Aimags of Mongolia

The 21 Aimags are the top-level administrative divisions (provinces) of Mongolia. Each Aimag
is subdivided into several sums. The capital Ulaanbaatar is administrated separately as a district.
The name is derived from the Mongolian and Turkic languages word for "tribe".
History
Mongol Empire was established in the late twelfth century (1206) by chieftain named Temujin.
He was known as Chinggis Khan and united Mongolian tribes between Manchuria and Altai
Mountains.

During the Qing Dynasty, the territory of Outer Mongolia was divided (from east to west) into
the Setsen Khan, Tüsheet Khan, Sain Noyon Khan, and Zasagt Khan aimags plus the Khovd
area.

After Mongolia's second declaration of independence in 1921, the aimags were renamed in 1923,
to Khaan Khentii Uulyn Aimag, Bogd Khan Uulyn Aimag, Tsetserleg Mandal Uulyn Aimag, and
Khan Taishir Uulyn Aimag, respectively. The Khovd area and the Jebtsundamba Khutughtu's
great shabi (personal fiefdom) turned into aimags of their own, Chandmani Uulyn Aimag and
Delger Ikh Uulyn Aimag, respectively (the latter was later merged with Tsetserleg Mandal Uulyn
Aimag). But otherwise the administrative structure was largely left unchanged until the 1930s.

An administrative reorganisation was initiated in 1931, which resulted in the Aimags Khovd,

Aimag Mongolian Sums Capital Mongolian Founded

Arkhangai Архангай 19 Tsetserleg Цэцэрлэг 1931
Bayan-Olgii Баян-Өлний 13 Olgii Өлгий 1940
Bayankhongor Баянхонгор 20 Bayankhongor Баянхонгор 1941
Bulgan Булган 16 Bulgan Булган 1938
Darkhan-Uul Дархан-Уул 4 Darkhan Дархан 1994
Dornod Дорнод 14 Choibalsan Чойбалсан 1941
Dornogovi Дорноговь 14 Sainshand Сайншанд 1931
Dundgovi Дундговь 15 Mandalgovi Мандалговь 1942
Govi-Altai Говь-Алтай 18 Altai Алтай 1940
Govisumber Говьсүмбэр 3 Choir Чойр 1994
Khentii Хэнтий 17 Ondorkhaan Өндөрхаан 1931
Khovd Ховд 17 Khovd Ховд 1931
Khovsgol Хөвсгөл 24 Moron Мөрөн 1931
Omnogovi Өмнөговь 15 Dalanzadgad Даланзадгад 1931
Orkhon Орхон 2 Erdenet Эрдэнэт 1994
Ovorkhangai Өвөрхангай 19 Arvaikheer Арвайхээр 1931
Selenge Сэлэнгэ 17 Sukhbaatar Сүхбаатар 1934
Sukhbaatar Сүхбаатар 13 Baruun-Urt Баруун-Урт 1942
Tov Төв 27 Zuunmod Зуунмод 1931
Uvs Увс 19 Ulaangom Улаангом 1931
Zavkhan Завхан 24 Uliastai Улиастай 1931
Dörvöd (later renamed Uvs), Altai (later renamed Govi-Altai), Khövsgöl, Zavkhan, Arkhangai,
Övörkhangai, Ömnögovi, Tariachin (later split into parts of Bulgan and Selenge), Töv,
Dornogovi, Khentii and Dornod (later renamed to Choibalsan). The Bayankhongor, Bayan-Ölgii,
Bulgan, Dundgovi, Sükhbaatar, and Selenge aimags were created in the 1930s and 1940s.
The Choibalsan Aimag was re-renamed to Dornod Aimag in 1963, and the capital Ulan Bator
was split from Töv Aimag as a separate district. The same status was given to the newly founded
industrial cities of Darkhan (1961 in the Selenge Aimag) and Erdenet (1975 in the Bulgan
Aimag).

In 1994, two Sums of the Bulgan Aimag were taken to build the Orkhon Aimag around Erdenet,
and four Sums of the Selenge Aimag to build the Darkhan-Uul Aimag around Darkhan, ending
the special status of the two cities. In a highly disputed decision, the Govisümber Aimag was
split from the Dornogovi Aimag in 1996.