- published: 16 Mar 2016
- views: 36882
Darkhan (Mongolian: Дархан, blacksmith) is the third-largest city in Mongolia and the capital of Darkhan-Uul Aimag (Darkhan-Uul Province). It has a population of 74,738 (as of 2010).
Ground was broken on October 17, 1961, and the city was built with extensive economic assistance from the Soviet Union. As its name implies, the city was originally conceived to be a manufacturing site for Mongolia's northern territory. The city remains a mostly industrial region and is the home of some 82% of the aimag's population. As with most urban Mongols, some 86% of the city's population live in residential apartments, with the remaining population living in yurts (gers) on the outskirts of the city. The city is relatively close to Russia and retains a fairly small percentage of native Russians.
Darkhan has a borderline humid continental climate (Dwb), close to the more typical subarctic climate (Dwc) of northern Mongolia, which is found in higher areas near the city, and only marginally wet enough to avoid qualifying as a semi-arid climate (BSk). These three climate types tend to overlap a good deal over the border regions of Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan. This area has extremely cold and dry winters; however the summers are warmer and more humid.
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.
For example, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts an article of incorporation approved by the local state legislature distinguishes a city government from a town. In the United Kingdom and parts of the Commonwealth of Nations, a city is traditionally a settlement with a royal charter. Historically, in Europe, a city was understood to be an urban settlement with a cathedral.
Cities generally have complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, housing, and transportation. The concentration of development greatly facilitates interaction between people and businesses, benefiting both parties in the process. A big city or metropolis usually has associated suburbs and exurbs. Such cities are usually associated with metropolitan areas and urban areas, creating numerous business commuters traveling to urban centers for employment. Once a city expands far enough to reach another city, this region can be deemed a conurbation or megalopolis.