Uvs Nuur Basin Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 1997, in Mongolia. The Uvs Nuur Basin is the northernmost of the enclosed basins of Central Asia. It takes its name from Uvs Nuur Lake, a large, shallow and very saline lake that is important for migrating birds, waterfowl and seabirds. The site is made up of twelve protected areas representing the major biomes of eastern Eurasia.The Uvs Nuur Basin is one of the key areas of the Altai–Sayan Ecoregion, included in the Global 200 list of virgin or little-modified ecoregions of the world. The northern part of the basin is located in the Russian Federation on the territory of three administrative districts, or kozhuuns, of the Republic of Tuva. The southern part lies within Uvs aimag of Mongolia. The geographical position and climate of the Uvs Lake depression are marked by exceptional contrast due to its position in the centre of Asia, its relatively high altitude and its distinctive relief. The highest point of the territory is the peak of the Turgen Mountain Range, and the lowest point is Uvs Lake. The lake’s water is the remnant of a huge saline sea that covered a much larger area several thousand years ago.