aimag (approx. 40,000 in 1995-2005) reduced its population to the end of 1979 level. The majority of the population is ethnic Khalkha but there are sizable Khotgoid and Kazakh minorities. {| class="wikitable" |+ Zavkhan aimag population |- ! 1956 census ! 1960 est. ! 1963 census ! 1969 census ! 1975 est. ! 1979 census ! 1981 est. ! 1989 census ! 1990 est. ! 1992 est. ! 1994 est. ! 1996 est. ! 1998 est. ! 2000 census ! 2002 est. ! 2005 est. ! 2008 est. |- | 55,100||61,000||60,000|| 70,800|| 76,000|| 79,800|| 81,700||88,500|| 91,960|| 102,834|| 103,150|| 102,341|| 100,905|| 87,686|| 83,516|| 78,668||76,614 |- |} Notable natives and residents Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, First President of Mongolia (1990-1997) Natsagiin Bagabandi, Second President of Mongolia (1997-2005) S. Damdinbazar Mongolian Jalkhanz Khotagt (Жалханз Хутагт, "reincarnated saint") Independence activist and Prime Minister of Mongolia (1922-1923) Begziin Yavuukhulan, Soviet Poet B. Jamsranjav, Mongolian Saint, Lama S. Chimedtseren, Mongolian Saint, Lama Economy Herders breed each of the "5 Kinds" (5-н хошуу мал)of animal in Zavkhan. In 2005, the aimag was home to 2,1 million head of livestock, among them 1,03 million sheep, 861,000 goats, 107,000 cattle and yaks, 101,000 horses, and 6,300 camels. The area is also rich with mineral resources such as iron ore, tin, gold, copper, diamonds, molybdenum ore, and phosphorite. While Zavkhan's mineral wealth remains largely been unexploited, in 2012 the Golden Hill Project mine was built by Bayan Airag Exploration LLC outside of Durvuljin soum. Transportation The old Uliastai Airport has two unpaved runways and is located close to the city, but it has no regular flights operating. Since 2002, the Donoi Airport (or "New Uliastai Airport") with one unpaved runway is located about 25 km west of the city and gets served by regular flights to and from Ulaanbaatar. Administrative subdivisions {| class="wikitable" |- |+ The Sums of Zavkhan Aimag |- ! Sum ! Mongolian ! Population (2005) |- | Aldarkhaan || ||3,708 |- | Asgat || || 1,125 |- | Bayankhairhan || || 1,968 |- | Bayantes || || 3,024 |- | Dörvöljin || ||2,323 |- | Erdenekhairkhan || ||1,771 |- | Ider || ||2,714 |- | Ikh-Uul || ||6,271 |- | Nömrög || ||1,848 |- | Otgon || ||3,478 |- | Santmargats || ||2,101 |- | Shilüüstei || ||2,450 |- | Songino || ||1,921 |- | Telmen || ||2,820 |- | Tes || ||3,230 |- | Tosontsengel || ||9,045 |-