Sayan Mountains
The Sayan Mountains (Russian: Саяны Sajany; Mongolian: Соёны нуруу, Soyonï nurû; Old Turkic: 𐰚𐰇𐰏𐰢𐰤, romanized: Kögmen) are a mountain range in southern Siberia spanning southeastern Russia (Buryatia, Irkutsk Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tuva and Khakassia) and northern Mongolia. Before the rapid expansion of Tsardom of Russia, the mountain range served as the border between Mongolian and Russian cultures and cultural influences.
| Sayan Mountains | |
|---|---|
View of Mönkh Saridag, highest peak in the Sayan Mountains | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mönkh Saridag |
| Elevation | 3,492 m (11,457 ft) |
| Coordinates | 51°43′08″N 100°36′53″E |
| Geography | |
Sayan Mountains Sayan Mountains | |
| Parent range | South Siberian Mountains |
The Sayan Mountains' towering peaks and cool lakes southwest of Tuva give rise to the tributaries that merge to become one of Siberia's major rivers, the Yenisei River, which flows north over 3,400 kilometres (2000 mi) to the Arctic Ocean. This is a protected and isolated area, having been kept closed by the Soviet Union since 1944.