RUSSIA - The Altai Mountains

"The Altai Mountains (Altay Mountains) are a mountain range in East-Central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and are where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their headwaters. 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 and 99° E, where it gradually becomes lower and merges into the high plateau of the Gobi Desert. In Turkic and Mongolic languages, the name, Altai, means the "Golden Mountain"; al meaning red/gold and tai/tag, mountain . The proposed Altaic language family takes its name from this mountain range."