Uvs Nuur Basin - World natural heritage in Mongolia

The United Nations Educational and Cultural Science Foundation has recognized Mongolia's Uvs Nuur Basin as a World Natural Heritage in 2003.

The Uvs Nuur basin is the largest lake in Mongolia, which lies above 753 meters above sea level, the entire basin has an area of ​​3,350 km2. Although the World Heritage Site of Mongolia, the northeastern part of the lake is located in the territory of the Russian Federation .

The most populated area in the Uvs Nuur basin is in Ulaangom Lake . Ulaangom Lake is a saltwater lake , although a large lake, Lake Ulaangom is very shallow. The reason is that it was a wetland a few thousand years ago. The entire Uvs Nuur basin with lakes and natural forests covers about 700,000 km2. This is considered one of the best natural and preserved areas of Asia. In addition to Uvs Nuur lake, there are some other small lakes in the basin. Notably, Ureg Nuur lake is on the 1,450m above the sea level. Because these lakes are located north of the sea bordering many other countries' waters in Asia, fish and waterfowl live in the lake very typical.

Basin and basin Uvs Nuur viewed from above.

The climate in the Uvs Nuur Basin is very harsh because the entire area lies within the climate boundary between Siberia and Central Asia. Winter temperatures drop to -50 degrees Celsius and in summer they reach 45 degrees C. Although the climate is so harsh, there is a microclimate suitable for all kinds of plants and animals in this area. live and grow. Scientists have listed in the Uvs Nuur basin there are 173 species of birds and 41 species of mammals , including globally high-endangered species such as snow leopard, sheep, sheep or Asian wild goat .

Photos of plains, mountains in the basin

The entire basin, Uvs Nuur basin has a history of nearly 3,000 years. Around 3000 years ago nomadic inhabitants came and lived here. The climate is so harsh that these residents and their cattle must move regularly. But despite the harsh nature of the area, there are still flora that make food for humans and cattle. A number of wildlife species in the Uvs Nuur basin have been domesticated and raised by nomads such as cattle and poultry for their food and milk sources during the cold months. For example, Przewalski wild horses, antelopes, wild camels . For millennia, seasonal patterns of nomadic farming and traditional cattle and domesticated cattle have become typical examples of This basin life.

The Uvs Nuur basin is recognized by Unesco as a World Natural Heritage with the following criteria:

Criterion (ix): The geographic Uvs Nuur basin has a unique geography and changes in climate change as well as very natural soil to suit the growing needs of plants and animals. Thousands of years ago this land was submerged into a sea of ​​nutrient-rich wetlands and sea salt. Over the course of thousands of years, this mangrove land has become a place of growing many plants and a source of nutrition for countless other animals.

Criterion (x): Uvs Nuur basin is an area with a large natural area, and it has a very special ecosystem in the whole of Asia. The mountains, mangrove forests or savannahs are home to the chief of hundreds of species of plants and animals, including many rare and precious species. The prairie ecosystem supports a lot of nomadic life. Uvs Nuur is also an important habitat for seabirds as well as the southern migratory species from Siberia. Besides, the Uvs Nuur Basin has a history of thousands of years with many stone steles and stone utensils found.