The Darkhad (Mongol: Дархад, lit. "untouchables" or protected by the church or "handicraftsmen" for Darkhan) is a subgroup of Mongol people living mainly in northern Mongolia, in the Bayanzürkh, Ulaan-Uul, Renchinlkhümbe, and Tsagaannuur sums of Khövsgöl Province. The Darkhad valley is named after them. The regional variant of Mongol language is the Darkhad dialect. Many Darkhad practise shamanism. In the 2000 census, 16,268 people identified themselves as Darkhad.