The Khangai Mountains ( mn, Хангайн нуруу, Hangain nuruu, ); form a range in central

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million ...

, some west of Ulaanbaatar.

Name

Two provinces of Mongolia are named after the Khangai mountains:

Arkhangai The Arkhangai Province or Arkhangai Aimag ( mn, Архангай аймаг, Arhangai aimag, ; "North Khangai") is one of the 21 aimags of Mongolia. It is located slightly west of the country's center, on the northern slopes of the Khangai Moun ...

(North Khangai) and Ovorkhangai (South Khangai). The mild climate area where the two provinces meet (in eastern Khangai) is known as the cradle of Mongolian and nomadic civilization. The plains at the foot of the eastern Khangai host the Orkhon Valley World Heritage Site. The

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...

capital Luut Khot (Lungcheng), the Xianbei capital Ordo and the Rouran capital Moomt (Mume) are said to have been located there. Later empires also established their capitals there: e.g. the Uyghur Khaganate (745–840) built their capital Ordu-Baliq in the region.

Features

The tallest mountain is Otgontenger ( "Youngest sky"), which is about 4,000 metres tall. It is revered by the

Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...

and state ceremonies are held there.

Suvraga Khairkhan The Suvraga Khairkhan ( mn, Суврага хайрхан, ''stupa holy mountain'') is a mountain of the Khangai Mountains range in the Tsenkher, Arkhangai Province in Mongolia. It has an elevation of and is considered a regional sacred mountain ...

, 3,117 metres tall, is another sacred mountain to the east of

Tsetserleg Tsetserleg ( mn, Цэцэрлэг, ''garden'') may signify: * Tsetserleg (city), the capital of Arkhangai aimag in Mongolia * two sums (districts) in different aimags of Mongolia: ** Tsetserleg, Arkhangai Tsetserleg ( mn, Цэцэрлэг сум; ...

Taryatu-Chulutu Taryatu-Chulutu ( mn, Тариатын чулуут, ''tariatyn chuluut'', "rocks of Tariat") is a volcanic field in Mongolia. It is part of a volcanic area in Central Asia in the Hangai range that may be linked to the rifting of the Lake Baikal ...

is an extinct volcanic field on the northern slopes of the Khangai Mountains. The mountains feed the rivers Orkhon, Selenge, Ider, Zavkhan and the lakes Orog and Böön tsagaan. In the west, the Khangai mountains transition into the

Great Lakes Depression The Great Lakes Depression ( mn, Их нууруудын хотгор, ''Ikh Nuuruudyn Khotgor''), also called the Great Lakes' Hollow, is a large semi-arid depression in Mongolia that covers parts of the Uvs, Khovd, Bayan-Ölgii, Zavkhan and ...

. The Khangai mountain region is known for its mild microclimates in certain areas. Winters there are not as harsh as in other parts of the country.Vertical Variability of Climatic Conditions in the Khangai Mountains
(1980). Brzezniak, Eligiusz; Niedzwiedz, Tadeusz. p.34. Altay-Sayan map en

References

{{Authority control Mountain ranges of Mongolia