Ölgii (Ulgii), capital of Bayan-Ölgii Province with 50,000 residents, represents Mongolia's only Kazakh-majority and Muslim region, with Kazakhs comprising 93% of province's 114,000 population creating distinct cultural character within predominantly Buddhist ethnic Mongol nation. Established August 1940 as provincial capital, the city sits in Mongolia's westernmost corner bordering China to south and Russia to northwest, creating frontier position connecting Central Asian Turkic cultures to East Asian Mongolian traditions. Kazakh language predominates over Mongolian in daily life, mosques replace Buddhist monasteries, and cultural practices including cuisine, music, and traditions reflect Central Asian heritage distinguishing Bayan-Ölgii from rest of Mongolia. Eagle hunting tradition survives here—estimated 80% of world's 250-300 eagle hunters reside in region, with berkutchi (eagle hunters) training golden eagles to hunt foxes and rabbits maintaining ancient practice recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Annual Golden Eagle Festival held October in Ölgii attracts 70 hunters demonstrating skills in competition drawing international tourists experiencing unique cultural tradition. The festival commercializes eagle hunting for tourism while supporting preservation through generating income and international attention. Mountain landscape dominated by Altai Range creates spectacular scenery with snow-capped peaks, alpine valleys, and harsh climate shaping pastoral nomadic lifestyle. The economy depends on livestock herding producing meat, wool, and hides, cross-border trade with China and Kazakhstan, government administration, and growing cultural tourism visiting eagle hunters and Kazakh communities. Challenges include geographic isolation from Ulaanbaatar creating transportation difficulties, economic underdevelopment, limited infrastructure, and tensions between cultural preservation and tourism commercialization. Yet Ulgii maintains vibrant Kazakh identity demonstrating Mongolia's ethnic diversity, eagle hunting traditions representing humanity's relationship with nature and animals, and frontier character creating distinct regional identity at intersection of cultures and nations.