UNESCO sites in Mongolia

The landlocked country of Mongolia is located in East Asia, sharing its border with Russia to the north and China to the south. One of the world’s highest countries, with an average elevation of 1,580 metres, it is home to a number of natural and cultural World Heritage Sites.

This transboundary natural site, which is shared with Russia, takes its name from the large, shallow and very saline Uvs Nuur Lake. Five of the twelve protected areas which make up the property and represent the major biomes of Eastern Eurasia are located in Mongolia.

The extraordinary diversity of landscapes that exists here, ranging from deserts and tundra to forests and wetlands, is reflected in the rich diversity of species that are supported, amongst which are locally endemic plants and endangered creatures such as the snow leopard. 

The 122,000-ha Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape in Central Mongolia occupies an extensive area of pastureland along both banks of the historic Orkhon River, and includes Kharkhorum, the 13^th- and 14^th-century capital of Chingis (Genghis) Khan’s vast Empire.

The property, which also includes numerous archaeological remains dating back to the 6^th century, reflects the symbiotic links between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative and religious centres, and the importance of the area in the history of central Asia.

The numerous rock carvings and funerary monuments found across the property’s three locations illustrate the development of culture in Mongolia over a period of 12,000 years. The carvings contribute valuably to our understanding of pre-historic communities in northern Asia.

The earliest images reflect a time when the partly forested valley provided a habitat for hunters of large game. Later images show the transition to herding as the dominant way of life and the most recent images show the transition to a horse-dependent nomadic lifestyle. 

The Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape is believed to be the place of Chingis Khan’s birth and burial, and testifies to his efforts to establish mountain worship as an important part of the unification of the Mongol people.

The mountain is located in the central part of the Khentii mountain chain in the north-east of the country; its sacredness is strongly associated with its sense of isolation and its perceived ‘pristine’ nature. Pilgrims who wish to worship here travel to the summit on horseback.

Shared with Russia, this site is an excellent example of the Daurian Steppe eco-region, which extends from eastern Mongolia into Russia and China. Cyclical climate changes, with distinct dry and wet periods lead to a wide diversity of species and ecosystems of global importance.