Mongolia

Mongolia brings to mind visions of Genghis Khan, camels trekking across the Gobi Desert or wild horses galloping across the steppes (flat and arid land - grassland plains.

A landlocked country in East-Central Asia, Mongolia borders Russia to the north and China to the south. Ulan Bator is the capital and largest city with about 38% of the population living there.

Mongolia is the most sparsely populated independent country in the world. It measures 1,564,116 sq. km with a population of around 2.9 million. Much of the country's land is unworkable as it is covered by arid and unproductive steppes, mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. It is interesting to note that today, still almost 30% of the country's population are nomadic and semi-nomadic.

Temperature wise, most the country is hot in Summer and bitterly cold in Winter. In January the temperature can drop as low as -30 degrees Celius. Ulan Bator has the lowest average temperate of any national capital in the world. It's Winters are cold and long and the Summers are short. Most of the rain falls during Summer.

ULAN BATOR (or ULAANBAATAR):

Ulan Bator is the capital and largest city in Mongolia. It's population is approximately one million. The city is located in the north central part of Mongolia at an elevation of about 1,310 m in a valley on the Tuul River at the foot of the mountain Bogd Khan Uul. Ulan Bator is the heart of the country in a cultural, industrial and financial way. It is connected by the highway to all major towns in Mongolia and by rail to the Trans Siberian Railway and Chinese Railroad network.

Founded in 1639 as a Buddhist Monastery centre, today it has grown into a major manufacturing centre. With its broad boulevards and squares and Socialist Classicist-style buildings plus the recent constructions of new buildings, Ulan Bator has gained great momentum in the past few years. However, little architecture in Ulan Bator predates the Second World War. The Choijin Lama Monastery, a Buddhist monastery built in 1908 escaped the destruction of Mongolian monasteries when it was turned into a museum in 1942. Another building to survive destruction by the Communist leader Khorloogiin Choibalsan (who ruled from the 30's until his death in 1952) is the 19th century Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery with its fabulous 26.5m high golden statue of Migjid Janraisig.

There are a few museums in Ulan Bator - There is the Natural History Museum featuring many dinosaur fossils and meteorites found in Mongolia and the National Museum of Mongolian History which includes exhibits from prehistoric times through the Mongol Empire to modern day. The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan is now a Museum for the last king of Mongolia (1911-1924). There are 6 temples plus many of the Khan's possessions are on display.

The very popular Naadam Festival is held in Ulan Bator every July. The Naadam (meaning games) Festival features three games - Mongolian wrestling, horseriding and archery. Other cities and town across Mongolia also hold these games but on a much smaller scale. The Festival begins with an elaborate introduction ceremony featuring dances, athletics, horseriders and musicians after which the competitions begin.