Ulaanbaatar
INTRO
Ulaanbaatar or Ulan Bator is the capital of Mongolia since 1911. The city's name means "red hero" and is referred to Damdin Sükhbaatar who has been a national hero and whose warriors fought for Mongolia's liberty. Ulaanbaatar has 360-yeards history, friendly people, nomadic way of living, wild nature and beautiful landmarks, all these things make the city a favorable tourist spot and a promising experience.
City Profile
City: Ulaanbaatar
Country: Mongolia
Area: 4,704.4 sq km
Population: 1,000,000
Language: Mongol khalkha, Russian, German and English
LOCATION
It is located just east of the centre of Mongolia on the Tuul River that runs from east to west in the south of Ulaanbaatar. The city also spreads east-west along a long wide valley near the Bogd Khan Uul Mountain.
TIME TO VISIT
Along the world this city is notable as the capital with the coldest climatic conditions due to its high attitude (1350 meters) and the fact that it is distant from any coats. Its climate is sub arctic with short and warm summers and long cold and very winters. The average annual temperature is just -1.3°C (29.7°F).
POPULATION
More than 60% of Mongolia's population is urban and more that half of it lives in Ulaanbaatar. In 2002 its citizens were 800.000 but in the past 5 years it increased rapidly. That is so, partly because of the moving from rural regions and provincial areas. 95% of the populations have access to medical care and literacy rate is 94%. Religiously the percent look like that: 94% Tibetan Buddhism, 4% Muslim, 2% others.
DISTRICTS
Since 1992 the city is divided into nine districts and 121 sub districts called Khoroos.
- Bayangol - it is divided to 20 subdivisions and was once called October District. After the communist era it was renamed and now has a population of 160,479.
- Bayanzurkh - as the largest district in the capital, it has a population of 184,690 divided into 44,138 households. Here are the located most of the kinder gardens and schools in Ulaanbaatar - 19 secondary schools and 23 state kindergardens
- Sukhbaatar - The district is named after the warrior Damdin Sükhbaatar and it actually the center of the city. There are situated most of the administrative and government buildings. On its territory there are several universities and 13 embassies.
- Baganuur - the district is actually a separated city which is making efforts to have its own administrative and status as a separate city. Once it was created as a Soviet Union base and now is among the country's ten largest cities.
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
- Natural History Museum - the ticket cost is T2500 and for that you will be able to see many stuffed animals as well as the two famous complete dinosaurs' skeletons. The museum is old and looks quite like a maze so it will be a good idea to use the map they will give you at the entrance.
http://www.legendtour.ru/eng/mongolia/r2203.shtml - Gandan monastery - it was found in 1838 and today the large complex is a home to over 150 monks. Its main attraction is the white Megjid Janraisig Sum which admission is 1USD. In the complex are also some statues, a gift shops and places from where to buy souvenirs.
http://www.legendtour.ru/eng/mongolia/r2209.shtml - Sukhbaatar square - in 1921 in the city's center the hero Damdin Sukhbaatar declared the Mongolia's independence from the Chinese. Since then the square is named after him and the whole place if a symbol to the country's freedom and liberty.
http://www.legendtour.ru/eng/mongolia/r2206.shtml - The Winter Palace of Bogd Khaan - it used to be a winter residence but from 1924 is a museum. Inside can be see several statues, Bogd Khaan's personal library and many other interesting stuff. On the museum's territory are situated 6 temples. To take photos you will be charged 5USD, for video camera - 10. http://www.legendtour.ru/eng/mongolia/r2208.shtml
AIRPORT
- Chinggis Khaan International Airport is situated 18km south of Ulaanbaatar. There are direct international flights to Berlin, Moscow, Tokyo, Beijing and also many domestic ones. It was developed in 1990 and now it is very efficient and reliable.
You may take a taxi or a bus to the city and journey won't last more than half an hour.
The airport official site: http://miat.com/web/index.php
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
- Metro - the tickets cost 125 Mongolian tugriks and the trains came not very regular from 15 to 30 min. http://ulaanbaator.narod.ru/
- Buses - the buses and trolleybuses are very reliable and traveling with them is easy. There are maps that show you the route. The prices are MNT 200 for buses and MNT 100 for trolley buses and you pay them to the conductor. Your only difficulty will probably be to accept how crowded they are and some tourists even find themselves squeezed inside the bus and miss their stop.
- Minibuses - they usually run the same routes as the other buses and their tickets costs at the others.
- Taxis - you will recognize them by the big "taxi" sign written on the car. Most of them have meter but sometimes you will have to ask the driver to use it. The standard price is MNT 280-300 per kilometer but taxi drivers always try t get you more especially if it is obvious that you are a tourist. Actually in Ulaanbaatar potentially every car is a taxi. You can stop everyone and ask them to drive you somewhere, it is a safe way to travel and they charge equally as the registered taxis.
HISTORY
Before it became a capital the city's name was Urga and in 1778 is was settled between four mountains. Soon after that it changed its name again to Ikh Khuree and developed to a cultural center of Mongolia. In 1911 after struggling for its independence the new government declared it as a capital and renamed it to Niislel Khuree. In 1924 the city got its present name by the The first State Great Khural. It is curious that this modern and fast-developing city had only 50,000 citizens 90 years ago. Nowadays its population is over 1 million. This is just one fact showing its amazing progress.
CITY LINKS
- Map of Ulaanbaatar - http://map.gogo.mn/en/
- Medical care in Ulaanbaatar - http://mongolia.usembassy.gov/medical_information.html
- Mongolia's newspapers - http://www.newspapers24.com/mongolia-newspapers/
- Hotels in Ulaanbaatar - http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/mongolia/ulaanbaatar/
UNIVERSITY LINKS
- The National University of Mongolia - http://web.num.edu.mn/Default.aspx?alias=web.num.edu.mn/eng
- Science and Technological University of Mongolia - http://reu.sdsmt.edu/mongolian.html
- List of all other universities - http://www.ulanbator.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=882