The
Altai Mountains (
Russian ?????,
Altay;
Mongolian ?????;
Chinese ?????,) are a
mountain range in central
Asia, where
Russia,
China,
Mongolia and
Kazakhstan come together, and where the
rivers Irtysh and
Ob have their sources. The Altai Mountains are known as the
Turkic peoples' birthplace
[citation needed]. The northwest end of the range is at 52° N and between 84° and 90° E (where it merges with the
Sayan Mountains to the east), and extends southeast from there to about
45°N 99°E? / ?45°N 99°E? / 45; 99Coordinates 45°N 99°E? / ?45°N 99°E? / 45; 99, where it gradually becomes lower and merges into the high plateau of the
Gobi Desert.
The name, in Turkic Alytau or Altai, means Al (gold), tau (mount); in Mongolian ?????? ????? Altain nuruu, the "Mountains of Gold". The proposed Altaic language family takes its name from the mountain range.
(For the area north of the Altai, see Geography of South-Central Siberia.)
In the north of the region is the Sailughem Mountains, also known as Kolyvan Altai[dubious – discuss], which stretch northeast from 49° N and 86° E towards the western extremity of the Sayan Mountains in 51° 60' N and 89° E. Their mean elevation is 1,500 to 1,750 m. The snow-line runs at 2,000 m on the northern side and at 2,400 m on the southern, and above it the rugged peaks tower up some 1,000 m more. Mountain passes across the range are few and difficult, the chief being the Ulan-daban at 2,827 m (2,879 m according to Kozlov), and the Chapchan-daban, at 3,217 m, in the south and north respectively. On the east and southeast this range is flanked by the great plateau of Mongolia, the transition being effected gradually by means of several minor plateaus, such as Ukok 2380 m with Pazyryk valley, Chuya 1,830 m, Kendykty 2,500 m, Kak 2,520 m, Suok 2,590 m, and Juvlu-kul 2,410 m.
