Erdenet

erdenet (in Mongol: эрдэнэт ᠡᠷᠳᠡᠨᠢᠲᠦ tr.:" With the treasure ") is the second city in Mongolia size. Capital of Aymag (province) of Orhon.

HISTORY

Erdenet is one of the youngest cities in Mongolia, founded in 1974 after the discovery of large copper deposits. In 1977 the railway line (120 km) was inaugurated with a simple road between Erdenet and Darhan, an important station of the transmongolic railway line. In 1981 a carpet factory was founded. In the mid -80s of the last century more than 50% of the inhabitants were Russians who worked in Erdenet as engineers or miners. Before the fall of communism in 1990, the presence of the Russians determined everyday life in the city. Currently 10% of the inhabitants are Russians. A relatively high percentage of the inhabitants are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the last days, whose building is in the west of the center.

ECONOMY

Due to Erdenet copper deposits, it is huge importance for the economy throughout the country. Approximately 8000 people are used in the mine and in their metallurgical factory that produces between 25 and 40 million tons of copper ore per year. The mine that is one of the world's largest copper mines produces 40 percent of the currencies collected by the state of Mongolia. Another important economic factor in the city of Erdenet is the carpet factory that has 900 employees. Each year the factory works 2000 tons of sheep wool producing carpets, felt shoes and other wool articles.

Infrastructure

The city has a hospital, several hotels and restaurants. The state of the asphalted road between Erdenet and the capital Ulán Bator is good. The distance is 371 kilometers. The route lasts 8 hours by bus or car and 11 hours by train. Erdenet's railway station is relatively small and is in the East 9 km from the city. Every day there is only one train in each direction.

Tourist attractions

• The Museum of Mining is located at the Palace of Culture.
• The Museum of the Aymag (Province) of Orhon founded in 1983 shows, among other objects, a model of the mine.
• The Amistad Monument with The Soviet Union, built in 1984, is located in the northeast of the center on a hill and offers a panoramic view of the city.
• A new Buddhist temple built with a high Buddha statue is located in the east of the city.
• You can visit the copper mine with its exploitation to the open sky located in the east of the city 6 kilometers from the center.
• It is possible to visit the carpet factory in the east of the city 2 kilometers from the center.
• The Amarbayasgalant monastery is a Buddhist congregation 60 kilometres from the city in a sparsely populated region. It was founded between 1727 and 1737, partially destroyed in 1937 and rebuilt from 1975 with the financial support of UNESCO.

Demographics

Evolution of Erdenet between 1975 and 2013

NSO

Gallery

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  Metallurgical copper factory

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  City center

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  Market in the center

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  Monument of Friendship with the Soviet Union

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  New statue of Buddha

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  Residential district

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  Typical neighborhood in the west of the city

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  Amusement park