Mongolia’s Rivers and Lakes  

• Has three main hydrological basins: 1) Arctic, the 2) Pacific and 3) Central Asian closed basins
• Relatively poor water reserve: Water amount much lower per unit area of land compared to the world average. Water resource distribution and per capita availability varies among geographic regions: with 4500 m³ for the Gobi and 46,000 m³ for the central and northern regions. 
• International Significance: Serves as the Central Asian Flyway & refuge for migratory waterfowl and home to numerous trans-boundary water bodies.
• Socio-economic and ecological value: Life-supporting service to people; wildlife and natural environment.  

Protection Status: 15% of the area taken under special protection comprises of freshwater habitats of :  

o    1 World Heritage Site (Uvs Nuur Basin)

o    11 Ramsar Sites

o    2 more sites registered with East Asian Anatidae Sites Network (Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, Ogii Nuur); and

o    1 area designated as the Man-Biosphere zone

Mongolia’s saltwater and freshwater lakes, which are great for camping, bird-watching, hiking, swimming, fishing and boating.  

The rivers, which are great for rafting, kayaking, canoeing, fly-fishing and bird watching. 

The river network is more developed in the north than in the south. From November to April, the rivers and lakes are frozen.