Khentii Aimag (Province)
Khentii aimag is located in mountainous area in Kherlen, Onon, Ulz river basins in northern hemisphere on eastern halfway of the globe between 108° to 113° longtitude and 46° to 49° northern latitude. Khentii aimag borders with Chita oblast of Russia to the north, with Dornod to the east, with Sukhbaatar and Dornogovi aimags to the south and with Govisumber to the southwest, with Tuv to the west and with Selenge aimag to the northwest. The aimag's territory is a combination of mountainous and steppe zone. This aimag appertains to forest and steppe zone, and 16% of the whole northern region is elevated at 1,880-2,450m above the sea level and it has gallant forested mountains like Khentii Khan, Noyon and Delgerkhaan. Khentii Khan mountain elevated at 2,451m above the sea level, Asraltkhairkhan at 2,799m above the sea are the highest points of Khentii aimag. Khentii aimag has a unique natural composition as the Siberian taiga forest from north meets the Central Asian vast steppes in the south.
Khentii aimag has great amount of underground water resource. There are big and small rivers in northern forested areas of the aimag. Yet the southern steppe has much less underground and inflow water resource. The aimag has over 90 springs, 70 lakes and pools like Khar Zurkh's Khukh lake mentioned in The Secret History of Mongolia, Khangal lake famous for its beautifull scenery, Khajuu spring and others that are involved with Chinggis Khaan history. There are dozens of hot and cold medicinal springs such that Gurvan Nuur, Onon, Avraga Toson, Tars, Arangatai and so on. Around 100 rivers like Kherlen, Onon, Eg, Barkh, Khurh, Ulz, Balj, Khumult, Tsenkher that are initiated at Khentii range and its branch mountains belong to this territory.
Two third of the Kherlen river, which is the longest river of Mongolia with 1,090km in length, flows through Khentii aimag.
It is believed that Chinggis Khaan, the Khaan and founder of the Great Mongolian Empire, was born in this aimag. In 2000, the 4,157кm² northeastern area of the aimag became Onon-Balj complex. The 12,271кm² territory that includes state worshiped sacred Burkhan Khaldun mountain and Kherlen, Onon and Tuul rivers and their inflows at the heart of the Khentii range had been protected by the state since 1992. Around 800 archeologically significant historical remains such as graves, tombs, prohibitions of aristocrats were kept in this region. A place, where the eastern great steppes meet the mountainous region in the northeastern part of the region, which is called Toson Khultai by the locals and 4,700km² of this area became a natural reserve area in 1998. Hilly and timbered areas surrounding Khar Yamaat, Tumentsogt and other mountains form a fascinating natural complex of 506 km² that became natural reserved area in 1998.
