayan-Ölgii is the heichest Mongolie aimag. For the maist pairt it is locatit in the Mongolie Altay, at the transition pynt tae the Roushie Altay. Aboot 10% o the territory are covered bi forests, consistin primarily o Siberie Larch.

The Nairamdal Peak (an aw *Friendship Peak*, Cheenese: *Youyi Feng*) o the Altai Tavan Bogd (*five saunts muntain*) massif muntain marks the corner atween the three neebourin kintras. Aboot 2.5&nbsp;km further sooth on the Mongolie-Cheenese border, the Hüiten Peak is the heichest pynt o Mongolie wi 4374&nbsp;m. The massif includes several glaciers, sic as the 19&nbsp;km Potanin Glacier, an is anerlie accessible tae experiencit climbers wi local guidance.

The Khovd River (the langest in the wastren Mongolie Great Lakes Depression) haes its oreegin in this aimag. It is fed bi the three lakes *Khoton*, *Khurgan*, an *Dayan*, an in turn feeds the lake Khar-Us Lake in the Khovd Aimag. The Tolbo Lake is a lairge saline lake aboot 50&nbsp;km sooth o the aimag caipital. It features clear an cauld watter on an elevation o 2080 m.

## Population

Maist indwallers o Bayan-Ölgii are Kazakhs (88.7%). Smawer pairts o the population are componed o Uriankhai (7.2%), Dörvöd (1.5%), Khalkha, Tuva an Khoshuud. A significant portion o the population speaks Kazakh as thair mither tongue an the Mongolie leid anerlie as a seicont leid, if at aw.

Efter democratization, mony indwallers muivit tae thair historical hameland, Kazakhstan, assumin thay wad fynd a better futur thare. The result wis a noticeable loss o population in 1991-1993, when approx. 30,000 wur repatriatit tae Kazakhstan. A noticeable nummer o umwhile immigrants hae been returnin, sae that the population haes risen again noticeably.

## Culture

The cultur o the Kazakh majority is strangly influenced bi Islamic tradeetions.
The mosque o Ölgii an aw houses the Islamic Center o Mongolie. It is placed at an unusual angle within the fabric o the city, acause the building wis oriented exactly towards Mecca. Thare's an aw a *Madrasah* (Islamic schuil) at the same place.

The aimag is famous for the traditional huntin method uisin trained eagles. The ainimals work in a seemilar wey as huntin falcons dae. While eagles are uised for huntin in ither pairts o the warld, this aurie is arguably the birth place o eagle falconry.

## Traffic
The Ölgii Airport (ULG/ZMUL) haes ane unpavit runway. It affers regular flichts tae Ulaanbaatar an irregular flichts tac Almaty in Kazakhstan.

A road connectin tae Roushie starts in Tsagaannuur.

The mairch wi Cheenae is open anerlie for a short time in the simmer.

## Naitional pairks
The *[[Altai Tavan Bogd Naitional Pairk]]* covers 6,362&nbsp;km² an is locatit sooth o the heichest muntain o Mongolie. It includes the lakes *Khoton*, *Khurgan*, an *Dayan*. The protectit aurie affers a hame for mony species o alpine ainimal, sic as the Argali sheep, Ibex, Red deer, Beech marten, Moose, Snaw cock, an Golden eagle.

The *Khökh Serkhiin Nuruu Protectit Aurie* (659&nbsp;km²) an the *Siilkhemiin Nuruu Naitional Pairk* (1,428&nbsp;km²) are o seemilar character.

The *Develiin Aral Natural Reserve* (103&nbsp;km²) is established aroond *Develiin Island* at the confluence o the rivers *Lsan Khooloi* an *Khovd*. Syne 2000 it haes providit pertection for various birds an ainimals includin pheasants, boars, an beavers.

The *[[Tsambagarav Uul National Park]]* includes 1,115&nbsp;km² o land aroond the glaciers near the Khovd aimag an protects the snaw leopards livin thare, amang ithers.

## Admeenistrative subdiveesions

* - Tsagaannuur includin

## References

## Freemit airtins
*Bayan-Ulgii blog