Uvs lake

This region contains a unique, self-contained micro-basin in Central Asia. This vast hollow basin, surrounded by the high mountains of Khankhukhii, Kharkhiraa, Turgen, Tagna, Sangilen, and Bulnai, is known as the "Uvs Lake Basin." Therefore, it is referred to as the Uvs Lake Depression. The Uvs Lake-Tes River basin is located in the northwest of Mongolia, covering an area of 54,000 square kilometers across 27 soums in the Uvs, Khuvsgul, and Zavkhan provinces.

Uvs Lake is a shallow, saline lake in the Central Asian steppe, playing a crucial role in the lives of migratory birds in Asia. The Uvs Lake basin is home to a wide variety of birds, rodents, and rare wildlife such as snow leopards, argali sheep, and Siberian ibex. This area is vital for the conservation of the region's biological diversity.
The Tes River originates from the Bulnai Range in Khuvsgul province and flows for 550 kilometers before emptying into Uvs Lake. It flows into Russian territory and then returns to Mongolia to discharge into Uvs Lake, earning it the nickname "Patriotic River." When it flows into Uvs Lake, it forms five branches with reed beds and extensive marshlands. These five branches are locally known as Orgikh, Khos Ereg, Ikh Gol, Jireg, and Ukheg, from which the term "Tavan Tes" (Five Tes) is derived.