Erdenet (; , 'precious, valuable') is provincial capital of Orkhon and the second-largest city in Mongolia. Located in northern Mongolia, it lies in a valley between the Selenge and Orkhon rivers about (as the crow flies) northwest of the national capital Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan. The road length between Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet is about . As of the 2026 census, the city had a population of 112,520.
History Erdenet, one of the youngest settlements in Mongolia, was founded in 1974Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 142, London (2008) in an area where large deposits of copper had been discovered in the 1950s. A single-track railway line with a length of linking Erdenet to the Trans-Mongolian Railway was inaugurated in 1977.Werner Elstner: Mongolei, p. 146, Berlin 1993 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
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.Montsame News Agency. Mongolia (2006), Foreign Service Office of Montsame News Agency, , pg. 80 The mine accounts for 13.5% of Mongolia's GDP and 7% of tax revenue.Montsame News Agency. Mongolia (2006), Foreign Service Office of Montsame News Agency; , pg. 83 About 8,000 people are employed in the mine.Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 143, London (2008)
Transport 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 and travel by car takes about eight hours.
Landmarks Erdenet is home to several cultural and economic landmarks. The Erdenet Carpet Factory, established in 1981 about east of the city center, processes approximately 2,000 tons of wool annually and employs around 1,100 workers.Marion Wisotzki. Mongolei, p.227, Berlin 2010 Cultural institutions include the Mining Museum, located in the Palace of Culture on the central square,Michael Kohn: Mongolia, p. 144, London (2008) 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 northeast of Erdenet, was founded between 1727 and 1737, partially destroyed in 1937, and restored after 1975 with support from UNESCO.
Population + Erdenet populationNational Statistical Office National Economy of the Mongolian People's Republic (1921-1981), Ulaanbaatar (1981)Mongolia City Development Strategies for Secondary Cities, worldbank.org; accessed 22 February 2017.Statistical Report 2008 , statis.mn; accessed 22 February 2017. 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.4,10031,90038,70045,40056,10063,00068,31078,88280,85881,24983,16085,12186,866
Administrative divisions Bayan-Öndör District consists of 26 sub-districts ("bag").https://bayanundur.mn/
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 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.
Gallery
Notable residents 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 Erdenet is twinned with: City Region Country Fairbanks Ulan-Ude EdremitBalıkesir Székesfehérvár
Notes
References
External links
Erdenet Mining Corporation