Lake Khuvsgul (Khuvsgul Province)

By decree of the President of Mongolia, in 2026, Lake Khuvsgul was designated as Mongolia’s first State-Sacred Lake. This landmark decision represents an important step toward environmental protection, the conservation of freshwater resources, and the preservation of the lake’s unique ecosystem. Accounting for 0.4% of the world's freshwater and 74.6% of Mongolia's surface water entirely by itself, Lake Khuvsgul is a peerless natural wonder believed to have formed over 2 million years ago. With its deepest section exceeding 260 meters, a length of 136 kilometers, and a width of 36 kilometers, it ranks as the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia by water volume. Its miraculous ecosystem—comprising 12 fish species, 244 bird species, and over 750 plant species—holds exceptional significance not only for Mongolia but on a global scale. In 2022, Lake Khuvsgul was officially inscribed in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the "Man and the Biosphere" Programme, internationally validating the ecological value, worth, and conservation importance of the lake.