Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
🗺️

Inner Mongolia

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Inner Mongolia, officially known as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), is a massive administrative division of China.

Inner Mongolia Map
Inner Mongolia Map

It serves as a vital cultural and geographic bridge in East Asia. The region covers approximately 12% of China's total land area. This makes it the third largest administrative subdivision in the country. It shares a long border with the nation of Mongolia. It also touches a small section of Russia, specifically the Zabaykalsky Krai.

Qing Dynasty 1820
Qing Dynasty 1820

Because the territory stretches so far from east to west, it is split into two geographic divisions. The eastern division is part of Northeastern China, known as Dongbei. The western division is considered part of North China.

The geography of the region is diverse and expansive. The eastern division includes major cities like Tongliao, Chifeng, Hailar, and Ulanhot. Moving west, the landscape shifts into the North China division. This area contains important urban centers such as Baotou and the regional capital, Hohhot.

Kökeqota
Kökeqota

The climate varies significantly across these different zones. A climate map illustrates how weather patterns change across the vast terrain.

Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Nei Mongol 1991–2020
Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Nei Mongol 1991–2020

Visitors might see wide, open steppes or more rugged landscapes. The grasslands offer a classic view of the Mongolian Plateau.

Grasslands-menggu
Grasslands-menggu

In some areas, like the Ulanbutan Grassland, you might even see snow in the winter.

坝上雪原夕阳(路人) - panoramio
坝上雪原夕阳(路人) - panoramio

Inner Mongolia is home to a large and diverse population. According to the 2010 census, 24,706,321 people lived in the region. This accounts for 1.84% of the total population of Mainland China. While Han Chinese make up the majority, the Mongol population is very significant. There are over 4 million Mongols living in the region. This is the largest Mongol population in the world, even exceeding the population of the country of Mongolia.

Inner Mongolia County-Level Ethnicity Map (2020 data)
Inner Mongolia County-Level Ethnicity Map (2020 data)

The region is also economically strong. In 2022, its annual GDP per capita was US$14,343. This economic figure ranked the region 8th in China.

Language and culture are deeply rooted in the region's identity. The official languages are Mandarin and Mongolian. Mongolian in this region is written using the traditional Mongolian script. This differs from the Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet used in the country of Mongolia. The name "Inner Mongolia" comes from Manchu terms, *dorgi* and *tulergi*. These terms distinguish it from "Outer Mongolia," which referred to the independent state of Mongolia and the Republic of Tuva. Some groups prefer the name "Southern Mongolia" due to the historical origins of the term "Inner."

1912 Inner Mongolia
1912 Inner Mongolia

The history of the Mongolian Plateau is a complex story of shifting powers. Long before the 13th century, the Hetao region changed hands frequently. It moved between Chinese farming communities and various nomadic groups. These groups included the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Khitan, and Jurchen. During the Zhou dynasty, nomadic peoples like the Loufan lived in the west. The Donghu inhabited the eastern parts. During the Warring States period, King Wuling of Zhao expanded into the region. He even built a long wall through the Hetao area.

Inner Mongolia Map
Inner Mongolia Map

Major empires shaped the region's political landscape over many centuries. After Qin Shi Huang unified China in 221 BC, he sent General Meng Tian to drive out the Xiongnu. The Qin dynasty incorporated parts of the Zhao wall into the Great Wall of China. Later, the Han dynasty emperors established settlements to defend against nomadic groups. In 1206, Genghis Khan unified the Mongol tribes and founded the Mongol Empire. His grandson, Kublai Khan, established the Yuan dynasty. He even built a summer capital called Shangdu near modern-day Dolonnor.

Northern Yuan
Northern Yuan

The Ming and Qing dynasties also left lasting marks on the land. The Ming dynasty rebuilt the Great Wall, which still roughly follows the southern border of Inner Mongolia today. Following the rise of the Manchus, the Qing dynasty took control of the region in 1635. Under Qing rule, the Mongolian Plateau was managed through different systems. Some areas were organized into leagues, while others were managed by military commanders. This era saw deep connections between the Mongol nobility and the Qing royal family. The modern autonomous region was eventually established in 1947, bringing together several older provinces and territories.

677 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (33)
File:Siège de Beijing (1213-1214).jpeg
Siège de Beijing (1213-1214).jpeg
File:Northern Yuan.png
Northern Yuan.png
File:Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en.jpg
Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en.jpg
File:Qing_Dynasty_1820.png
Qing_Dynasty_1820.png
File:1912 Inner Mongolia.jpg
1912 Inner Mongolia.jpg
File:Delegates of Inner Mongolia People's Congress shouting slogans.jpg
Delegates of Inner Mongolia People's...
File:Grasslands-menggu.jpg
Grasslands-menggu.jpg
File:Inner Mongolia Map.png
Inner Mongolia Map.png
File:Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Nei Mongol 1991–2020.svg
Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Nei Mongol 1991–2020.svg
File:坝上雪原夕阳(路人) - panoramio.jpg
坝上雪原夕阳(路人) - panoramio.jpg
File:OvormonggolAR.svg
OvormonggolAR.svg
File:Kökeqota.svg
Kökeqota.svg

+ 21 more

More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.