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Golden Mountains of Altai

The site is in the Altai Mountains in southern Siberia in the territory of the Altai Republic, comprising the high mountainous areas of Altai, the headwaters of the Katun and Chulyshman rivers and Lake Teletskoye. The World Heritage site consists of three separate areas: Altaisky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Lake Teletskoye; Katunsky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Mount Belukha; and the Ukok Quiet Zone on the Ukok Plateau. Two of the areas are located along the borders with China and Mongolia.

This extensive mountainous area is the watershed between central Asia and the Arctic Ocean and includes the headwaters of the Katun and Baya rivers. The confluence of these two rivers, beyond the boundary of the nominated site, forms the River Ob at 5,410 km, the fifth-longest river in the world, which flows north into the Arctic Ocean. Typical relief features of mountain peaks include the 4,605 m Mount Belukha, cirques and trough valleys with lake basins, morainal hills and ridges. Read more about this site on the UNESCO World Heritage website.