Khovd Province

Coordinates: 47°0′N 92°45′E / 47.000°N 92.750°E / 47.000; 92.750
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Khovd Province
Ховд аймаг
ᠬᠣᠪᠳᠤᠠᠶᠢᠮᠠᠭ
Ruins of a fortress in Khovd Province
Ruins of a fortress in Khovd Province
Flag of Khovd Province
Coat of arms of Khovd Province
Coordinates: 47°0′N 92°45′E / 47.000°N 92.750°E / 47.000; 92.750
Country Mongolia
Established1931 (1931)
CapitalKhovd
Government
Area
 • Total76,133.38 km2 (29,395.26 sq mi)
Highest elevation
4,204 m (13,793 ft)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total87,363
 • Density1.1/km2 (3.0/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7
Area code+976 (0)143
ISO 3166 codeMN-043
Vehicle registrationХО_
Websitekhovd.gov.mn

Khovd (Mongolian: Ховд, romanized: Howd, pronounced [ˈχɔw̜t]) is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia, located in the west of the country. Its capital is also named Khovd.

The Khovd province is approximately 1,580 km from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. It takes its name from the Khovd River, which is located in this province.

Population[edit]

Khovd is distinguished by its multi-cultural population. It is home to more than 17 nationalities and ethnicities. Each of these groups has its own distinct traditional dwelling and settlement pattern, dress and other cultural distinctions, literary, artistic, and musical traditions.

Ethnic groups of Khovd aimag[1]
national censuses data
Ethnic
group
Mongolian
name
1979 % 1989 % 2000 %
Khalkha Халх 17,343 27.72 20,397 26.64 23,832 27.45
Zakhchin Захчин 14,464 23.12 17,228 22.50 21,645 24.93
Kazakh Хасаг 9,425 15.06 12,814 16.74 10,005 11.52
Torguud Торгууд 5,566 8.90 6,703 8.76 6,995 8.06
Olots Өөлд 4,823 7.71 5,622 7.34 6,503 7.49
Altai Uriankhai Урианхай 4,587 7.33 5,403 7.06 6,592 7.59
Dörvöd Дөрвөд 2,856 4.56 3,609 4.71 5,242 6.04
Myangad Мянгад 2,855 4.56 3,517 4.59 4,287 4.94
Tuvan Тува - - 239 0.31 724 0.83
Bayad Баяд 129 0.21 227 0.30 377 0.43
Chantuu Чантуу 183 0.29 187 0.24 258 0.30
Khoshuud Хошууд - - - - 149 0.17
Other Mongolian citizens 93 0.15 176 0.23 203 0.23
Foreigners 241 0.39 431 0.56 19 0.02
Total 62,565 100.00 76,553 100.00 86,831 100.00

The Khovd aimag population growth stopped in 1991, then migration out of the aimag (approx. 20,000 in 1992-2004) compensated the natural increase and confined aimag’s population within the limits of 87 thousand to 92 thousand since.

Khovd aimag population [2][3][4][5][6]
1956
census
1960
est.
1969
census
1979
census
1981
est.
1989
census
1995
est.
2000
census
2006
census
2010
census
42,300 48,000 54,000 62,600 64,500 86,831 88,494 89,326 92,395 82, 204

Climate[edit]

Khovd is notorious for its harsh weather, for temperatures regularly reach as high as 40 °C or 104 °F during summer and as low as −30 °C or −22 °F during winter. The climate is dry, as it receives approximately the same average annual precipitation as Phoenix, Arizona.

Rivers[edit]

The major rivers are:

Lakes[edit]

Mountains[edit]

Transportation[edit]

The Khovd Airport (HVD/ZMKD) has two runways, one of which is paved, and gets served by regular flights from and to Ulaanbaatar, Mörön, and Bulgan. And flights are planned to Ürümqi city of Xinjiang.

Economy[edit]

The region around the Khovd city is famous in Mongolia for its watermelon crop. There is a sizable hydroelectric dam-building project underway that will theoretically generate enough electricity to power the three most western aimags (Uvs, Bayan-Ölgii, and Khovd).[citation needed] The city of Khovd is connected to the Russian power grid and subject to blackouts if it falls behind in its payments. Domestic and international tourism and sports hunting are a sizable industry of Khovd province. The natural environment, fresh and salt water lakes, mountains, valleys, caves, ancient rock paintings and fortresses are other sightseeing attractions.[citation needed]

Animal herding is the main economy of this province.

Number of livestock[7]
1950
census
1960
census
1970
census
1980
census
1990
census
2000
census
2005
census
2010
census
2014
census
1,131,733 1,691,934 1,539,574 1,687,703 2,070,622 1,836,272 1,963,712 1,639,100 2,625,577

Administrative subdivisions[edit]

Sums of Khovd Aimag

The aimag capital Khovd is geographically located in the Buyant sum, but is administered as independent Jargalant sum. The administrative center of the Khovd Sum is also called Khovd, which is a common source of confusion. The other administrative centers carry the name of the respective Sum as well.

The sums of Khovd Aimag[6]
Sum Mongolian Population
1979 census
Population
1991 est.
Population
2007 est.
Population
2010 est.
Major Ethnic. Sum Centre
Population
Area
(km²)[1]
Density
(/km²)
Distance
from Khovd
city(km)[1]
Altai Алтай 2,141 2,712 3,234 2 849 Zahchin 767 13,144 0.25 310
Bulgan Булган 7,052 9,169 9,634 8 262 Torguud 3,171 8,104 1.19 335
Buyant Буянт 3,361 4,386 3,533 2 673 Halh/Tuva 1,568 3,759 0.96 19
Chandmani Чандмань 2,311 2,963 3,155 2 469 Halh 689 6,016 0.52 160
Darvi Дарви 2,402 2,775 2,596 2 362 Halh 579 5,604 0.47 204
Dörgön Дөргөн 1,715 2,555 3,015 2 266 Dorvod 659 4,128 0.73 106
Duut Дуут 1,675 2,189 2,094 1 287 Urianhai 502 2,146 0.98 76
Erdenebüren Эрдэнэбүрэн 2,258 3,210 3,372 1 995 Oold 696 2,772 1.22 60
Jargalant* Жаргалант 17,620 26,877 29,207 29 012 Halh/Mixed 28,601* 70 417.24 0
Khovd Ховд 3,927 4,850 4,589 2 722 Halh 719 2,830 1.63 27
Mankhan Манхан 3,273 4,352 4,526 3 480 Zahchin 1,258 4,330 1.05 80
Mönkhkhairkhan Мөнххайрхан 1,811 2,337 2,554 1 955 Urianhai/Zahchin 744 2,554 1.06 155
Möst Мөст 3,239 4,092 3,577 2 939 Zahchin 809 3,927 0.91 180
Myangad Мянгад 2,940 4,552 3,662 2 615 Myangad 713 3,258 1.12 35
Tsetseg Цэцэг 2,189 2,645 2,531 2 423 Halh 570 3,491 0.72 216
Üyench Үенч 2,575 3,913 4,760 4 024 Zahchin 1,452 7,476 0.64 305
Zereg Зэрэг 2,388 3,092 3,078 2 727 Zahchin 796 2,524 1.23 130

* - The aimag capital Khovd

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Khovd Aimak Statistical Office. 1983-2008 Dynamics Data Sheet Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Statoids (Gwillim Law) web page
  3. ^ National Statistical Office Archived 2007-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ National Economy of the Mongolian People's Republic (1921 - 1981), Ulaanbaatar 1981
  5. ^ , GeoHive: Global Statistics
  6. ^ a b Khovd Aimag Statistical Office 2007 Annual Report
  7. ^ Annual livestock census data. The National Statistical Office of Mongolia. http://khovd.nso.mn/page/650

Sources[edit]