MONGOLIA – a world of discovery and adventures

There are few places left where there is still a sense of adventure and where you feel you are treading on undiscovered ground.
Mongolia - remote, mysterious, homeland of the greatest conqueror of all time, Chinggis Khaan; a country of rugged mountains, rolling steppes and awesome Gobi desert and Altai mountains to name a few. It is fabilious wide-open land of extreme climate and extraordinary natural environment with breathtaking scenery, fascinating wildlife and wonderfully hospitable people. Mongolia is a land of horses and herdsmen, and one of the last great undisturbed wilderness areas on earth where 40% of 2.6 mln people are some of the last truly nomadic pastoralists in the world. Travellers can experience the unique pleasures of staying with nomads and live a lifestyle of centuries ago. And imagine watching the unsurpassed skills of the Mongolian nomads as they round up semi-wild horses on the open steppes. These are only few examples of what Mongolia can offer to the adventurous traveller.
It is land that invites exploration, therefore be prepared and be planned, because Mongolia is not a country to visit in a hurry.

QUICK FACTS OF THE COUNTRY:

Location: in Central Asia bordering China and Russia

Area: 1.564.116 km2 – the size of most western Europe

Territory: landlocked country with total area of 1564.1 thousand sq/km or equal to half of Europe. It extends 2392km from west to east and 1259 km from north to south.

Capital: Ulaanbaatar abbreviated to UB

Relief: mountains to the west and north, centre and southwest comprise 40% of the land, the remainder, rolling plateau with great expanses of steppe, semi-desert, and desert plains

Altitude: Average is 1.580 meters above sea level. 80% of total territory is situated about 1000 meters above sea level.

Highest point: Khuiten peak 4.374 m in the Tavan Bogd range in Altai mountains

Climate: Continental, marked by four seasons, with sharp variations

The climate in Mongolia is full of extremes. Sudden changes from heat to cold, from summer to winter are amazing and hard to bear.
Distance from seas and considerable elevation over the sea level makes the climate very dry. Mongolia lies right between the southern edge of eternal glaciers and northernmost boundaries of deserts.

Average temperature: + 20 C in summer, and - 24C in winter

Winter lasts from November to March, with temperatures dropping down to – 40 Celsius. However, given the dry climate – 20 in Mongolia would be equal to – 10 in London or New York. If there is no wind, which penetrates beneath any winter jacket, winter in Mongolia is rather mild. July is the warmest month with the average temperature between +18C and +30C.

Mongolia is a sunny country with 260 days of sunlight.

Government: Parliamentary democracy with president elected every four year

Politics: Situated between China and Russia, Mongolia's strategic location underscores the importance of a successful transition from communism to democracy.

Population: 2.6 million of which 81.5% Khalkha Mongols, 12.5% Mongol minorities and 4.3% Kazakhs
1.6 persons per square kilometer. Presently, children and youth under 35 make up 70 percent of the population and the average age is 21 year. Out of the 2.7 million population about half lives in cities and towns, while the remaining 47 percent still live nomad lifestyle.

Language: Mongolian (an Altaic language); Russian and English widely spoken

Religion: Predominately Tibetian Buddhism, Christianity, Islam among the Muslim minorities in the west; traces of ancient Shamanism

Education: Mongolia boasts 97 percent literacy rate. Presently more than 500,000 pupils attend 660 secondary schools and another 140,000 students attend 198 state and private Universities and colleges.

Mongolian Script - Though Mongols developed own script, written vertically from up to down, way back in 13th century, from 50 years ago the Russian Cyrillic alphabet imposed as the official script. Now the old script is back into use as a main precondition for preserving the traditional culture and national identity.

Ethnic groups - There are 18 ethnic groups in Mongolia and they all have own tradition and culture.

1.Khalkh	2. Uriankhai	3. Barga	4. Bayd	5. Buryat	6. Dariganga
7. Darkhat	8. Durvud	9. Khazaks	10. Khotgoid	11. Torgud	12. Tuva
13. Uzemchin	14. Zakhchin	15. Tsaatan	16. Khoton	17. Ould	18. Myangad

Administrative divisions -Mongolian total territory is divided into 21 provinces or aimags and all have own centers.

1. Tuv (central) Aimag	Zuunmod
2. Ovorkhangai Aimag	Arvaikheer
3. Arkhangai Aimag	Tsetserleg
4. Khuvsgul Aimag	Moron
5. Zavkhan Aimag	Uliastai
6. Bulgan Aimag	Bulgan
7. Orkhon Aimag	Erdenet
8. Selenge Aimag	Sukhbaatar
9. Darkhan-Uul Aimag	Darkhan
10. Khovd Aimag	Khovd
11. Bayan-Olgii Aimag	Olgii
12. Uvs Aimag	Ulaangom
13. Khentii Aimag	Ondorkhaan
14. Sukhbaatar Aimag	Baruun-urt
15. Dornod Aimag	Choibalsan
16. Omnogobi Aimag	Dalanzadgad
17. Dundgobi Aimag	Mandalgobi
18. Dornogobi Aimag	Sainshand
19. Gobi-Sumber Aimag	Choir
20. Gobi-Altai Aimag	Altai
21. Bayankhongor Aimag	Bayankhongor

National holidays

• Naadam Festival
• Tsagaan sar –White month (Lunar New year )