Ulaanbaatar

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Ulan Bator, or Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар, ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠪᠠᠭᠠᠲᠤᠷ [Ulaɣan Baɣatar]) in Mongolian, is the capital of Mongolia. In 2006 its population was estimated at roughly just under a million citizens. The city is situated north and slightly east of the center of Mongolia, on the Tuul River, a subtributary of the Selenga, in a valley at the foot of the mountain Bogda Uul.

1 History
2 Names of Ulan Bator
3 City administration
4 Transport
5 Colleges and universities
6 Geography
7 Sights
8 External links

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History

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Founded in 1639, Ulan Bator, then Urga, was originally located at the site of the Buddhist monastery of Da Khuree (Mongolian: Даа хүрээ [Daa hüree]), around 400 km from the present Ulaanbaator in Arhangay Province and was the seat of the first Jebtsundamba, Zanabazar. It was moved often to various places along the Selenga, Orhon, and Tuul rivers until reaching its present location in the late 18th century. It prospered in the 1860s as a commercial center on the tea route between Russia and China and was the seat of the Qing amban in Mongolia. Mongolia first proclaimed its independence upon the collapse of the Manchu Empire in 1911 and the city became the capital of the new Mongolian People's Republic in 1924.

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Names of Ulan Bator

Ulan Bator has had numerous names in its history. From 1639–1706 it was known as Urga (Mongolian: Өргөө [Örgöö] = “palace yurt”) and from 1706–1911 as Khuree (Mongolian: Хүрээ [Hüree] = “camp”) and later Ikh Khuree (Mongolian: Их Хүрээ [Ih Hüree] = “great camp”). Upon independence in 1911, with both the government and the Bogd Khan’s palace present, the city’s name changed again to Niislel Khuree (Mongolian: Нийслэл Хүрээ [Niislel Hüree] = “capital city”). When the city became the capital of the new Mongolian People's Republic in 1924, its name was changed to Ulaanbaatar ("red hero"), in honor of Mongolia's national hero Sühbaatar, who liberated Mongolia from Ungern von Sternberg's troops, Chinese rule, and called in the Soviet Red Army. His statue still adorns Ulan Bator's central square. In English, Ulan Bator was generally known as Urga (and sometimes Kuren) before 1924 and Ulan Bator afterwards.

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City administration

Ulaanbaatar is divided into 9 districts. It is governed by a City council (Citizen's Representatives Hural) with 40 members, elected every 4 years. The City council appoints the Mayor. Current Mayor is Mr.Tsogt Batbayar.

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Transport

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Interurban and International: Ulan Bator is served by the Chinggis Khaan International Airport (formerly Buyant Ukhaa Airport) and is connected by road (mostly unpaved and unmarked) to most of the major towns in Mongolia and by rail to the Trans-Siberian railway and Chinese railroad systems.

Intra-urban: The national and municipal governments regulate a wide system of private transit providers which operate numerous bus lines around the city. Many of these buses are ancient Soviet vehicles though Japan and Korea have recently donated and sold modern buses to the city. A secondary transit system of microbuses (passenger vans) operates alongside these bus lines and competes directly, though generally illegally. In the last few years the city licensed an increasing number of marked taxicabs. However, most drivers in the city offer unregulated and occasional (informal) taxicab service to anyone who signals them.

Costs: Bus fares are regulated at about 200 tugrig; microbuses charge about 400 tugrig; taxicab fares are metered. Informal taxicab rates are negotiated before services are rendered, but sometimes no fare is charged (especially for tourists).

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Colleges and universities

Ulan Bator has 5 major universities: the National University of Mongolia, Science and Technological University of Mongolia, University of Health and Medical Science, Pedagogical University, and University of Art and Culture. There are also numbers of private and public colleges. A historical library contains a wealth of ancient Mongolian, Chinese, and Tibetan manuscripts.

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