| Khangai Mountains | |
|---|---|
 Panorama ofLake Terkhiin Tsagaan in the Khangai Mountains | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Otgontenger |
| Elevation | 4,031 m (13,225 ft) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Mongolian:Хангайн нуруу |
| Geography | |
  Khangai Mountains | |
| Country | Mongolia |
| Aimags | Arkhangai,Övörkhangai,Bayankhongor andZavkhan |
| Rivers | Ider River andOrkhon River |
| Settlements | Tsetserleg, Bayankhongor and Uliastai |
| Range coordinates | 47°30′N100°0′E / 47.500°N 100.000°E /47.500; 100.000 |
TheKhangai Mountains[a] form arange in centralMongolia,[1] some 400 km (250 mi) west ofUlaanbaatar.
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Two provinces of Mongolia are named after the Khangai mountains:Arkhangai (North Khangai) andOvorkhangai (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 theOrkhon Valley World Heritage Site. TheXiongnu capital Luut Khot (Lungcheng), theXianbei capital Ordo and theRouran capital Moomt (Mume) are said to have been located there. Later empires also established their capitals there: e.g. theUyghur Khaganate (745–840) built their capitalOrdu-Baliq in the region.
The tallest mountain isOtgontenger (lit. "Youngest sky"), which is about 4,000 metres high. It is revered by theMongols and state ceremonies are held there.Otgontenger is considered sacred byancient Turks.
Suvraga Khairkhan, 3,117 metres tall, is another sacred mountain to the east ofTsetserleg.
Taryatu-Chulutu is an extinct volcanic field on the northern slopes of the Khangai Mountains.
The mountains feed the riversOrkhon,Selenge,Ider,Zavkhan and the lakesOrog andBöön Tsagaan. In the west, the Khangai mountains transition into theGreat Lakes Depression.
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.[2]
Because of strong winter inversions which have become known as a singularity of the mesoclimate of Mongolia (Gavrilova 1974) the Khangai tends to be some 10°C warmer than the surrounding areas. It is likely that even the highest mountain tops are some 5°C warmer than the sub-Khangai basins.
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