Mongolia Sums

The sum is the second tier of Mongolia, between the 21 provinces and the villages, and the unit that names the small town at the centre of each. There are 339 of them on this map, from a few square kilometres in the capital to a stretch of the Gobi the size of a Belgian province.

The quiz: Name to place, on the map
Grouped by: Province: the 21 aimags and Ulaanbaatar
In the game: 339 sums

Start

What you are looking at

The sums (soum) of Mongolia: 330 of them across the 21 provinces, and the nine districts of the capital Ulaanbaatar, which stand in for sums there. A sum takes its name from its centre, and the centre is usually the only town in it, so the province capital is the sum of the same name, as with Zuunmod in Töv.

Names repeat. Bulgan is the name of a province and of a sum in six of them, and dozens of other names are borne by two or more. Every such name carries its province in brackets, and so does the group the question is dealt from. The source writes the names in the national romanisation, which has been put back into the spelling an English map uses, with ts for c and kh for x.

The sums are very uneven. The province capitals and the districts round the capital are a few square kilometres, so the smallest have a tap area wider than their outline and zooming in is the way to reach the rest. In the Gobi the opposite holds: a single sum there can be bigger than a whole province in the north.

The groups are the provinces, so the game lets you drill them one at a time. Each province answers under the same name in Mongolia Provinces.

How to place one

Pick one province and learn it. Orkhon has only two and Govisümber three, so they are the quickest to finish; Töv has 27 and is the longest.
Start where you begin. A first run opens on Töv, the province that wraps round the capital, before the rest of the country.
Learn the centre first. A sum is named for its town, and the towns follow the roads that run out from Ulaanbaatar.
Treat the Gobi as the empty half. Its sums are large and few, so they are the quickest to place.

Every sum, by province

Khövsgöl23 sums: Alag-Erdene, Arbulag, Bayanzürkh (Khövsgöl), Bürentogtokh, Chandmani-Öndor, Erdenebulgan (Khövsgöl), Galt, Ikh-Uul (Khövsgöl), Jargalant (Khövsgöl), Khankh, Möron (Khövsgöl), Rashaant (Khövsgöl), Renchinlkhümbe, Shine-Ider, Tarialan (Khövsgöl), Tömorbulag, Tosontsengel (Khövsgöl), Tsagaan-Uul, Tsagaan-Üur, Tsagaannuur (Khövsgöl), Tsetserleg (Khövsgöl), Tünel, Ulaan-Uul
Dornod14 sums: Bayan-Uul (Dornod), Bayandun, Bayantümen, Bulgan (Dornod), Choibalsan, Chuluunkhoroot, Dashbalbar, Gurvanzagal, Herlen, Khalkh Gol, Khölonbuir, Matad, Sergelen (Dornod), Tsagaan-Ovoo
Bayankhongor20 sums: Baatsagaan, Bayan-Öndor (Bayankhongor), Bayan-Ovoo (Bayankhongor), Bayanbulag, Bayangovi, Bayankhongor, Bayanlig, Bayantsagaan (Bayankhongor), Bogd (Bayankhongor), Bömbogor, Buutsagaan, Erdenetsogt, Galuut, Gurvanbulag (Bayankhongor), Jargalant (Bayankhongor), Jinst, Khüreemaral, Ölziit (Bayankhongor), Shinejinst, Zag
Töv27 sums: Altanbulag (Töv), Argalant, Arkhust, Batsümber, Bayan, Bayan-Önjuul, Bayanchandmani, Bayandelger (Töv), Bayanjargalan (Töv), Bayankhangai, Bayantsagaan (Töv), Bayantsogt, Bornuur, Büren, Delgerkhaan (Töv), Erdene (Töv), Erdenesant, Jargalant (Töv), Lün, Möngonmorit, Öndorshireet, Sergelen (Töv), Sümber (Töv), Tseel (Töv), Ugtaaltsaidam, Zaamar, Zuunmod
Zavkhan24 sums: Aldarkhaan, Asgat (Zavkhan), Bayankhairkhan, Bayantes, Dörvoljin, Erdenekhairkhan, Ider, Ikh-Uul (Zavkhan), Nömrog, Otgon, Santmargats, Shilüustei, Songino, Telmen, Tes (Zavkhan), Tosontsengel (Zavkhan), Tsagaanchuluut, Tsagaankhairkhan (Zavkhan), Tsetsen-Uul, Tüdevtei, Uliastai, Urgamal, Yaruu, Zavkhanmandal
Ömnögovi15 sums: Bayan-Ovoo (Ömnögovi), Bayandalai, Bulgan (Ömnögovi), Dalanzadgad, Gurvantes, Khanbogd, Khankhongor, Khürmen, Mandal-Ovoo, Manlai, Nomgon, Noyon, Sevrei, Tsogt-Ovoo, Tsogt-Tsetsii
Arkhangai19 sums: Battsengel, Bulgan (Arkhangai), Chuluut, Erdenebulgan (Arkhangai), Erdenemandal, Ikhtamir, Jargalant (Arkhangai), Khairkhan, Khangai, Khashaat, Khotont, Ögiinuur, Ölziit (Arkhangai), Öndor-Ulaan, Tariat, Tövshrüulekh, Tsakhir, Tsenkher, Tsetserleg (Arkhangai)
Khentii18 sums: Batnorov, Batshireet, Bayan-Adraga, Bayan-Ovoo (Khentii), Bayankhutag, Bayanmönkh, Binder, Bor-Ondor, Dadal, Darkhan (Khentii), Delgerkhaan (Khentii), Galshir, Jargaltkhaan, Kherlen, Möron (Khentii), Norovlin, Ömnodelger, Tsenkhermandal
Govi-Altai18 sums: Altai (Govi-Altai), Bayan-Uul (Govi-Altai), Biger, Bugat (Govi-Altai), Chandmani (Govi-Altai), Darvi (Govi-Altai), Delger, Erdene (Govi-Altai), Jargalan, Khaliun, Khökhmorit, Sharga, Taishir, Tögrog (Govi-Altai), Tonkhil, Tseel (Govi-Altai), Tsogt, Yesönbulag
Selenge17 sums: Altanbulag (Selenge), Baruunbüren, Bayangol (Selenge), Javkhlant, Khüder, Khushaat, Mandal, Orkhon (Selenge), Orkhontuul, Saikhan (Selenge), Sant (Selenge), Shaamar, Sükhbaatar (Selenge), Tsagaannuur (Selenge), Tüshig, Yeröo, Züunburen
Dornogovi14 sums: Airag, Altanshiree, Dalanjargalan, Delgerekh, Erdene (Dornogovi), Ikh Khet, Khatanbulag, Khövsgol, Mandakh, Örgon, Saikhandulaan, Sainshand, Ulaanbadrakh, Zamyn-Üüd
Uvs19 sums: Baruunturuun, Bökhmoron, Davst, Khovd (Uvs), Khyargas, Malchin, Naranbulag, Ölgii (Uvs), Ömnogovi, Öndorkhangai, Sagil, Tarialan (Uvs), Tes (Uvs), Tsagaankhairkhan (Uvs), Türgen, Ulaangom, Zavkhan, Züungovi, Züunkhangai
Övörkhangai19 sums: Arvaikheer, Baruunbayan-Ulaan, Bat-Ölzii, Bayan-Öndor (Övörkhangai), Bayangol (Övörkhangai), Bogd (Övörkhangai), Bürd, Guchin-Us, Khairkhandulaan, Kharkhorin, Khujirt, Nariinteel, Ölziit (Övörkhangai), Sant (Övörkhangai), Taragt, Tögrog (Övörkhangai), Uyanga, Yesönzüil, Züunbayan-Ulaan
Sükhbaatar13 sums: Asgat (Sükhbaatar), Baruun-Urt, Bayandelger (Sükhbaatar), Dariganga, Erdenetsagaan, Khalzan, Mönkhkhaan, Naran, Ongon, Sükhbaatar (Sükhbaatar), Tümentsogt, Tüvshinshiree, Uulbayan
Bayan-Ölgii13 sums: Altai (Bayan-Ölgii), Altantsögts, Bayannuur (Bayan-Ölgii), Bugat (Bayan-Ölgii), Bulgan (Bayan-Ölgii), Buyant (Bayan-Ölgii), Delüun, Nogoonnuur, Ölgii (Bayan-Ölgii), Sagsai, Tolbo, Tsengel, Ulaankhus
Bulgan16 sums: Bayan-Agt, Bayannuur (Bulgan), Bugat (Bulgan), Bulgan (Bulgan), Büregkhangai, Dashinchilen, Gurvanbulag (Bulgan), Khangal, Khishig-Öndor, Khutag-Öndor, Mogod, Orkhon (Bulgan), Rashaant (Bulgan), Saikhan (Bulgan), Selenge, Teshig
Khovd17 sums: Altai (Khovd), Bulgan (Khovd), Buyant (Khovd), Chandmani (Khovd), Darvi (Khovd), Dörgon, Duut, Erdenebüren, Jargalant (Khovd), Khovd (Khovd), Mankhan, Mönkhkhairkhan, Möst, Myangad, Tsetseg, Üyench, Zereg
Dundgovi15 sums: Adaatsag, Bayanjargalan (Dundgovi), Delgerkhangai, Delgertsogt, Deren, Erdenedalai, Govi-Ugtaal, Gurvansaikhan, Khuld, Luus, Ölziit (Dundgovi), Öndorshil, Saikhan-Ovoo, Saintsagaan, Tsagaandelger
Orkhon2 sums: Bayan-Öndor (Orkhon), Jargalant (Orkhon)
Govisümber3 sums: Bayantal, Shiveegovi, Sümber (Govisümber)
Darkhan-Uul4 sums: Darkhan (Darkhan-Uul), Khongor, Orkhon (Darkhan-Uul), Sharyngol
Ulaanbaatar9 sums: Bagakhangai, Baganuur, Bayangol (Ulaanbaatar), Bayanzürkh (Ulaanbaatar), Chingeltei, Khan-Uul, Nalaikh, Songinokhairkhan, Sükhbaatar (Ulaanbaatar)

Worked examples

Zuunmod

The smallest of them

Zuunmod is the sum that holds the capital of Töv Province, in the hills south of Ulaanbaatar, and the smallest on this map. It needs a tap area.

Khalkh Gol

The biggest of them

Khalkh Gol is the largest sum, the far east of Dornod on the Chinese border, named for the river that flows through it. It is mostly open steppe.

Bayangol (Ulaanbaatar)

The name that is on the map twice

Bayangol in Ulaanbaatar is a district of the capital. Its namesake is a sum in Selenge. The brackets name the province, and so does the group the question is dealt from.

Frequently asked questions

How many sums does Mongolia have?

330 sums in the 21 provinces. This map adds the nine districts of Ulaanbaatar, which makes 339.

Why are some names in brackets?

Many names are borne by several sums, and the bracket says which province the one you are asked about is in.

Why does the game open on one province?

339 names are a long first sitting, so a first run starts on Töv and you can switch the rest on in the settings.

The tier above this one is Mongolia Provinces. For another country at this level, see Kazakhstan Districts.

Sources

geoBoundaries, Mongolia ADM2 and ADM1, the boundaries; each sum takes the province it lies in
Administrative divisions of Mongolia, the provinces, the sums and the capital's districts

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