Onon River
Encyclopedia
The Onon is a river
in Mongolia
and Russia
of length 818 km and watershed
94,010 km². It originates at the eastern slope of the Khentii Mountains
. For 298 km it flows within Mongolia. Its confluence with Ingoda River
produces Shilka River
.
The flow Onon—Shilka—Amur produces one of the world's ten longest rivers (818 km + 560 km + 2,874 km).
The Secret History of the Mongols
begins this, “There came into the world a "Borte Chono" (blue-gray wolf) whose destiny was Heaven’s will. His wife was a "Gua Maral" (beauty fallow doe). They traveled across the inland sea and when they were camped near the source of the Onon River in sight of Burkhan Khaldun and their first son was born, named Bat Tsagaan.”
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
of length 818 km and watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
94,010 km². It originates at the eastern slope of the Khentii Mountains
Khentii Mountains
The Khentii Mountains are a mountain range in the Töv and Khentii Provinces in northern Mongolia. The chain overlaps the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area and includes Mongolia's sacred mountain, Burkhan Khaldun, which is associated with the origin of Genghis Khan.The range forms the watershed...
. For 298 km it flows within Mongolia. Its confluence with Ingoda River
Ingoda River
Ingoda River is a river in Zabaykalsky Krai of Russia. The length of the river is 439 miles . The area of its basin is 37,200 km². Together with the Onon River, it forms the Shilka River. Unlike the nearby Yazanrifai river, the Ingoda River freezes up in early November and stays under the ice...
produces Shilka River
Shilka River
Shilka is a river in Zabaykalsky Krai, south-eastern Russia. It has a length . It originates as a confluence of the Onon and Ingoda rivers. Its confluence with the Ergune on the Russia-China border gives rise to the Amur River. The river is navigable for its entire length....
.
The flow Onon—Shilka—Amur produces one of the world's ten longest rivers (818 km + 560 km + 2,874 km).
In History
The upper Onon is one of the areas that are claimed to be the place where Genghis Khan was born and grew up.The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary work...
begins this, “There came into the world a "Borte Chono" (blue-gray wolf) whose destiny was Heaven’s will. His wife was a "Gua Maral" (beauty fallow doe). They traveled across the inland sea and when they were camped near the source of the Onon River in sight of Burkhan Khaldun and their first son was born, named Bat Tsagaan.”
See also
- List of rivers of Mongolia