Introduction
Provincial capital of Orkhon Province, Mongolia
District in Orkhon Province, MongoliaErdenet
Эрдэнэт (Mongolian)ᠡᠷᠳᠡᠨᠢᠲᠦDistrictBayan-Öndör DistrictБаян-Өндөр сумᠪᠠᠶ᠋ᠠᠨᠥᠨᠳᠦᠷᠰᠤᠮᠤView of Erdenet
FlagSealErdenetCoordinates: 49°01′40″N 104°02′40″E / 49.02778°N 104.04444°E / 49.02778; 104.04444CountryMongoliaProvinceOrkhon ProvinceFounded1974Area • Total208.0 km2 (80.3 sq mi)Elevation1,280 m (4,200 ft)Population (2026) • Total112,520 • Density541.0/km2 (1,401/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+8 (Mongolian Standard Time)Area code+976 7035 (7039)Vehicle registrationOP_ ( _ variable)ClimateDwcWebsitewww.erdenet.mn
Erdenet (/ˈɜːrdɪnɛt/; Mongolian: Эрдэнэт [ért(ɘ)nɘtʰ], 'precious, valuable') is the second-largest city in Mongolia and the provincial capital of Orkhon. Located in northern Mongolia, it lies in a valley between the Selenge and Orkhon rivers about 240 km (149 mi) (as the crow flies) northwest of the national capital Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan. The road length between Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet is about 370 km (230 mi). As of the 2026 census, the city had a population of 112,520.
History
[edit]
Erdenet, one of the youngest settlements in Mongolia, was founded in 1974 in an area where large deposits of copper had been discovered in the 1950s. A single-track railway line with a length of 120 km (75 mi) linking Erdenet to the Trans-Mongolian Railway was inaugurated in 1977. In the middle of the 1980s, more than 50% of the inhabitants were Russians working as engineers or miners. After the fall of Soviet Communism in 1990, however, most Russians left Erdenet. Today, about 10% of the population is Russian.
Erdenet Mining Corporation[edit]
Main article: Erdenet Mining Corporation
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 1,954 tons of molybdenum. The mine accounts for 13.5% of Mongolia's GDP and 7% of tax revenue. About 8,000 people are employed in the mine.
Transport
[edit]
Erdenet is linked to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, and to the towns of Darkhan and Bulgan by a paved road and is easily accessible by bus several times each day. The distance to the capital where the nearest airport is situated amounts to 370 km (230 mi) and travel by car takes about eight hours.
Landmarks
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Erdenet is home to several cultural and economic landmarks. The Erdenet Carpet Factory, established in 1981 about 2 km (1 mi) east of the city center, processes approximately 2,000 tons of wool annually and employs around 1,100 workers. Cultural institutions include the Mining Museum, located in the Palace of Culture on the central square, and the Museum of Orkhon Province, founded in 1983. The Friendship Monument, erected in 1984, stands on a hill in northeastern Erdenet. Amarbayasgalant Monastery, a major Buddhist site located about 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Erdenet, was founded between 1727 and 1737, partially destroyed in 1937, and restored after 1975 with support from UNESCO.
Population
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Erdenet population
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
Administrative divisions
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Bayan-Öndör District consists of 26 sub-districts ("bag").
Bayanbulag (Баянбулаг)
Bayantsagaan (Баянцагаан)
Bayan-Ovoot (Баян-Овоот)
Bulag (Булаг)
Bürenbüst (Бүрэнбүст)
Chandmani (Чандмань)
Chingel (Чингэл)
Davaat (Даваат)
Denj (Дэнж)
Erdene (Эрдэнэ)
Govil (Говил)
Ikh Zaluu (Их залуу)
Khürenbulag (Хүрэнбулаг)
Malchin (Малчин)
Naran (Наран)
Nayramdal (Найрамдал)
Ouut (Оюут)
Rashaant (Рашаант)
Shand (Шанд)
Sogoot (Согоот)
Tsagannchuluut (Цагаанчулуут)
Urtbulag (Уртбулаг)
Urtyn gol (Уртын гол)
Uurkhaychin (Уурхайчин)
Yarguyt (Яргуйт)
Zest (Зэст)
Climate
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Erdenet has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). Summers are typically warm and rainy with cool nights, while winters are long, very cold, and dry.
Climate data for Bulgan, elevation 1,219 m (3,999 ft), (1991–2020, extremes 1941–present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
6.0(42.8)
12.0(53.6)
21.0(69.8)
31.4(88.5)
36.0(96.8)
36.2(97.2)
38.3(100.9)
35.3(95.5)
30.5(86.9)
24.4(75.9)
16.2(61.2)
10.9(51.6)
38.3(100.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−13.2(8.2)
−7.9(17.8)
1.7(35.1)
11.5(52.7)
18.5(65.3)
23.3(73.9)
24.5(76.1)
22.5(72.5)
17.1(62.8)
8.7(47.7)
−3.2(26.2)
−11.3(11.7)
7.7(45.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)
−20.8(−5.4)
−16.9(1.6)
−7.3(18.9)
3.0(37.4)
9.8(49.6)
15.5(59.9)
17.7(63.9)
15.2(59.4)
8.5(47.3)
−0.1(31.8)
−10.7(12.7)
−18.3(−0.9)
−0.4(31.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−26.4(−15.5)
−23.8(−10.8)
−14.9(5.2)
−4.9(23.2)
1.1(34.0)
7.8(46.0)
11.2(52.2)
8.7(47.7)
1.2(34.2)
−6.8(19.8)
−16.7(1.9)
−23.7(−10.7)
−7.3(18.9)
Record low °C (°F)
−41.6(−42.9)
−40.2(−40.4)
−35.2(−31.4)
−22.2(−8.0)
−12.8(9.0)
−8.9(16.0)
0.0(32.0)
−3.0(26.6)
−14.6(5.7)
−28.2(−18.8)
−38.5(−37.3)
−39.3(−38.7)
−41.6(−42.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
2(0.1)
2(0.1)
5(0.2)
13(0.5)
21(0.8)
57(2.2)
97(3.8)
66(2.6)
28(1.1)
8(0.3)
5(0.2)
2(0.1)
306(12)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)
1.1
1.5
2.0
2.7
4.1
8.2
11.4
9.4
4.5
2.5
1.9
1.5
50.7
Average relative humidity (%)
75.4
72.5
66.2
55.6
54.4
63.0
71.6
73.9
68.7
68.5
73.5
76.1
68.3
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net
Source 2: NOAA
Gallery
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Friendship Monument
City Centre
Main Street
City Centre
Market in the center
New Buddha Statue
Residential area with LDS Church
Typical residential area in the west of Erdenet
Amusement park
Notable residents
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Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, former President of Mongolia
Oleksandr Zelenskyy, mining engineer and father of Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, current President of Ukraine
Twin towns – sister cities
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Erdenet is twinned with:
City
Region
Country
Fairbanks
Alaska
United States
Ulan-Ude
Buryatia
Russia
Edremit
Balıkesir
Turkey
Székesfehérvár
Fejér County
Hungary
