Choir, Mongolia

For other uses, see Choir (disambiguation).
Choir
Чойр
ᠴᠣᠶᠢᠷ
District
Sümber District
Сүмбэр сум
ᠰᠦᠮᠪᠦᠷᠰᠤᠮᠤ
Train station of Choir, Mongolia, 2013
Train station of Choir, Mongolia, 2013
Choir is located in Mongolia
Choir
Choir
Location in Mongolia
Coordinates: 46°21′38″N 108°21′54″E / 46.36056°N 108.36500°E / 46.36056; 108.36500
Country Mongolia
Province Govisümber
SumSümber
Area
 • Total
916 km2 (354 sq mi)
Elevation
1,279 m (4,196 ft)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total
10,434
 • Density11/km2 (30/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8
Area code(+976) 154
ClimateBSk
Generic view of Choir

Choir (/ˈtʃɔɪr/; Mongolian: Чойр, [ˈt͡ɕœe̯r]) is a city in east-central Mongolia. It is the capital of Govisümber Province. Choir is officially known as Sümber sum.

History

A sculpture commemorating the first Mongolian cosmonaut, Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa, in Choir

Choir was a military base during the Soviet period. In 1989, the Soviet anti-aircraft missile units left Choir.[1] The longest runway in Mongolia, now abandoned, is located 25 km N from Choir, a relic of that period.[2] In 1992, the military cantonment passed into the jurisdiction of Govisümber Province, according to the 1992 constitution.[3] Near the railway station is a statue commemorating Mongolia's first cosmonaut, Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa.

Geography

Location

Choir lies in the Choir Depression, a lowland strip about 150 km long and 10 to 20 km wide, about 500 m lower than the surrounding upland.[4] It lies at an altitude of 1269 m.

Climate

Choir has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with warm summers and severely cold winters. Most precipitation falls in the summer as rain, with some snow in the adjacent months of May and September. Winters are very dry.

Climate data for Choir, elevation 1,286 m (4,219 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1961–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 0.5
(32.9) 		9.8
(49.6) 		24.0
(75.2) 		29.6
(85.3) 		36.0
(96.8) 		39.9
(103.8) 		39.6
(103.3) 		40.5
(104.9) 		31.5
(88.7) 		25.8
(78.4) 		12.8
(55.0) 		7.8
(46.0) 		40.5
(104.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −13.4
(7.9) 		−8.3
(17.1) 		2.3
(36.1) 		12.0
(53.6) 		19.3
(66.7) 		25.2
(77.4) 		27.5
(81.5) 		25.4
(77.7) 		19.1
(66.4) 		9.6
(49.3) 		−3.0
(26.6) 		−12.4
(9.7) 		8.6
(47.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −19.2
(−2.6) 		−15.0
(5.0) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		4.6
(40.3) 		11.9
(53.4) 		18.5
(65.3) 		21.1
(70.0) 		18.8
(65.8) 		12.5
(54.5) 		2.5
(36.5) 		−9.2
(15.4) 		−17.7
(0.1) 		2.0
(35.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −23.8
(−10.8) 		−21.0
(−5.8) 		−11.8
(10.8) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		4.6
(40.3) 		12.0
(53.6) 		15.1
(59.2) 		13.1
(55.6) 		5.9
(42.6) 		−3.0
(26.6) 		−14.2
(6.4) 		−22.1
(−7.8) 		−4.0
(24.9)
Record low °C (°F) −39.5
(−39.1) 		−38.0
(−36.4) 		−34
(−29) 		−22.0
(−7.6) 		−14.9
(5.2) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		−9.6
(14.7) 		−22.3
(−8.1) 		−31.6
(−24.9) 		−36.2
(−33.2) 		−39.5
(−39.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 0.9
(0.04) 		1.5
(0.06) 		1.9
(0.07) 		3.8
(0.15) 		8.0
(0.31) 		24.8
(0.98) 		47.0
(1.85) 		34.6
(1.36) 		14.8
(0.58) 		4.5
(0.18) 		2.5
(0.10) 		1.9
(0.07) 		146.4
(5.76)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1.1 1.5 1.3 3.1 2.1 4.3 6.8 6.1 2.7 1.7 2.2 1.4 34.2
Average relative humidity (%) 78.9 72.1 55.9 43.0 41.1 47.7 54.1 55.9 50.5 53.7 67.1 77.5 58.1
Average dew point °C (°F) −22.9
(−9.2) 		−19.3
(−2.7) 		−14.0
(6.8) 		−8.8
(16.2) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		5.5
(41.9) 		9.9
(49.8) 		8.3
(46.9) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−7.1
(19.2) 		−14.9
(5.2) 		−21.0
(−5.8) 		−7.2
(19.1)
Source 1: NOAA[5][6]Starlings Roost Weather[7]
Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[8]

Population

In 2002, a population of Choir city was 7,588 (and 9,207 with rural parts of Sümber sum),[9] up from a population of 4,500 in 1979.[10] For the end of 2006 estimations population was 7,998.[11]

Economy

Choir has been declared a free enterprise zone.[2] Along with Darkhan and Erdenet, it is one of three autonomous cities in Mongolia.[12] Choir has a medium-security prison which can house 460 prisoners.[13]

Transport

It lies along the Trans-Mongolian Railway, 250 km to the southeast of Ulaanbaatar. The Asian Development Bank is considering a 430-km paved road from Choir to the Chinese border, the final stage of a north-south route through the country.[14]

References

  1. ^ Alan J. K. Sanders, "Mongolia in 1989: Year of Adjustment," Asian Survey 30:1 (January 1990), p. 62.
  2. ^ a b "Mongolia, Multimedia Memories, and Me". Technos Quarterly. Winter 2001. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  3. ^ Alan J. K. Sanders, "Mongolia's New Constitution: Blueprint for Democracy," Asian Survey 32:6 (June 1992), p. 507.
  4. ^ Denison Mines (December 2006). "Annual Information Form" (PDF). p. 62. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  5. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Choir Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  7. ^ "CHOIR Climate: 1991–2020". Starlings Roost Weather. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Station Choir" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  9. ^ Gobisümber aimag official site Archived September 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Mongolia". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  11. ^ Govisümber Aimag official site[dead link‍]
  12. ^ Hari D. Goyal, "A Development Perspective on Mongolia," Asian Survey 39:4 (July/August 1999), p. 634.
  13. ^ "Siberian Team blesses Mongolia's prisoners". Asian Outreach International. Archived from the original on 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  14. ^ "Paving the Way for Road Development in Mongolia's Southern Gobi". Asian Development Bank. Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-07-24.

Media related to Choir at Wikimedia Commons