Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east, and west. It covers about 1.56 million square kilometers, making it one of the largest countries by area, and it has a very low population density, with roughly 3.3 million people. The capital and largest city is Ulaanbaatar.

The landscape consists mainly of steppes and deserts, with mountains in the north and west. The Gobi Desert occupies the southern part of the country. The climate is continental, with cold winters and hot summers; many people still practice traditional nomadic herding.

Historically the region was home to nomadic cultures. In the 13th century, Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, which became the largest land empire in history. Mongolia declared independence from Qing China in 1911, later becoming a Soviet-influenced state. A democratic transition began in 1990 and a 1992 constitution established a parliamentary republic.

Mongolia has a multi-party system and a parliamentary form of government. The unicameral State Great Khural has 76 members elected for four-year terms; the President is the head of state and a Prime Minister leads the government. The economy is dominated by mining (copper, coal, gold) and expanding services.

The official language is Mongolian, written in Cyrillic; the traditional Mongolian script has seen renewed use. Buddhism and shamanism influence culture, and the Naadam festival features archery, wrestling, and horse racing. The tögrög (MNT) is the currency; Mongolia maintains significant trade with China and growing ties with other partners.