Central Region
Ömnögovi Aimag
Ömnögovi, the 'South Gobi', is Mongolia's largest aimag by area and the heart of the Gobi Desert. Its mountains, dunes and canyons are the country's most famous desert landscapes.
- Aimag centre
- Dalanzadgad
- Area
- 165,380 km²
- Population (2025)
- 80,005
- Population (2020 census)
- 69,187
- Soums
- 15
- From Ulaanbaatar
- About 553 km by road
Overview
It is also known for its fossil beds, where expeditions in the 1920s found some of the first dinosaur eggs known to science, and for its large mining projects.
Highlights
- Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park
- Khongoryn Els, the 'singing' sand dunes
- Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs, famous for dinosaur fossils
- Yolyn Am, a narrow mountain gorge
When to Go
May to September; spring can be windy and summer days very hot.
Soums
Ömnögovi has 15 soums. Fuller guides to individual soums are in preparation.
| Soum | Mongolian | Population (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| DalanzadgadДаланзадгадAimag centre | Даланзадгад | 33,284 |
| KhankhongorХанхонгор | Ханхонгор | 1,815 |
| Tsogt-OvooЦогт-Овоо | Цогт-Овоо | 1,928 |
| Mandal-OvooМандал-Овоо | Мандал-Овоо | 1,534 |
| KhürmenХүрмэн | Хүрмэн | 1,357 |
| NomgonНомгон | Номгон | 2,215 |
| BayandalaiБаяндалай | Баяндалай | 1,841 |
| BulganБулган | Булган | 1,767 |
| GurvantesГурвантэс | Гурвантэс | 6,450 |
| SevreiСэврэй | Сэврэй | 1,818 |
| NoyonНоён | Ноён | 1,266 |
| TsogttsetsiiЦогтцэций | Цогтцэций | 11,392 |
| ManlaiМанлай | Манлай | 2,486 |
| KhanbogdХанбогд | Ханбогд | 9,258 |
| Bayan-OvooБаян-Овоо | Баян-Овоо | 1,594 |
Also in the Region