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Mongolia

geography Maturity 11-13

Mongolia is a big land.

Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
It is in East Asia. It has mountains and grass. It also has a hot desert.
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
Many people like to ride horses. Do you like horses?

36 words

Mongolia is a big land in East Asia.

Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg

It sits between Russia and China. The land has many parts. You can see grassy fields and high mountains.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg

In the south, there is a hot desert.

KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
Many people live in the capital city. This city is called Ulaanbaatar.

Many people move with their animals. They love to ride horses. This is a big part of their life.

It is a very special place to visit.

82 words

Mongolia is a large country in East Asia.

Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
It is landlocked. This means it has no ocean nearby. Russia is to the north. China is to the south.

The land has many different looks. There are grassy plains called steppes. Mountains sit in the north and west.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
In the south, you will find the Gobi Desert.
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg

Many people live in the capital city. Its name is Ulaanbaatar. About half of the people live there. Most people in the country are ethnic Mongols. Some people are Kazakhs or Tuvans.

History is very important here. A leader named Genghis Khan started the Mongol Empire in 1206.

Genghis khan.jpg
Genghis khan.jpg
It became the largest land empire in history.

Today, many people still live as nomads. This means they move with their animals. They have a strong horse culture.

Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg
Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg
Most people follow the religion of Buddhism. Others do not follow a religion. Mongolia is a peaceful democratic country. It has a new constitution from 1992.

172 words

Mongolia is a huge country located in East Asia.

Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
It is a landlocked nation, which means it has no ocean borders. Russia sits to the north of the country. China is its neighbor to the south. Mongolia is the 18th-largest country in the entire world. It is also the second-largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan.
Mongols-map.png
Mongols-map.png
It is the largest landlocked country that does not border an inland sea.

The land here has many different looks. Most of the country is part of the Mongolian Plateau. You will see grassy plains called steppes across much of the land. To the north and west, there are many mountains.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
In the south, the landscape changes to the Gobi Desert.
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
This variety of land makes the environment very interesting to explore.

History in Mongolia is filled with many strong leaders. Long ago, many different nomadic empires ruled this land. These included groups like the Xiongnu and the Rouran. In 1206, a leader named Genghis Khan changed everything.

Genghis khan.jpg
Genghis khan.jpg
He founded the Mongol Empire. It became the largest contiguous land empire in history.
Mongol Empire map.gif
Mongol Empire map.gif
His grandson, Kublai Khan, even went on to rule China.

Today, Mongolia is a peaceful democratic country. It has a new constitution that was made in 1992. The capital city is Ulaanbaatar, and it is the largest city.

UB downtown.jpg
UB downtown.jpg
About half of the whole population lives in this one city. Most people in the country are ethnic Mongols. About 30% of the people are still nomadic or semi-nomadic.
Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg
Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg
This means they move with their animals, and horse culture is still very important.

Religion and culture are also very important parts of life. Most people, about 51.7%, follow Mahayana Buddhism.

Amarbayasgalant monastery - panoramio.jpg
Amarbayasgalant monastery - panoramio.jpg
About 40.6% of the people do not follow a religion. A small group of about 3.2% are Muslim. These people are often ethnic Kazakhs. Mongolia is a member of the United Nations. It also joined the World Trade Organization in 1997.
State seal of Mongolia.svg
State seal of Mongolia.svg

341 words

Mongolia is a large, landlocked country located in East Asia.

Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. Mongolia is the 18th-largest country in the world. It is also the second-largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan. Notably, it is the largest landlocked country that does not border an inland sea.
Mongols-map.png
Mongols-map.png
The nation occupies a significant portion of the Mongolian Plateau. Its landscape is diverse and includes grassy steppes, mountains, and deserts.

The physical environment changes depending on where you travel. To the north and west, the terrain is defined by mountains.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.jpg
Much of the central area consists of grassy steppe. In the south, the landscape shifts into the Gobi Desert.
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
This variety of terrain supports different ways of life. For example, the desert region is home to animals like the Bactrian camel.
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg
KhongorynElsCamels.jpg

Human history in this region has been shaped by nomadic cultures. Long before modern borders, various nomadic empires ruled the plateau. These included the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, and the Rouran Khaganate. The Xiongnu formed a powerful confederation around 209 BC. They were a major threat to the Qin dynasty in China. Later, the Rouran were the first to use the imperial title "Khagan." This title became a standard for leaders of nomadic empires.

A major turning point occurred in 1206. A leader named Temüjin united the Mongol tribes. He took the title Genghis Khan and founded the Mongol Empire.

Genghis khan.jpg
Genghis khan.jpg
This became the largest contiguous land empire in history.
Mongol Empire map.gif
Mongol Empire map.gif
At its height, the empire covered 22% of the Earth's total land area. It stretched from Poland to Korea. It also reached from Siberia to the Gulf of Oman. The empire's rule helped ease trade across Asia through a period called Pax Mongolica.

After Genghis Khan, the empire was divided into several kingdoms called Khanates. One was the "Great Khaanate," which included the Mongol homeland and China. Under Kublai Khan, this became the Yuan dynasty. Eventually, the Mongols retreated to their homeland. This era was marked by factional conflicts between different groups. In the 16th century, Tibetan Buddhism began to spread through the region. This was helped by leaders like Altan Khan.

Altan Khan.jpg
Altan Khan.jpg
By the 17th century, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty absorbed Mongolia.

Modern Mongolia has undergone significant political changes. After the Qing dynasty collapsed in 1911, Mongolia declared independence. It achieved full independence from the Republic of China in 1921. Shortly after, it became a satellite state of the Soviet Union. In 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was founded as a socialist state. This changed after the anti-communist revolutions of 1989. In early 1990, the country held a peaceful democratic revolution. This led to a multi-party system and a new constitution in 1992.

Mongolian parliament members.jpg
Mongolian parliament members.jpg

Today, Mongolia is a sovereign state with a unique population structure. It is the most sparsely populated sovereign state in the world, excluding Western Sahara. The population is approximately 3.5 million people. Ulaanbaatar is the capital and the largest city. It houses roughly half of the total population.

UB downtown.jpg
UB downtown.jpg
About 30% of the people are still nomadic or semi-nomadic. Horse culture remains a very important part of their daily life.
Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg
Rider in Mongolia, 2012.jpg

Religion and ethnicity also define the modern nation. Most citizens are ethnic Mongols. About 5% of the population includes Kazakhs, Tuvans, and other minorities. These groups are often found in the western regions. Mahayana Buddhism is the majority religion at 51.7%. The second-largest group is the irreligious at 40.6%. Islam is the third-largest religion at 3.2%, mostly among ethnic Kazakhs. Mongolia is an active member of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

State seal of Mongolia.svg
State seal of Mongolia.svg

618 words
🖼️ Images & Media (36)
File:State seal of Mongolia.svg
State seal of Mongolia.svg
The National Anthem of Mongolia.ogg
File:ZaamarTomb.jpg
ZaamarTomb.jpg
File:Mongol_Empire_map.gif
Mongol_Empire_map.gif
File:Genghis khan.jpg
Genghis khan.jpg
File:Altan Khan.jpg
Altan Khan.jpg
File:BogdKhan.jpg
BogdKhan.jpg
File:Map-of-Unified-Mongolia-1917.jpg
Map-of-Unified-Mongolia-1917.jpg
File:Horloogiyn Choybalsan.jpg
Horloogiyn Choybalsan.jpg
File:MNRA soldiers 1939.jpg
MNRA soldiers 1939.jpg
File:Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal Berlin, VIII.jpg
Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal Berlin, VIII.jpg
File:Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg
Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg

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