GEOGRAPHY – Mongolia is a landlocked country in Central Asia with the area of 1, 565, 000 sq km. The total length of the border is 8158km and out of that Mongolia shares a 3485km border with the Russian Federation to the north and 4673 km with the People’s Republic of China to the south. The Altai mountain ranges are the country’s highest and lie in the far west of Mongolia, peaked by Tavan Bogd at an elevation of 4,374 meters and capped with a enormous glacier.
Much of central Mongolia is covered by the Khangai mountains, which peaks at 3,903 meters and are the largest mountain range in Mongolia. The Selenge river flows from the northern slopes of the Khangai towards the world’s biggest freshwater lake, lake Baikal in Siberia. Unlike the barren mountains of western Mongolia, the Khangai mountains have pine forestlands. To the north east of Mongolia lies the smaller Hentii mountain chain, followed by the vast, flat Menen steppe of Dornod province, also home to Mongolia’s longest river, the Hentii river. A full third of Mongolia is taken up by the southern Gobi desert, which continues from the eastern steppe to the Altai Mountain. Another ten per cent of the country is forest, most of which belongs to northern Mongolia, where the country’s largest fresh water lake, Huvsgul, lies.
CLIMATE – Mongolia’s climate is very dry with extreme continental temperatures. Despite being one of the highest countries in the world, humid air from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are blocked by the huge Central Asian mountain ranges. Meanwhile seasonal winds from Siberia affect much of the climate in Central Asia, including Mongolia.
Although Mongolian winters are famously cold, with temperatures dropping as low as -40C in the far north of the country, summers are generally warm. In the Gobi region snow can be found as late as April, while mid summer temperatures peak at around 40C degrees and there is little shade available.
Spring starts in March, is known for its constant dust storms and huge fluctuations in air pressure. The steppe gradually starts to sprout fresh, green pasture and even in the capital the change is both visible and welcome. The annual rainy season begins in late July and continues until September, which accounts for most of the summer. The snow falls starts in November and lasts until the following February throughout the country. The country averages 257 cloudless days a year, and it is usually at the center of a region of high atmospheric pressure. Precipitation is highest in the north (average of 20 to 35 centimeters per year) and lowest in the south, which receives 10 to 20 centimeters annually.
ADMINISTRATION – Government of Mongolia is characterized as a parliamentary democracy, which is governed under the Constitution of Mongolia that guarantees full freedom of expression, rights, worship and others. Mongolia’s president has a symbolic role, but can block the parliament’s decisions, who can then overrule the veto by a 2/3 majority and the government chosen by the legislature and executive power. The legislative arm, the State Great Khural, has one chamber with 76 seats and is chaired by the speaker of the house. It elects its members every four years by general elections. The Prime Minister of Mongolia is elected by the State Great Khural.
LANGUAGE – Mongolians speak their own Altaic language, although much of the population also speak Russian and English. Modern Mongolian has been in use since approximately the beginning of the 17th century. Mongolian can be subdivided into more than 20 ethnic groups, which are distinguished by their specific dialects and customs. The dialect spoken by the Khalkha, Mongolia’s largest ethnic group, is the most widely spoken. The modern Mongolian alphabet uses Russian Cyrillic script and consists of 35 characters.
CURRENCY – The Mongolian Tugrik is the currency of Mongolia. Our currency rankings show that the most popular Mongolia Tugrik exchange rate is the MNT to USD rate. The currency code for Tugriks is MNT, and the currency symbol is ₮. As of May, 2014, the exchange rates are USD 1=MNT1826. Banks and exchange offices in Ulaanbaatar will change money with relative efficiency. Banks in provincial centres are also fine; they change dollars and give cash advances against debit and credit cards. However, since they are so remote it’s still a good idea to leave the capital with enough cash to keep you going for a week or so. Cash advances can be made on credit cards in all hotels and ATM machines are available in Ulaanbaatar and larger cities.
CAPITAL CITY -ULAANBAATAR – Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, is located in the Tuul River valley elevated at 1 300m above sea level. About half of the Mongolian population lives in Ulaanbaatar. The city is the cultural, political and financial centre of the country. Ulaanbaatar, for much of its history known as Urga, was established in 1639 by lord of the Khalkha tribe, Tusheet Khaan Gombodorj, when he named his five-year-old son Zanabazar leader of the Buddhist religion in Mongolia. The nomadic encampment shifted from place to place until 1778 when it settled in its present location north of the Bogd Mountain. In 1924, after the People’s Revolution, the city was renamed Ulaanbaatar in honour of Sukhbaatar, a hero of the revolution. In 1930, Ulaanbaatar was still a city of monasteries and gers, all surrounded by high wooden yards. Most of the modern town sprung up after World War II, and the modern high rise apartments are products of the 1960s. Times have changed and the country’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is a vibrant modern city that still maintains strong cultural traditions and reminders of its Soviet past. The city is home to upscale shops, traffic jams and Internet cafes, as well as traditional yurts and Buddhist temples. This heady historical mixture pervades the people, places and attractions of the city.