Ergun City

Ergun 额尔古纳市 • ᠡᠷᠬᠥᠨ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠣᠲᠠ
County-level city
Village on the Argun River
Ergun in Hulunbuir
Ergun Location in Inner Mongolia Show map of Inner Mongolia Ergun Ergun (China) Show map of China
Coordinates: 50°14′35″N 120°10′52″E / 50.243°N 120.181°E / 50.243; 120.181
Country	China
Autonomous region	Inner Mongolia
Prefecture-level city	Hulunbuir
Municipal seat	Labdalin Subdistrict
Area [1]
• County-level city	28,400 km2 (11,000 sq mi)
• Urban	303.00 km2 (116.99 sq mi)
Population  (2020)[2]
• County-level city	68,482
• Density	2.4/km2 (6.2/sq mi)
• Urban [1]	38,100
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code	022050
Area code	0470
Website	www.eegn.gov.cn

Ergun (Chinese: 额尔古纳市; Mongolian: ᠡᠷᠬᠥᠨ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠣᠲᠠ), formerly Ergun Right Banner (Chinese: 额尔古纳右旗), is a county-level city in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, containing the autonomous region's northernmost point. The city has an area of 28,958 square kilometres (11,181 sq mi),^[3] and a population of 79,155 as of the 2019.^{[4]: 20–1}

For most of its history, the region of present-day Ergun has been governed by ethnic minority regimes.^[5] The area first came under Chinese control during the Qing dynasty, when it was administered as part of Hulunbuir.^[5]

In 1908, the Jilalin Administrative Bureau (Chinese: 吉拉林设治局; pinyin: Jílālín Shèzhì Jú) was established to govern the area.^[5]

In 1920, the area was re-organized as the Qiqan Administrative Bureau (Chinese: 奇乾设治局; pinyin: Qíqián Shèzhì Jú), but the area was re-organized again in 1921 as Qiqan County (Chinese: 奇乾县; pinyin: Qíqián Xiàn).^[5]

In 1933, the area was re-organized as Ergun Right Banner (Chinese: 额尔古纳右旗; pinyin: É'ěrgǔnà Yòu Qí).^[5] From 1948 to 1966, Ergun Right Banner was merged with Ergun Left Banner [zh], which occupied present-day Genhe, as Ergun Left Banner.^[5] In 1994, Ergun Right Banner was abolished and the county-level city of Ergun was established.^[5]

By 2000, the city administered five towns, one township, and two ethnic townships.^[5] In 2001, the city was restructured to administer one subdistrict, two towns, one township, and two ethnic townships.^[5]

In 2006, Xincheng Subdistrict (Chinese: 新城街道; pinyin: Xīnchéng Jiēdào) was renamed to Labdalin Subdistrict [zh; ru], and Shangkuli Township (Chinese: 上库力乡; pinyin: Shàngkùlì Xiāng) was upgraded to Shangkuli Subdistrict [zh].^[5]

In 2011, Shiwei Russian Ethnic Township (Chinese: 室韦俄罗斯族民族乡; pinyin: Shìwéi Èluósī Zú Mínzú Xiāng) was abolished and Enhe Russian Ethnic Township and Mengwu Shiwei Sum were established.^[5] Engh Had [zh] was also established.^[5]

In 2013, Qiqan Township [zh] was established.^[5]

Administratively, Ergun is part of the prefecture-level city of Hulunbuir, and spans 11.4% of Hulunbuir's area.^[3][6] It occupies 28,958 square kilometres (11,181 sq mi), bounded to the north and west by the Argun River, which forms China's border with Russia's Zabaykalsky Krai (formerly, Chita Oblast).^[3][7] The city's border with Russia spans 675 kilometres (419 mi).^[3] Ergun is also bordered by Genhe to the east, and the county-level city of Mohe in Heilongjiang to the northeast.^[3]

The city stands at the foothills of the Greater Khingan Mountains.^[3] 73.4% of the city's area is forested, with much of it being virgin forests.^[3][6] 17% of the city's area is natural grassland, particularly in the city's south, and 6% is cultivated.^[3]

Apart from the Argun River, major rivers in the city include the Delbur River [zh; ru], the Gen River [zh; ru], the Hawu'er River [zh], the Jiliu River [zh], the Wuma River [zh], and the Engh Had River [zh], all of which are tributaries of the Argun River.^[3]

• 
  Jiqian (labelled as Ch'i-kan 奇乾) (1951)
• 
  Map including part of Ergun (AMS, 1951)

The city hosts Ergun Wetlands (formerly known as the Genhe Wetlands), a plain delta formed by the Argun River, the Gen River [zh; ru], the Delbur River [zh; ru], and the Hawu'er River [zh].^{[citation needed]} The Ergun Wetlands is one of the largest wetlands in Asia, lying about 3 km to the west of Labdalin Subdistrict [zh; ru], Ergun's urban area and seat of government.^{[citation needed]}

After the end of September the wetlands wither and turn dark.^[8] A panoramic view of the wetlands is afforded from a tourist scenic view overlooking the area from a hill 720 meters above sea level.^[9]

The encroachment of urban development has made preservation of the wetland difficult but were bolstered by a wetland protection law in 2012.^[10]

The city experiences an average annual temperature of −3.1 °C (26.4 °F), and an average annual precipitation of 375 millimetres (14.8 in).^[3]

Ergun is divided into 2 subdistricts, 3 towns, 1 township, 2 ethnic townships and 1 sum.^[13] The city's seat of government is located in Labdalin Subdistrict [zh; ru].^[3][14]

Ergun is one of the least populated county-level divisions of Inner Mongolia, with a population of 79,155 as of 2019, making it the 87th most populated of the autonomous region's 103 divisions.^{[4]: 20–1} This figure reflects a 1.0% decline from the 2018 population of 79,942.^{[4]: 20–37 [15]} As of 2010, Ergun had a population of 76,667.^[5]

In Ergun's towns and villages along the Argun River are thousands of descendants of intermarriages between Han Chinese men and Russian women.^[17] This Russian descended population forms a large portion of the total number of Russians in China. One of these locations is Enhe Russian Ethnic Township, the sole official ethnic Russian township.^[17]

Ergun's gross domestic product was ¥4.059 billion as of 2019,^{[4]: 20–37 [18]} and ¥4.519 billion as of 2018.^[15] As of 2018, 42.1% of the city's gross domestic product came from its primary sector, 11.1% came from its secondary sector, and 46.8% came from its tertiary sector.^[15] The city's public budget revenue in 2019 was ¥150.55 million, ranking 91st out of Inner Mongolia's 103 county-level divisions.^{[4]: 20–4} Its consumer retail sales totaled ¥1.826 billion, and its foreign trade totaled 56.32 million USD.^[15]

The average household disposable income of Ergun's residents totaled ¥30,371 in 2019, a 7.8% increase from the ¥28,173 reported in 2018.^{[4]: 20–37 [15]} For urban households, this number stood at ¥30,953 in 2019,^{[4]: 20–37} a 7.0% increase from the ¥28,928 reported in 2018,^{[4]: 20–37 [15]} which ranked 75th of the 101 county-level divisions in Inner Mongolia for which this statistic was reported.^{[4]: 20–5} Rural households in Ergun average ¥28,470 in disposable income as of 2019,^{[4]: 20–37} a 10.0% increase from 2018,^{[4]: 20–37} which ranked the 3rd highest of the 90 county-level divisions in Inner Mongolia which reported this statistic.^{[4]: 20–6}

As of 2019, there are 99,140 mobile telephone subscriptions in Ergun (1.25 per capita), and 28,962 internet subscriptions (0.37 per capita).^{[4]: 20–37}

Mineral deposits in Ergun include coal, gold, lead, zinc, iron, tungsten, copper, and fluorite.^[3]

The total value of Ergun's agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and aquaculture industry as of 2018 was ¥3.072 billion.^[15]

In 2019, Ergun produced 263,482 tons of grain, the 37th most of the 96 county-level divisions of Inner Mongolia which reported this statistic.^{[4]: 20–2} The city produced 9,255 tons of meat the same year, ranking 74th of Inner Mongolia's 103 county-level divisions.^{[4]: 20–3}

Ergun has a significant tourism industry, attracting 5.733 million tourists in 2019 alone.^[18]

The Ergun Wetland Scenic Area (Chinese: 额尔古纳湿地景区) is designated as a AAAA Tourist Attraction.^[6]

Enhe Russian Ethnic Township has become a major tourist destination in recent years, attracting about 500,000 tourists in 2017 alone.^[19] Much of the town's tourism is derived from its small rural character, as well as its unique intersection of Russian and Chinese culture.^[19] Due to the cold climate of the region, most of the ethnic township's tourism takes place in summer months.^[19]

Ergun also hosts the ancient ruins of the city of Heishantou and portions of the Great Wall of Jin [zh].^[3]

As of 2019, the city has 10 primary schools and 5 secondary schools.^{[4]: 20–37}

Secondary schools include:^[20]

• Ergun City No. 2 Secondary School (额尔古纳市第二中学)
• Ergun City No. 3 Secondary School (额尔古纳市第三中学)
• Ergun City Moridaga Secondary School (额尔古纳市莫尔道嘎中学)
• Ergun City Sanhe Secondary School (额尔古纳市三河中学)

Primary schools include:^[20]

• Ergun City No. 1 Primary School (额尔古纳市第一小学)
• Ergun City No. 2 Primary School (额尔古纳市第二小学)
• Ergun City No. 3 Primary School (额尔古纳市第三小学)
• Ergun City Enhe Primary School (额尔古纳市恩和小学)
• Ergun City Heishantou Primary School (额尔古纳市黑山头小学)
• Ergun City Moridaga Primary School 1 (额尔古纳市莫尔道嘎一小)
• Ergun City Sanhe Primary School (额尔古纳市三河小学)
• Ergun City Shangkuli Primary School (额尔古纳市上库力小学)
• Ergun City Shiwei Primary School (额尔古纳市室韦小学)
• Ergun City Suqin Primary School (额尔古纳市苏沁小学)

As of 2019, Ergun's medical institutions have 414 beds, and are staffed by 597 personnel.^{[4]: 20–37}

Ergun hosts 2,430 kilometres (1,510 mi) of highway as of 2019.^{[4]: 20–37} Inner Mongolia Provincial Highway 201 and Inner Mongolia Provincial Highway 301 both run through Ergun.^[3]

Ergun has two international border crossings: one in Shiwei, and another in Heishantou [zh].^[7]