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Erdenet

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Template:Geobox Erdenet (Mongolian: Эрдэнэт literally "with treasure") is the second-largest city in Mongolia and the capital of the aimag (province) of Orkhon.

Located in the northern part of the country, it lies in a valley between the Selenge and Orkhon rivers about 150 miles (240 km) (as the bird flies) northwest of Ulan Bator, the capital. The road length between Ulan Bator and Erdenet is about 230 miles (371 km).

Population

Erdenet population [1][2][3][4][5] [6]
1975
est. 		1979
census 		1981
est. 		1985
est. 		1989
census 		1994
est. 		2000
census 		2003
est. 		2004
est. 		2005
est. 		2006
est. 		2007
est. 		2008
est.
4,100 31,900 38,700 45,400 56,100 63,000 68,310 78,882 80,858 81,249 83,160 85,121 86,866

History

Erdenet, one of the youngest settlements in Mongolia, was founded in 1974[7] in an area where large deposits of copper had been discovered in the 1950s. A single-track railway line with a length of 75 miles (120 km) linking Erdenet to the Transmongolian Railway was inaugurated in 1977[8]. In the middle of the 1980s, more than 50% of the inhabitants were Russians working as engineers or miners. After the fall of communism in 1990, however, most of them left Erdenet. Today about 10% are Russians.[9] .

Infrastructure

The city of Erdenet, offering a large variety of shops, has a comparatively large hospital, a Sports' Palace, several hotels and restaurants.

The city is linked to Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, and to the towns of Darkhan and Bulgan by a good paved road and is easily accessible by bus several times a day. The distance to the capital where the nearest airport is situated amounts to 230 miles (371 km) and travelling by car takes about 8 hours.

The railway station which is 9 km from the center to the east is comparatively small. Train connections between Erdenet and Ulan Bator are less good as there is only one train per day covering the distance in 11 hours.

Sights

  • Tourists are allowed to visit the mine after appointment. It is in the eastern part of the city, about 6 km from the center.
  • Another important economic factor of Erdenet is the carpet factory about 2 km from the center to the east which was founded in 1981. Every year, about 2.000 metric tons of wool are processed in the factory where about 1.100 people are employed. Tourists are welcome[10].
  • The Mining Museum in the Culture Palace on the central town square is worth a visit[11].
  • The Aimag Museum was founded in 1983.
  • The Fraternity Monument dating from 1984 is on a hill offering a scenic view of the whole city in the northeastern part of Erdenet.
  • A new temple with a large Buddha statue was built very recently in the eastern part of Erdenet.
  • An amusement park was laid out in the east of the center.
  • Amarbayasgalant Monastery is a sightworthy buddhist monastery about 60 km northeast of Erdenet. It was founded between 1727 and 1737, partially destroyed by order of Khorloogiin Choibalsan in 1937 and reconstructed after 1975 using financial aid provided by the UNESCO.

Views on Erdenet

  • The "Fraternity Monument" in Erdenet
    The "Fraternity Monument" in Erdenet
  • City Centre
    City Centre
  • Main Street
    Main Street
  • City Centre
    City Centre
  • Market in the center
    Market in the center
  • New Buddha Statue
    New Buddha Statue
  • Residential area with LDS Church
    Residential area with LDS Church
  • Typical residential area in the west of Erdenet
    Typical residential area in the west of Erdenet
  • Amusement park
    Amusement park

Erdenet Mining Corporation

Main article: Erdenet Mining Corporation

The city was built in 1974 to exploit Asia's largest deposit of copper ore and has the fourth largest copper mine in the world. The "Erdenet Mining Corporation" is a joint Mongolian-Russian venture, and accounts for a majority of Mongolia's hard currency income. Erdenet mines 22.23 million tons of ore per year, producing 126,700 tons of copper and 1954 tons of molybdenum.[12] The mine accounts for 13.5% of Mongolia's GDP and 7% of tax revenue.[13] About 8.000 people are employed in the mine[14].


Sister cities

Erdenet is twinned with:[15]

City Region Country
Fairbanks Alaska Alaska United States United States
Ulan Ude Buryatia Buryatia Russia Russia
Székesfehérvár Fejér County  Hungary

References

  1. ^ National Statistical Office
  2. ^ National Economy of the Mongolian People's Republic (1921 - 1981), Ulaanbaatar 1981
  3. ^ , GeoHive: Global Statistics
  4. ^ Population Statistics: historical demography
  5. ^ Mongolia City Development Strategies for Secondary Cities
  6. ^ Statistical Report 2008
  7. ^ Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 142, London 2008
  8. ^ Werner Elstner: Mongolei, p. 146, Berlin 1993
  9. ^ Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 142, London 2008
  10. ^ Marion Wisotzki. Mongolei, p.227, Berlin 2010
  11. ^ Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 144, London 2008
  12. ^ Montsame News Agency. Mongolia. 2006, Foreign Service Office of Montsame News Agency, ISBN 99929-0-627-8, p. 80
  13. ^ Montsame News Agency. Mongolia. 2006, Foreign Service Office of Montsame News Agency, ISBN 99929-0-627-8, p. 83
  14. ^ Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 143, London 2008
  15. ^ Chris Freiberg (2008-03-30). "Sister-city program brings Mongolian delegation to Fairbanks". newsminer.com. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
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