Mongolia

Mongolia is a large, landlocked country in Central Asia between Russia and China. It is one of the least crowded countries on Earth. Mongolia has wide grasslands, deserts, and a tradition of nomadic herders who live in round tents called gers.

Land and People

Only about 3.3 million people live in Mongolia, and about half live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The rest of the country is wide-open steppe, the Gobi Desert, and mountains. Mongolia is bigger than Alaska but has fewer people.

Old treasures found buried in the grasslands of Mongolia.
Old treasures found buried in the grasslands of Mongolia. (Yastanovog / Wikimedia Commons)

Culture and Fun Facts

Many Mongolians still live as nomads, moving with their animals across the grasslands. They live in gers, which are round felt tents. Mongolian children learn to ride horses almost before they can walk. The Naadam Festival features horse racing, wrestling, and archery.

Fun Facts

  • Mongolia has more horses than people.
  • Genghis Khan built the largest land empire in history from Mongolia.
  • The Gobi Desert in Mongolia is home to rare two-humped Bactrian camels.

Did You Know?

In Mongolia, children as young as three years old learn to ride horses. During the Naadam Festival, horse races are ridden by children between ages 6 and 12 over distances of up to 18 miles. Horses are so important that Mongolians say they are born on horseback.