Mongolia is one of the few countries in the temperate belt of the northern hemisphere with its vast territory, perfect ecosystem and virgin land. Mongolia ranked as the seventh largest country in Asia for its territory, which covers an area of 1.564.100 sq. km, larger than the overall combined territory of the United Kingdom , France , Germany and Italy . It is one of the land-locked countries. Mongolia lies in 41° 35' N. Lat and between 87° 44' and 119° 56' E. Long in the north of Central Asia . Mongolia bordered to the north by Russia and to the east, south and west by China . Its total borderline is 8161.8 km long, 3485 km of which is with Russia and 4676.8 km is with China . Within Mongolia , the Mongol Altai Mountains occupy an extensive area of 2392 km from west to north.
Mongolia has a sharply continental climate, with long, cold, dry winters and brief, mild, and relatively wet summers. When Arctic air masses dominate in mid-winter, temperatures average -20°C to -35°C. In the Uvs Lake basin in northwestern Mongolia , known as one of the coldest places in all of Asia , the lowest temperature ever recorded is -58°C. By contrast, summer time temperatures in the Gobi desert climb as high as 40°C. Annual precipitation ranges from 600 mm in the Khentii, Altai, and Khuvsgul mountains to less than 100 mm in the Gobi . In some parts of the Gobi , no precipitation may fall for several years in a row. Mongolia has the 4 seasons of the year. There are summer, autumn, winter and spring.
Various forms of Tengriism and Shamanism have been widely practiced throughout the history of what is now modern day Mongolia; as such beliefs were common among nomadic people in Asian history. Such beliefs mostly gradually gave way to Tibetan Buddhism, but Shamanism has left a mark on Mongolian religious culture. Indeed, it continues to be practiced. Some archaeologists believe that shamanism, the native religion, existed in Mongolia as early as 10,000 to 40,000 years ago. Mongolians are very religious people and stay faithful to their belief during their whole life. Even though, last few years other religious groups like Christians flow introduced to Mongolia strongly most of the people still belief in Buddhism.
Ulaanbaatar, which means Red Hero, is the capital and the largest city of Mongolia. It is the country's main center of politics, business and finance, culture and science. About half of the country's populations live in the capital city. Ulaanbaatar was founded in 1639 as Urguu a mobile monastery-town, it was often moved to various places along the Selenge, Orkhon and Tuul rivers. In 1778, the city settled for good at its current location, near the confluence of the Selbe and Tuul rivers and beneath Bogd Khan Uul, back then also on the caravan route from Beijing to Kyakhta. The city consists of a central district built in Soviet 1940s and 1950s-style architecture, surrounded by and mingled with residential concrete tower blocks and large yurt quarters. In recent years, a lot of the towerblock's ground floors have been modified and upgraded to small shops, and many new buildings have been erected.
Ethnographers divide Mongolia's population according to their ethnicity, but all Mongolians have one thing in common: they are nomads, or nomads at heart, even if they are urbanized. About half of the 2.3 million people live in gers, and 390.000 herdsman look after nearly 30 million livestock. They are truly nomadic, moving their gers and animals several times a year, constantly searching for better feed, water and weather. The life of a nomad, and therefore Mongolia, is inextricably linked to the environment and animals. Nomads learn to ride as soon as they can walk; they spend about half their time looking for stray animals (there are almost no fences in Mongolia), carrying a type of lasso pole called a uurga. While you are traveling around the countryside for a week or two in summer, you may think the simple nomadic lifestyle is ideal, but the long winters are desperately harsh, the food is unchanging, and looking after animals, preparing food and finding water is very hard work.