Mongolia

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

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.

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.

Much of the central area consists of grassy steppe. In the south, the landscape shifts into the Gobi Desert.

This variety of terrain supports different ways of life. For example, the desert region is home to animals like the Bactrian camel.

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.

This became the largest contiguous land empire in history.

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.

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.

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.

About 30% of the people are still nomadic or semi-nomadic. Horse culture remains a very important part of their daily life.

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.