Darkhan - Uul aimag. Kharagiin Khiid. Museum of Darkhan-Uul.
ABOUT MONGOLIA
THE REGIONS OF MONGOLIA
DARKHAN - UUL AIMAG.
- Territory - 1266 square miles (3,280 sq. km)
- Center - City of Darkhan, located 143 miles (230km)
from Ulaanbaatar.
- Number of somons - 4 (Darkhan, Sharyn Gol, Khongor, Orkhon)
- Darkhan-Uul aimag was established in 1994.
On 17 October, 1961, the foundation of Darkhan city was laid
in the economically favorable land of Darkhan somon, in Selenge aimag.
The somon was abolished and the settlement came under the new Darkhan
Administration, in 1963. Joint-ventures with the assistance of former socialist
countries were set up in Darkhan in 1970 - 1990, that have significantly
contributed to the city's development and today it is a highly industrialized
region of Mongolia. As Darkhan aimag used to be a part of Selenge aimag,
biodiversity and climate are quite similar to those in Selenge. 76 percent of
the population of Darkhan - Uul aimag live in Darkhan, of which 86 percent
lives in residential apartments.
Darkhan-Uul province lies between the Khangai and Khentii
mountain ranges in the Orkhon and Selenges vast river valleys. In the 32,750
square kilometers of this province there are many places of great natural
beauty. The provinces territory is located 700 meters above sea level.
Darkhan has a continental climate with average summertime temperatures reaching
25 to 30 Celsius and winter temperatures between minus 10 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Darkhan has over 260 sunny days per year.
By the end of the year 2004, the province population was
90,400 with people originating from every corner of Mongolia. Like the Mongolian
population as a whole, most of the residents of Darkhan are young people.
Darkhan has rich natural resources and mineral deposits as
well as an abundance of vegetation and wildlife. There are protected animals
such as sable, deer, elk, beaver, and the sturgeon, which are registered in the
Red Book - a listing of endangered species in Mongolia. The Darkhan-Selenge
region, a comparatively well-studied area of Mongolia, is known to have rich
deposits of coal, copper, and iron ore despite the fact that exploration work is
not complete. There are also construction materials such as limestone, marble,
sand, gravel, and straw. For further economic expansion of Darkhan, these rich
resources are awaiting development on the basis of advanced, environmentally
friendly technologies.
Darkhan-Uul Aimags infrastructure includes paved roads, an
international railway, modern telecommunication systems and reliable energy
sources. It is well connected by the main railway system to Russia and China
with a north-south railroad through Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan City. Recently paved
roads connect Darkhan to Russia as well as Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, and
Erdenet, the third largest city in Mongolia. Internet and satellite cable TV
transmissions and cell phone services are also available.
Darkhan was built as the foundation for Mongolias major
industries, particularly construction materials. Beginning in 1962, Mongolian
and Soviet workers started the construction of Darkhans first industrial
facilities. The development of these industrial facilities was made possible
through technical and financial assistance from various former socialist
countries such as the Soviet Union, Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. There
is an industrial district in Darkhan that includes a cement factory, a steel
plant built in 1990 with Japanese assistance and a sheepskin-processing factory.
The food production industry is well developed and is comprised of a of meat
processing factory, flour mill, and small-scale producers of bakery products,
confectionery, dairy products, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. In recent
years, small and medium sized enterprises have been rapidly expanding. The
number of new businesses, which have opened in the last few years, is 732
companies. Darkhan has a Chamber of Commerce and Industry made up of 93 members.
Darkhan is situated in the agricultural heartland of
Mongolia. Darkhan Uul Aimag is the major agricultural producer in Mongolia with
rich resources for agricultural development. This area, located at a low level
of altitude, has a warmer climate than the rest of the country. In the Kharaa
River basin there are favorable natural climatic conditions for the cultivation
of cereals, vegetables, and especially potatoes. There are 35 agricultural
companies and co-operatives in Darkhan Uul Aimag. This area contains 30,000
hectares of soil suitable for arable farming and 1287.8 thousand hectares for
vegetable farming. Despite the development of the urban economy, local people
continue to keep livestock. There are approximately 130,000 head of livestock in
the province.
Darkhan is the second largest educational center in Mongolia,
making the educational level of the citys population very high. Hundreds of
students come to Darkhan from other parts of Mongolia to study. Currently in
Darkhan Uul Aimag there are 10 higher education institutions, 25 secondary
schools, 14 kindergartens, the Institute of Management and Development, the
Regional Business Development Center and the Plant Science and Agricultural
Training Research Institute.
Tourists who visit Darkhan can expect to find fresh air, blue
skies, a quiet environment, and plenty of open space to enjoy many outdoor
activities, such as hunting and fishing. Places of interest accessible from
Darkhan City include Zulzagiin Gol, an area of natural beauty 30km to the east,
and Amarbayasgalant Khiid one of
the largest and most important monasteries in Mongolia approximately 3 hours
drive to the west.
//gate1.pmis.gov.mn/darkhan-uul
PLACES TO VISITED.
- Darkhan. Population 95,500. Darkhan is the second largest city in
Mongolia. This city is, in fact, not part of Selenge aimag, but an
autonomous municipality, Darkhan-Uul. The city was built in the middle of
nowhere in 1961 as a satellite town to take pressure off the sprawling Ulaanbaatar, and as a northern industrial
center. Darkhan, which means
'blacksmith', is a modern, sterile place. Fortunately, Darkhan's designers
put a little thought into urban planning, so the industrial smokestacks are
on the south side of town and the pollution is carried away from residential
areas by the relentless northern wind. The Russians designed the city in
their image and a sizeable Russian community still lives in Darkhan.
- Kharagiin Khiid. Probably the most interesting sight in Darkhan is
the Kharagiin monastery. Housed in a pretty log cabin in the old town, it
has recently become very active. With a host of protector deities and a tree
encased in blue khatag silk scarves, the monastery has the feel of a
pilgrimage center.
- Museum of Darkhan-Uul. This museum, also named the Traditional
Museum of Folk Art. contains a well laid out collection of archaeological
findings, traditional clothing, religious artifacts and a few obligatory
stuffed animals.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION'S:
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