Mongolia is a distant, mysterious country, the birthplace of the great conqueror Genghis Khan. It is often referred to as the "Land of the Blue Sky". This is a country of rocky mountains, lakes, endless steppes and the Gobi desert. Mongolia has beautiful natural scenery, many Buddhist temples, and, of course, hospitable locals with a distinctive and unique culture.

Geography of Mongolia

Mongolia is located in East and Central Asia. In the east, west and south, Mongolia borders with China, and in the north with Russia. This country has no access to the sea. The total area of ​​Mongolia is 1,564,116 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 8,220 km.

In the south of Mongolia is the Gobi Desert, which ends in the north of China. The Mongolian Altai mountain system stretches from the west to the southwest of Mongolia. The highest peak in Mongolia is the Kuiten-Uul peak, whose height reaches 4,374 m.

Several large rivers flow through the territory of Mongolia - Selenga, Kerulen, Tesiin-Gol, Onon, Khalkhin-Gol, etc.

Capital

The capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar, which is now home to about 1.3 million people. Ulaanbaatar was built in 1639, at first there was a Buddhist monastery in its place.

Official language of Mongolia

The official language of the population of Mongolia is Mongolian, belonging to the Ural-Altaic language family.

Religion

About 50% of the population of Mongolia professes Buddhism (in particular, Tibetan Buddhism), 40% of the population are atheists. Another 6% of Mongols are supporters of shamanism and Christianity, and 4% are Muslims.

State structure of Mongolia

According to the current Constitution of 1992, Mongolia is a parliamentary republic. The head of state is the President, who is elected for a term of 4 years by popular vote.

The Parliament in Mongolia is unicameral, it is called the State Great Khural, consists of 76 deputies, also elected for a 4-year term.

The main political parties are the Democratic Party, the People's Revolutionary Party, the Green Party and the Religious Democratic Party.

Climate and weather

The climate in Mongolia is pronounced continental with warm summers and long, dry and very cold winters. The average annual air temperature is -3.3C. The highest average air temperature is in July (+22C), and the lowest is in January (-32C).

The best time to visit Mongolia is from May to October.

Rivers and lakes

Several large rivers flow through the territory of Mongolia - Selenga, Kerulen, Tesiin-Gol, Onon, Khalkhin-Gol. In the north of Mongolia, near the border with Russia, there is Lake Khubsugul, which is considered the deepest in Central Asia.

Story

People appeared on the territory of Mongolia many thousands of years ago. Mongolia has been inhabited since prehistoric times by nomads who from time to time formed state confederations. It was because of the ancient Mongols that the Chinese had to build the Great Wall of China.

In 1206, the Mongol leader Temujin took the title of Genghis Khan, and conquered a number of peoples and countries. Thus the Mongol Empire was born. After the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was divided into four khanates. Under the successors of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire stretched from Poland in the east to Korea in the west, and from Siberia in the north to Vietnam in the south.

Buddhism began to spread among the Mongols in the 16th century. In the 15th-16th centuries, frequent internecine wars for power. In the future, the Mongols had to resist the invasion of Chinese troops.

The Chinese Qing Dynasty controlled Mongolia until 1911. In 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was formed, friendly to the USSR.

In 1962, the MPR was admitted to the UN. Since 1992, the Mongolian People's Republic has been officially called Mongolia.

culture

The culture and traditions of the Mongols are very rich. For many centuries, these nomads roamed the steppes and deserts of Central Asia, and it cannot be said that the climate there is favorable. The Mongols led a nomadic lifestyle from ancient times, and still have not abandoned it. Even now in cities, including Ulaanbaatar itself, many Mongols live in yurts.

Every July, the Mongols celebrate the Naddam festival, during which traditional Mongolian competitions are held - horse racing, archery and wrestling.

Every March, the Mongols celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of the New Year (according to the lunar calendar). At this time, the Mongols also arrange horse races, competitions in national wrestling and archery.

In addition, other festivals are held in Mongolia. The most interesting of them are the Hunting Eagle Festival, the Camel Festival and the Yak Festival.

Mongolian cuisine

Meat (beef and lamb) and dairy products are the basis of the diet of any inhabitant of Mongolia. Over the centuries, the Mongols have come up with various specific methods for storing meat. The most popular of them is drying, resulting in dried meat "fighter".

In winter, the Mongols most often eat horse meat, and in autumn and spring - lamb. At the end of spring, the Mongols eat goat meat.

Mongolian nomads invented various dairy products - yogurt (tarag, aarts), curd (byaslag), dried curd (aarul), and mare's milk koumiss (airag).

Mongols usually start eating dairy products in late spring. In the summer, the main food of the Mongols is just dairy products.

The Mongols are nomads living in the steppes. Therefore, it is not surprising that they season their dishes with various steppe herbs and greens. AT last years the people of Mongolia are growing more and more vegetables.

If you are already in Mongolia, then you will have to drink local tea there. The Mongolians make tea in a very peculiar way by adding milk to it. The main ingredients of Mongolian tea are green brick tea, milk, rice, flour, butter, salt. Sometimes Mongolians even add small pieces of meat to tea. Mongolians can drink tea with fried buns "boortsog".

Attractions

A large number of unique historical, architectural and archaeological monuments have been preserved in ancient Mongolia. Neolithic drawings near the Chultyn-Gol River, for example, are under the protection of UNESCO. The top 10 best attractions in Mongolia, in our opinion, may include the following:

  1. Peace Bell in Ulaanbaatar
  2. Mausoleum of Sukhbaatar in Ulaanbaatar
  3. Gandan Monastery
  4. Khan's palace with sculptures of the goddess Tara in Ulaanbaatar
  5. Monastery Manzushir
  6. Mount Bogd-Ul on which Genghis Khan was born
  7. Ruins of Karakorum, the former capital of the Mongol Empire
  8. Neolithic drawings near the Chultyn-Gol river
  9. Monastery "Hundred Treasures"
  10. Zhanrai Sing Temple in Ulaanbaatar

Cities and resorts

The largest cities in Mongolia are Erdenet (about 100 thousand people live there), Darkhan and, of course, the capital - Ulaanbaatar, which now has about 1.3 million people.

There are no beach or ski resorts in Mongolia, but tourists like this country for other reasons.

Tourists in Mongolia are attracted by amazing nature, unique historical monuments and original culture of the Mongols. So, National Geographic, for example, organizes appropriate tours to Mongolia for tourists who love adventure. In addition, the Land of the Snow Leopard tourist route passes through the territory of Mongolia (together with Tuva and Altai in Russia).

Souvenirs/Shopping

Basic moments

Hundreds of kilometers of land separate Mongolia from the nearest seas. This is the second largest country on the planet after Kazakhstan, which does not have access to the oceans. Mongolia is also known for being the most sparsely populated among all sovereign states in the world, and its main city- Ulaanbaatar - is one of the coldest capitals along with Reykjavik, Helsinki, Ottawa. But, despite such alarming records, the mysterious and original Mongolia does not cease to attract travelers. The birthplace of Genghis Khan is famous for its rich cultural and historical heritage, fantastic landscapes, diverse landscapes. Mongolia is called the "Land of the Eternal Blue Sky", because the sun shines here for more than 250 days a year.

The country has 22 national parks, most of them have a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Roads, hiking trails are laid along the protected areas, campsites, souvenir shops, cafes, bird and animal watching sites are equipped for tourists. In each of the parks, travelers are offered their own unique destinations and excursion programs. In Ulaanbaatar and Kharkhorin, which stands on the site of the ancient Mongolian capital, one can see monuments of Buddhist and Chinese architecture of world significance, in mountain caves along the rivers there are rock paintings by primitive artists, in the Mongolian steppes one can find stone steles with weathered images of ancient gods everywhere.

Tourists willingly go to Mongolia, who like adventure and exotic. They go to the desert or climb mountains, travel on horseback and camels. The range of active sports entertainment is very wide - from rafting on mountain rivers to paragliding. Ecologically clean reservoirs of Mongolia, where salmon, whitefish, sturgeon are found - the dream of lovers of nice fishing. There are separate programs in Mongolia for those who want to go on a yoga tour or hunt with a golden eagle.

All cities of Mongolia

History of Mongolia

Tribes of primitive people began to populate the territory of modern Mongolia at least 800,000 years ago, and traces of their presence on these lands Homo sapiens scientists attribute to the 40th millennium BC. e. Archaeological excavations show that the nomadic way of life, which determined the history, culture, traditions of the Mongols, established itself in these lands in 3500-2500 BC. e., when people reduced the cultivation of scarce land to a minimum, giving preference to nomadic pastoralism.

AT different times, up to early medieval, on the Mongolian lands they replaced, pushed back and partially assimilated with each other the tribes of the Huns, Xianbi, Juan, ancient Turks, Uighurs, Khitans. Each of these peoples contributed to the formation of the Mongolian ethnic group, as well as the language - the Mongol-speaking of the ancient Khitans was authentically confirmed. The ethnonym "Mongol" in the form "mengu" or "mengu-li" first appeared in the Chinese historical annals of the Tang dynasty (7th-10th centuries AD). The Chinese gave this name to the "barbarians" who roamed near their northern borders, and it probably corresponded to the self-name of the tribes themselves.

By the end of the 12th century, on the vast lands stretching from the Great Wall of China to Southern Siberia and from the upper reaches of the Irtysh to the Amur, numerous tribal tribes united in unions roamed. At the beginning of the 13th century, Khan Temujin, who belonged to the ancient Mongol clan Borjigin, managed to unite most of these tribes under his rule. In 1206, at a kurultai - a congress of the Mongol nobility - other khans recognized Temujin's supremacy over themselves, proclaiming him the great kagan. The supreme ruler took the name Genghis. He became famous as the founder of the most extensive continental empire in the history of mankind, which extended its power over most of Eurasia.

Genghis Khan swiftly carried out a series of reforms to centralize power, created a powerful army and introduced strict discipline into it. Already in 1207, the Mongols conquered the peoples of Siberia, and in 1213 they invaded the territory of the Chinese state of Jin. In the first quarter of the 13th century, Northern China, Central Asia, the territories of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Armenia were under the rule of the Mongol Empire. In 1223, the Mongols appeared in the Black Sea steppes, on the Kalka River they crushed the combined Russian-Polovtsian troops. The Mongols pursued the surviving warriors to the Dnieper, invading the territory of Russia. Having studied the future theater of operations, they returned to Central Asia.

After the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, the unity of the Mongol Empire began to acquire only a nominal character. Its territory was divided into four uluses - the hereditary possessions of the sons of the great conqueror. Each of the uluses gravitated towards independence, only formally retaining subordination to the central region with its capital in Karakorum. In the future, Mongolia was ruled by the direct descendants of Genghis Khan - the Genghisids, who bore the titles of great khans. The names of many of them are imprinted on the pages of history books that tell about the times of the Mongol-Tatar occupation of Russia.

In 1260, Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan became the Great Khan. Having conquered the Middle Kingdom, he proclaimed himself the Chinese emperor, the founder of the Yuan dynasty. On the lands conquered by the Mongols, Khubilai established a strict administrative order and introduced a strict system of taxes, but the ever-growing exactions caused more and more resistance from the conquered peoples. After a powerful anti-Mongol uprising in China (1378), the Yuan dynasty was defeated. Chinese troops invaded the territory of Mongolia and burned its capital, Karakorum. At the same time, the Mongols began to lose their positions in the West. In the middle of the XIV century, the star of the new great conqueror rose - Timur Tamerlane, who defeated Golden Horde in Central Asia. In 1380, on the Kulikovo field, Russian squads, led by Dmitry Donskoy, utterly defeated the Golden Horde, initiating the deliverance of Russia from the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

At the end of the 14th century, federalization processes intensified in feudal Mongolia. The collapse of the empire dragged on for 300 years, and as a result, three large ethnic formations were outlined on its territory, which in turn were divided into several khanates. In the 30s of the 17th century, the Manchu Qing dynasty, ruling in Northeast China, began to claim Mongolian lands. The first to be conquered were the southern Mongol khanates (now Inner Mongolia, autonomous region China), the last under the rule of the Qing dynasty was the Dzungar Khanate, which resisted until 1758.

After the Xinhai Revolution (1911), which destroyed the Qing Empire, a national liberation movement unfolded throughout the former Mongol Empire, which led to the creation of a feudal-theocratic state - the Bogdo-Khan Mongolia. It consistently had the status of an independent power, a protectorate Russian Empire, an autonomy within China, whose ruler was the Buddhist leader Bogdo Gegen XVIII. In 1919, the Chinese annulled the autonomy, but two years later they were ousted from Urga (today Ulaanbaatar) by the division of the Russian General Ungern-Sternberg. The White Guards, in turn, were defeated by the troops of the Red Army. A People's Government was created in Urga, the power of the Bogdo Gegen was limited, and after his death in 1924, Mongolia was proclaimed a People's Republic. Until the end of World War II, only the USSR recognized its sovereignty.

Most of Mongolia is a vast plateau located at an altitude of 1000 m with mountain ranges, steppe expanses, and hilly valleys. The western lands are divided by a continuous chain of valleys and basins into mountainous regions - the Mongolian Altai with the highest point of the country, the city of Munkh-Khairkhan-Ula (4362 m), Gobi Altai and Khangai, bounded in the south by the semi-desert Valley of Lakes, and in the West - by the Basin of the Big Lakes. In the northeast of Mongolia, near the border with Russia, the Khentei highlands are located. Its northern spurs stretch in Transbaikalia, and the southwestern ones, descending to the central part of the country, surround its capital - Ulaanbaatar. The southern regions of Mongolia are occupied by the rocky Gobi Desert. Administratively, the country is divided into 21 aimags, the capital has the status of an independent unit.

A quarter of the territory of Mongolia is covered by mountain steppes and forests. This belt, covering mainly the Khangai-Khentei and Altai mountainous regions, as well as a small territory of the Khangan region, is the most favorable for life and, accordingly, the best developed region. In the steppe regions, people are engaged in agriculture, grazing livestock. In the floodplains of the rivers, water meadows with high forbs are often used as hayfields. The northern moist slopes of the mountains are covered with forests, mostly deciduous. The banks of the rivers are bordered by narrow strips of mixed forests, where poplar, willow, bird cherry, sea buckthorn, and birch predominate.

The forests are inhabited by deer, elk, roe deer, deer, brown bears, as well as fur-bearing animals - lynxes, wolverines, manuls, squirrels. There are many wolves, foxes, hares, wild boars in the mountain-steppe regions, ungulates live in the steppe, in particular gazelle antelopes, marmots, birds of prey, partridges.

Full-flowing rivers are born in the mountains. The largest of them is the Selenga (1024 km), which crosses Mongolia, then flows within Russian Buryatia and flows into Lake Baikal. Another large river - Kerulen (1254 km) - carries its waters to Lake Dalainor (Gulun-Nur), located in China. There are more than a thousand lakes on the territory of Mongolia, their number increases during the rainy season, but shallow seasonal reservoirs soon dry up. 400 km west of Ulaanbaatar, in a tectonic depression in the region of the Khangai Mountains, there is a large lake Khuvsgulcollecting the waters of 96 tributaries. This mountain lake lies at an altitude of 1646 m, its depth reaches 262 m. In terms of the composition of the water and the presence of a unique relic fauna, Lake Khubsugul is similar to Baikal, from which it is only 200 km away. The water temperature in the lake ranges from +10...+14 °C.

Climate

Mongolia, located inland, is characterized by a sharply continental climate with long and extremely cold winters, short hot summers, capricious springs, dry air and incredible temperature changes. Precipitation is rare here, most of it falls in the summer. Winters in Mongolia have little or no snow, rare snowfalls are considered a natural disaster, as they do not allow livestock to get to feed in the steppe. The lack of snow cover cools the bare ground and leads to the formation of permafrost patches in the northern regions of the country. It is worth saying that nowhere else on the planet in similar latitudes is permafrost found. The rivers and lakes of Mongolia are covered with ice in winter, many reservoirs literally freeze to the bottom. They are free from ice for less than six months, from May to September.

In winter, the whole country falls under the influence of the Siberian anticyclone. This is where the atmospheric pressure is high. Weak winds rarely blow, they do not bring clouds. At this time, the sun reigns in the sky from morning to evening, illuminating and somewhat warming snowless cities, towns and pastures. The average temperature in January, the coldest month, ranges from -15°C in the south to -35°C in the northwest. In mountain hollows, frosty air stagnates, and the thermometers sometimes record a temperature of -50 °C.

In the warm season, Atlantic air masses approach Mongolia. True, overcoming a long journey over land, they waste their moisture. Its remnants go mainly to the mountains, especially their northern and western slopes. The least rain falls in the desert region of the Gobi. Summer in the country is warm, with an average daily temperature from north to south from +15 °С to +26 °С. In the Gobi Desert, the air temperature can exceed +50 °C; in this corner of the planet, characterized by an extreme climate, the amplitude of summer and winter temperatures is 113 °C.

Spring weather in Mongolia is extremely unstable. The air at this time becomes extremely dry, the winds carrying sand and dust sometimes reach the strength of a hurricane. Temperature fluctuations in a short period can be tens of degrees. Autumn here, on the contrary, is everywhere quiet, warm, sunny, but it lasts until the first days of November, the arrival of which marks the beginning of winter.

Culture and traditions

Mongolia is a mono-ethnic country. About 95% of its population are Mongols, a little less than 5% are peoples of Turkic origin who speak dialects of the Mongolian language, a small part are Chinese, Russians. The culture of the Mongols was originally formed under the influence of a nomadic lifestyle, later it was strongly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.

Throughout the history of Mongolia, shamanism has been widely practiced here - an ethnic religion widespread among the nomads of Central Asia. Gradually, shamanism gave way to Tibetan Buddhism, this religion became official at the end of the 16th century. The first Buddhist temple was built here in 1586, and by the beginning of the 1930s there were more than 800 monasteries and about 3,000 temples in the country. During the years of militant atheism, religious buildings were closed or destroyed, thousands of monks were executed. In the 1990s, after the fall of communism, traditional religions began to revive. Tibetan Buddhism has returned to its dominant position, but shamanism continues to be practiced. The peoples of Turkic origin living here traditionally profess Islam.

Before the reign of Genghis Khan, there was no written language in Mongolia. The oldest work of Mongolian literature was " secret history Mongols" (or "Secret Legend"), dedicated to the formation of the clan of the great conqueror. It was written after his death, in the first half of the 13th century. Old Mongolian writing, created on the basis of the alphabet borrowed from the Uighurs, existed with some changes until the middle of the 20th century. Today in Mongolia, the Cyrillic alphabet is used, which differs from the Russian alphabet by two letters: Ө and Y.

Mongolian music was formed under the influence of nature, nomadic lifestyle, shamanism, Buddhism. The symbol of the Mongolian nation is the traditional stringed musical instrument morin khur, the head of its neck is made in the form of a horse's head. Long, melodic Mongolian music usually accompanies solo singing. Epic national songs praise the native land or beloved horse, lyrical motifs are heard, as a rule, at weddings or family celebrations. Throat and overtone singing is also famous, which, with the help of a special breathing technique, creates the impression that the performer has two voices. Tourists are introduced to this original art form during ethnographic excursions.

The nomadic way of life of the Mongols found its expression in the local architecture. AT XVI-XVII centuries Buddhist temples were designed as rooms with six and twelve corners under a pyramidal roof, reminiscent of the shape of a yurt, the traditional dwelling of the Mongols. Later, temples began to be built in the Tibetan and Chinese architectural traditions. The yurts themselves - mobile collapsible tent houses with a frame covered with felt felt, are still housing for 40% of the country's population. Their doors are still turned to the south - to the warmth, and in the northern, most honorable side of the yurt, they are always ready to welcome the guest.

The hospitality of the Mongols is legendary. According to one of them, Genghis Khan bequeathed to his people to always welcome travelers. And today, in the Mongolian steppes, nomads never refuse lodging and food to strangers. And the Mongols are very patriotic and united. It seems that they are all one big friendly family. They treat each other with warmth, calling strangers “sister”, “brother”, demonstrating that respectful relationships instilled in the family extend beyond its borders.

Visa

All sights of Mongolia

Central Mongolia

In the middle of the Tuva (Central) aimag, the main city of the country, Ulaanbaatar, and its administratively subordinate territories are located as an enclave. Almost half of the population of Mongolia lives here. This bright original city, surrounded by a dense ring of yurts, impresses with its contrasts. High-rise buildings coexist here with ancient Buddhist monasteries, modern skyscrapers - with faceless buildings of the times of socialism. The capital has the best hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, nightclubs, and the National Amusement Park.

The city has many monuments dedicated to national heroes and masterpieces of religious architecture. The architectural symbol of Ulaanbaatar is the Gandan monastery, where 600 monks live permanently and religious ceremonies are held daily. The main attraction of the temple is a 26-meter statue of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, one of the most revered representatives of the Buddhist pantheon, covered with gold leaf. The Chinese architectural tradition is represented by the Bogd Gegen palace complex. The last ruler of Mongolia lived here until 1924.

In the bowels of the modern city, behind a palisade of skyscrapers, the beautiful temple complex of Choijin-lamyn-sum (Choyjin Lama Temple) hides. It includes several buildings, one of which houses the Museum of Tibetan-Mongolian Religious Art. There are about a dozen excellent museums with rich collections in Ulaanbaatar. The most famous of them are the National Museum of the History of Mongolia, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Fine Arts.

Incredibly picturesque near and far neighborhoods of Ulaanbaatar, where, surrounded by mountains, are located National parks. Among them, the most famous Bogd-Khan-Uulsurrounding the mountain of the same name. In its gorge, according to legend, the young Genghis Khan hid from his enemies. A walking route runs through the park, leading to the top of the mountain, from where a spectacular panorama of Ulaanbaatar opens.

From the capital of Buryatia Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar buses depart daily. Departure - at 07:00, arrival at the station at the railway station of Ulaanbaatar - at 20:00. The bus goes through the Mongolian cities of Sukhe Bator and Darkhan.

The territory of Mongolia is a huge plateau, which is elevated above sea level. Mountains with a height of 1500-3000 m occupy at least 40% of the area of ​​the country from the area of ​​the whole country, and its high-mountainous sections with a height of more than 3000 m - about 2.5-3%. Mongolia ranks 17th in the world in terms of its territory.

An interesting fact: Mongolia is the smallest country in terms of population density, its density is approximately 1.7 people / sq. km. BUT total strength The population reaches about 3 million people.

Mongolia is a country where you can travel hundreds of kilometers and not meet a single person. In a number of areas, such as deserts and highlands, the population density reaches a minimum threshold - from 0.01 to 1%.

In his great history The ethnic groups of Mongolia have gone through a great many different periods of development. As a result, with the formation of a single, cohesive Mongolian people, the Greatest Mongolian state appeared. It was a great world empire, which to this day has no equal. Arin V.D. Russia and Mongolia at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries: economics, diplomacy, culture / V.D. Arin.--Irkutsk, BSUEP, 2013.--402 p.

In Mongolia, there is the world's tallest statue of a rider on a horse, which is an hour's drive from the capital. The Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital in the whole world.

25% of all snow leopards living on our planet permanently live in Mongolia.

Mongolia country with ancient history, and is fraught with many mysteries from the past.

An interesting find was announced in Mongolia. A Scythian warrior was found. It was discovered in the Altai Territory at an altitude of 2.6 kilometers. And the most interesting thing is that it was completely undamaged in the burial mound. Obviously he was a wealthy man, for he was covered in beaver and sable fur, and he also wore a sheepskin. The body of the warrior was covered with many tattoos.

And the main feature of this find was the warrior's hair, he was blond. True, some scientists say that the hair could have become this color even after his death.

Near the grave, 2 horses were found, on which were richly decorated bridles and saddles, as well as weapons, a vessel made of clay and animal horns. They were placed in the grave next to the mummy so that they could accompany him to the other side of life.

The rivers of Mongolia are born in the mountains. Most of them are the headwaters of the great rivers of Siberia and Far East carrying their waters towards the Arctic and Pacific oceans. Most major rivers countries - Selenga (within the borders of Mongolia - 600 km), Kerulen (1100 km), Tesiin-Gol (568 km), Onon (300 km), Khalkhin-Gol, Kobdo. The most full-flowing - Selenga.

In Mongolia, there are many permanent lakes and a much larger number of temporary lakes that form during the rainy season and disappear during the drought. In the early Quaternary period, a significant part of the territory of Mongolia was an inland sea, which later divided into several large reservoirs. The current lakes are what is left of them.

Next, consider the climate of Mongolia. Mongolia has a sharply continental climate with harsh winters and dry, hot summers. In the capital, the city of Ulaanbaatar, located approximately in the middle between the mountain ranges of the northwest and the desert arid zone of the southeast of the country, the temperature ranges from minus 25 - 35 degrees in winter, to plus 25 - 35 degrees in summer. Ulaanbaatar is one of the coldest winter capitals in the world: the coldest month is January. The warmest month is July.

In mountainous areas, in the north and west of the country it is often cold. Most of the country is hot in summer and very cold in winter, with January averages dropping to -30 degrees.

Consider in detail Administrative division Mongolia.

Mongolia is divided into 21 aimags, which in turn has 329 soums. The capital Ulaanbaatar is an independent administrative unit.

Mongolia has an interesting address system. Due to the large number of temporary settlements (yurts) in the country that change spatial position over time, traditional address systems (city, street, house) are not very suitable for Mongolia.

On February 2, 2008, the Government of Mongolia decided to adapt the technology of the Universal Address System for the needs of the country, that is, the use of the Natural Area Code for addressing objects on the ground. This system allows you to address on the ground within the Earth, both entire regions and cities, individual houses and even small objects with an accuracy of up to a meter. The more precisely the address is specified, the longer its code. For example, the address of the city of Ulaanbaatar as a whole is RV-W QZ, and the address of the monument in the center of Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar is RW8SK QZKSL.

Although more people live in cities, Mongolia's economy is concentrated in industries such as mining and Agriculture. Such mineral resources like copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold make up a significant part of the country's industrial production.

In the period from 1924 to 1991, the MPR received large financial and economic assistance from the USSR. At the peak of this assistance, one third of its GDP is accounted for. In the early 1990s. years and in the next decade, the Mongolian economy experienced a strong decline followed by stagnation.

Exports: copper and other non-ferrous metals, fluorspar, uranium ore, coal, petroleum, clothing, farm animals, wool, hides, animal products, cashmere. The main buyers in 2011 are China (85.7%), Canada (6.3%) in 10th place is Russia (3%).

Imports: machinery and equipment, fuels, automobiles, foodstuffs, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, cigarettes and tobacco products, household appliances, soaps and detergents, sugar, tea. The main suppliers in 2011 are China (43.4%), Russia (23.3%, mainly oil and electricity), South Korea (5.6%), Japan (5.1%).

Mongolia is a member of the World Trade Organization (since 1997). The main trading partners of the country are China and Russia, and Mongolia's economy is largely dependent on these countries. In 2006, 68.4% of Mongolia's exports went to China, while imports accounted for only 29.8%. Mongolia imports about 95% of oil products and part of electricity from Russia, which makes the country extremely dependent in economic terms.

In 1578, Tibetan Buddhism was officially adopted in the country, but shamanism continues to be practiced by a small part of the population (primarily in the north of the country). By the time of the People's Revolution of 1921, there were 755 Buddhist monasteries and 120,000 monks and priests in the country (with a total population of 650,000 people).

As a result of repression, by the end of the 1930s. years, all the monasteries were closed or destroyed, and their property was nationalized.

In 1949, the only monastery was reopened in Ulaanbaatar, but the freedom of religion declared by the 1960 constitution was ensured only in the late 1980s. years and the revival of traditional Buddhism, shamanism, Islam (among the Kazakhs) began. Since the beginning of the 1990s, foreign Christian missions, Baha'is, Munists and Mormons began their activities. Baabar History of Mongolia: From world domination to the Soviet satellite / Baabar. - Kazan: Tatarstan, 2010. - 543 p.

The culture of Mongolia is heavily influenced by the traditional Mongolian nomadic lifestyle, as well as Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese and Russian cultures. Love for one's lineage and family is valued in Mongolian culture; this manifests itself in everything from old Mongolian literature to modern music. Another characteristic and most important feature of the steppes is hospitality. The yurt is an important component of the Mongolian national identity; up to the present time, many Mongols live in yurts.

Education is one of the priorities domestic policy Mongolia. To date, illiteracy in the country has been virtually eliminated, thanks to the creation of seasonal boarding schools for children from nomadic families.

Since 1990, social changes and improvements in health care have been taking place in Mongolia. The healthcare system includes 17 specialized hospitals, four regional diagnostic and treatment centers, nine district hospitals, 21 aimag and 323 somon hospitals. In addition, there are 536 private hospitals.

Some of the earliest examples of Mongolian visual arts- rock paintings and bronze and copper weapons with images of animals. There is also a stone stele from the Iron Age. Mongolian art was strongly influenced by the visual canons of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as Indian, Nepalese and Chinese art. At the beginning of the 20th century, a tradition of secular painting began to develop in Mongolia; Baldugiin Sharav became its founder. After the revolution, for a long time the only acceptable style in Mongolian painting was socialist realism, and only in the 1960s did artists get the opportunity to move away from the canons. The first representatives of modernism in Mongolia were Choidogiin Bazarvaan and Badamzhavyn Chogsom.

The oldest literary and historical monument is the Secret History of the Mongols. One of the founders of modern Mongolian literature is the writer, poet and public figure Dashdorzhiin Natsagdorzh, the first translator of Pushkin's works into Mongolian.

The instrumental ensemble occupies an important place in Mongolian music. Folk instruments: amankhur (harmonica), morinkhur and limbo (bamboo flute). There are traditional pieces for key instruments in Mongolian music. Vocal art also has a long tradition. Baldaev R.L. public education in the Mongolian People's Republic / R.L. Baldaev. - M.: Mir., 1971. - 230 p.

In modern sports, Mongolians are traditionally strong in singles. This is boxing, freestyle wrestling, judo, bullet shooting. In terms of the number of Olympic awards per capita, Mongolia is ahead of many highly developed countries. Quite exotic sports for the Mongols, like bodybuilding and powerlifting, are developing at an active pace.

population armed forces 10.3 thousand people (2012).

Manning is carried out on conscription, the service life is 12 months. Men are called from the age of 18 to 25 years. At present, the army of Mongolia is undergoing a reform aimed at increasing the combat capability and updating the technical fleet of weapons and military equipment. Russian, American and other specialists take an active part in this process.

Since 2002, Mongolia has been participating in peacekeeping activities.

Mongolia seems to be a distant country, deserted and uninhabited. In fact, this is the southeastern neighbor of Russia, where friendly people live. In the capital Ulaanbaatar and others Mongolian cities many Russians settled.

Mongolia in the modern world: features of the country

Mongolia has existed within its current borders since 1921. Until 1991, it was under the influence and patronage of the USSR. Like Bulgaria, Mongolia was half-jokingly called a Soviet republic, which in some way reflected the political situation. With the collapse of the USSR, full independence came, which brought many internal and external problems. The new historical reality gave impetus to the development of Mongolian society. Modern Mongolia can be considered a young state that has measured the first quarter of a century of its history.

Once the power of the Mongol khans stretched from Poland to the Pacific and Indian oceans. The advanced detachments of Genghis Khan stood at the suburbs of Vienna. Neither before nor since has anyone been able to create such a vast empire.

How ordinary people live in Mongolia today

The socialist period left a deep mark on the state structure of the Mongols. As before, among the priorities of the leadership is concern for the well-being of all segments of the population. The Government of Mongolia has 13 ministries, and one of them is social security and labor.

Genghis Khan is the national hero of the Mongols

Mongolia is not among the rich countries, but you cannot call it poor either.

We touched on the topic of salaries for us and for them. It turned out that a more or less skilled worker for less than 500 USD. e. will not work. Highly skilled workers get 700-1000. He said that we have about the same. The response phrase was: "So we caught up with Russia." By the way, there are many Russian specialists at the plant. Get up to $5,000.

Gloomy73http://www.yaplakal.com/forum43/topic1241098.html?hl=

Table: the ratio of average wages and prices in Ulaanbaatar, tugriks

average salary 935 400
Drinking water, 1.5 l. 463
Milk (3% fat), 1 l. 2 414
Bread, loaf 1 710
Eggs, dozen 4 245
Rice, 1 kg 2 414
Chicken breasts, 1 kg 7 223
Local cheese, 1 kg 20 160
Oranges, 1 kg 4 809
Apples, 1 kg 3 018
Potatoes, 1 kg 1 529
Wine, 0.7 l. (average sample) 20 120
Local beer, 0.5 l. 1 086
Average lunch at McDonald's 12 115
Cigarettes, 1 pack 1 851
Ticket in public transport 525
Taxi in the city for 1 km 1 006
Gasoline AI-95, 1 l. 2 012
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 60 360 000
Rent 1 room apartments, residential area 654 403
Rent 1 room apartments, center 1 238 500
Real estate price, 1 sq.m. in a residential area 2 237 710
Real estate price, 1 sq.m. in the center 3 635 950
Utility payments for an apartment of 80 sq.m. (electricity, gas, water, garbage) 132 610
Mobile communication, price 1 min 101
Internet, unlimited 72 090
Monthly gym membership 132 875
Tennis court, 1 hour rental 29 660
cinema ticket 9 035
Lunch at the cafe 5 240
A cup of coffee 5 835
Jeans Levis 501 175 830
Nike sneakers 284 460

Mongolian Tugrik (MNT): 1000 MNT = 23.90 rubles. 1 ruble equals 41.79 MNT.

Table: wealth index according to Legatum Institute

Rank The country Options
Economy Business Government Education healthcare Security personal freedom social capital Ecology
72 Kuwait 59 94 97 95 31 39 108 35 99
72 Colombia 76 28 89 79 65 142 44 64 52
73 Paraguay 68 91 116 99 57 59 56 76 64
74 Albania 107 67 71 76 49 68 60 106 121
75 Vietnam 36 80 104 50 62 53 124 58 80
76 Mongolia 64 82 81 48 93 105 83 30 108
77 Kyrgyzstan 71 87 113 60 61 81 86 47 68
78 Turkey 49 74 65 80 52 126 94 104 55
79 Bolivia 80 123 73 82 105 77 42 72 81
80 Guyana 97 115 61 100 94 79 75 43 65
81 Belize 106 128 80 94 70 91 53 91 29

The Mongols are a nation of nomads

Although the majority of the population leads a sedentary lifestyle and lives in cities, the spirit of nomadism is still in the character of the average Mongol. Some of them are in constant migration, carrying yurts behind them.

The mentality of the Mongols is masterfully conveyed in Nikita Mikhalkov's wonderful film Urga: Territory of Love.

Yurts on the background of new buildings - a typical urban landscape in Mongolia

Mongolia is located inland and has no access to the sea, which determined its sharply continental climate with hot, dry summers (+25 - +35 ° C in July) and cold winters (down to -35 ° C in January). Ulaanbaatar is among the coldest capitals in the world in winter time.

The way of life that has settled in Mongolia is extremely close to nature and fulfills the main goal of human life. Let's say there are no problems with housing in Mongolia: buy or make yourself a yurt and you don't have to be a bank slave. There are no people in Mongolia who dream when their grandparents die in order to clean up their housing. The prices for life in Mongolia are extremely affordable: a couple of dollars can buy a huge package of meat! And the horse costs in terms of rubles from 7-12 thousand rubles. 1 ram (live) costs about 500 rubles!

Hunnuhttp://www.fresher.ru/2016/04/11/grust-pechal-mongolii/#

With the exception of industrial areas and mining sites, which occupy a small part of the territory, the rest of Mongolia is an ecologically clean, unaffected natural environment.

The south of Mongolia is occupied by the sparsely populated Gobi desert.

The address system of Mongolia is interesting. Nomadic settlements do not have generally accepted street names and building numbering. Therefore, since 2008, the international system of natural region codes (Natural area code) used in cartography has been taken as a basis. Instead of an address, an alphabetic code is used, indicating the location with an accuracy of 1 meter.

And yet Mongolia is not only endless expanses of steppes, deserts and mountain plateaus. It has large cities with tall buildings, in many ways reminiscent of the Russian centers of Buryatia and Kalmykia.

Ulaanbaatar - a modern city of a million people

Two components are clearly expressed in the culture of Mongolia. Urban - it feels the influence of Russian and Chinese cultures, and in recent decades - American and European. And rural - patriarchal, it has strong traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and a thousand-year way of nomadic tribes.

Mongolian society has long defeated illiteracy. Secondary education is compulsory for young people. The oldest university in the country is located in Ulaanbaatar, with more than 12,000 students studying at the same time.

Mongolian writing with an alphabet based on the Cyrillic alphabet was created in the 20th century by Russian linguists and philologists. With writing, the development of national literature and theater began. Of the spectacular art forms, the most popular are concerts of ensembles of folk instruments.

Opera singers and singers of Mongolia are known outside the country, there are many Mongolian artists who perform under contract in the troupes of European and Russian opera houses.

Statistics: population and life expectancy

In terms of area, Mongolia is one of the largest countries in the world, with a territory of 1,564,116 km², placing it in 18th place between Iran and Peru. But with a population of 3 million people, the Mongols fall to 138th place. Therefore, the country's position in terms of population density is even lower: 1.8 people / km² - 195th place in the world.

In 2016, the US CIA ranked Mongolia a modest 160th in the global life expectancy ranking. The indicators are as follows:

  • men - 65.4 years,
  • women - 74.1 years,
  • the national average is 69.6 years.

The distribution of the population by age groups is pyramidal in nature.

Mongols aged 20 to 35 are the largest part of the population

In outline, the diagram resembles a yurt, there is a certain symbolism in this.

Mongolia is a mono-ethnic country, the main ethnic group is the Khalkha Mongols - 82.5% of the population. Among national minorities, Kazakhs are the most - 102 thousand people (3.9%).

Russians have been represented in Mongolia since the 17th century, but their numbers rarely exceeded several thousand people, except for military personnel. At present, there are about 2.5 thousand Russians, and they live in the cities of Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Darkhan.

It is curious: about 9 million Mongols live outside of Mongolia. 3 times more than in Mongolia itself.

Geographically, Mongolia is "sandwiched" between Russia and China. That is why these two countries are the main trading partners, taking over the lion's share of Mongolian imports and exports.

Mongolia supplies copper, non-ferrous metals, uranium ore, spar, coal, oil, and livestock products. Imports - cars, petroleum products, consumer goods, building materials, tobacco products, household appliances, machinery and technological equipment.

Import prevails over export: 6.8 against 4.4 billion. dollars. The trade deficit is 2.4 billion. dollars.

Meat in Mongolia, like bread in Russia, is the staple food. Meat is eaten boiled, raw, fried, stewed, and even dried, like chips.

Evgenia Baltatarovahttp://gazeta-n1.ru/news/18849/

Mongolia has neither navigable rivers nor seaports. But there is a maritime register, in which ships under the Mongolian flag can be registered. This commercial fleet has more than 2.5 thousand transport units and continues to grow. Providing a flag for the registration of ships is one of the income items of the Mongolian budget.

How to go to live in Mongolia

Russians can stay in Mongolia for up to 30 days on a visa-free exchange. The term is sufficient to feel the spirit of the country, its people and solve the issues of moving to a permanent place of residence.

You will need to return to Russia and apply for a long-term visa, which will require an invitation from a Mongolian individual or legal entity. The inviter will become the official guarantor. Upon arrival of the invitee, he will register him with the immigration office within a week, and then remove him from the registration after departure.

Immigration for permanent residence

If a foreigner plans to stay in Mongolia for more than 90 days, he must apply to the immigration authorities and issue a residence permit. The Mongols do not distinguish between a residence permit and permanent residence. They immediately issue a permanent residence permit.

The easiest way to get permanent residence and citizenship is for outstanding figures of science, culture and sports. They are granted the right of residence by decree of the President of Mongolia.

Wealthy investors can acquire citizenship after investing $2 million in the Mongolian economy. A special program "Citizenship by investment" has been developed for them.

The rest of the applicants apply for a residence permit in a general manner. The main ways to obtain permanent residence are study, work, business and marriage with a Mongolian citizen / citizen.

Applicants submit a passport, application form, photo (3 x 4 cm), certificate of residence and a document confirming the purpose of residence:

  • students - study permit from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science;
  • workers - permission from the Labor, Employment and Welfare Service;
  • businessmen - permission from the Agency for Foreign Investment and Foreign Trade;
  • in case of family reunification and marriage - documents confirming family and kinship relations.

Employees and businessmen may be required to obtain a permit for a certain type of activity, the application of a Mongolian company, etc. If a positive decision is made, a fee of 30,000 tugriks must be paid and then 15,000 tugriks should be paid annually for renewal.

How to get Mongolian citizenship

Foreigners who have lived in Mongolia for 5 years and have an income of more than $310 per month, which is 10 times the minimum wage, can apply for citizenship, but there are certain nuances.

After 5 years of permanent residence, you can apply for citizenship, and with it a Mongolian passport

Mongolia does not recognize dual citizenship, which creates difficulties for applicants. In neighboring China, 8 million Mongols live, among them there are many wealthy people and high-class specialists. Realizing that they have created unnecessary barriers to moving into the country, the Mongolian government is leaning towards lifting the ban on dual citizenship.

The news feed of Mongolia now on 09/11/2016 published a statement by the Minister of Foreign Relations Ts. Munkh-Orgil that "dual citizenship among thousands of Mongols is a fait accompli." Apparently, changes in legislation are not far off.

According to Article 22, paragraph 5 of the “Law on Citizenship of Mongolia”, the period for receiving, considering and making a decision on issues related to Mongolian citizenship should not exceed 6 months.

How many Russians are in Mongolia now, how do they live

There are few Russians, but they are noticeable. These are mainly businessmen and highly skilled workers in exile, as well as members of Mongolian families.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Parish in Ulaanbaatar was consecrated in 2009 and is the property of the Russian Orthodox Church

Mongolian society is interested in developing cooperation with Russia. The two countries share decades of fruitful relations, including brotherhood in arms and joint space flight.

A large Mongolian diaspora and two closely related peoples live in Russia - Buryats and Kalmyks.

Within the city limits of Ulan Bator there is a Russian cemetery, which fell into disrepair in the 90s. In the last decade, thanks to the Russian embassy, ​​the public and the Orthodox Church, work has been carried out to improve the cemetery and maintain order in it.

Table: pros and cons of living in Mongolia

pros Minuses
Neighborhood with Russia, common transport system. Mongolia is not among the advanced countries.
Demand for qualified professionals. Seasonal workers are not in demand.
In terms of infrastructure and lifestyle, Mongolian cities are identical to Russian provincial centers. The quality of services does not reach European standards.
Most Mongols sympathize with the Russians and are in favor of expanding cooperation. The influence and expansion of Chinese business is noticeable. Part of the elite is pro-American.
Life in Mongolia is relatively cheap by Russian standards. The diet is dominated by meat and meat products.
The sparsely populated and nomadic lifestyle of part of the population creates favorable conditions for entering the local business and promoting the enterprise in the domestic market. The level of corruption with its own national flavor is high.
Remarkable ecology and natural beauty of the vast expanses, not affected by the invasion of the industry. Very cold winter.
Alphabet based on Cyrillic, availability of Russian-language publications. Mongolian is one of the eight most complex languages in the world.

What does Mongolia smell like? Nothing. Unless, with close acquaintance with representatives of the animal world, when merging with the life of the Mongols, which has not changed much over the past centuries, one can catch a smoky, bestial, sour and bitter smell, without unnecessary notes. Yes, solar panels, TVs in yurts, motorcycles and jeeps near yurts. But in the yurts there are the same grandfather’s chests and a vat of airak (a milk drink that replaces everything water-containing for nomads), the same glorious, disheveled, at first somewhat shy children, who, due to their natural curiosity for life, become almost their own, trustingly sitting on the knees of the guests and leading quite understandable conversation. Of course, in Mongolian, because they do not know another language. And an amazing thing happens - you understand them too. Even more so than their parents.

father Eugenehttp://travel.drom.ru/36621/

Modern Mongolia is an open society, following the path of development along with the civilized world. Russians choosing to move to Mongolia permanently will be greeted with hospitality and opportunities for subsequent naturalization. The prospects for changing legislation to allow dual citizenship make Mongolia quite attractive for immigration.

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Mongolia - amazing country with a long history, the birthplace of the great Genghis Khan. On the territory of the country there are endless steppes, the hot Gobi desert, and the majestic peaks of Altai. Only here there are about a dozen horses per inhabitant, and the difference between summer and winter temperatures is 80 degrees!

Location, composition and cities

The state of Mongolia is located in the northeast of Asia. Administratively, the country consists of 21 aimags, which in turn are divided into 329 soums.

The capital of Mongolia is the city of Ulaanbaatar.

Borders and area

Land borders of Mongolia with countries such as Russia and China.

Mongolia covers an area of ​​1,654 thousand square kilometers.

Mongolia map

Timezone

Population

2,964,000 people as of the end of 2015.

Language

The official language is Mongolian.

Religion

Buddhism is the main religion for the entire population of Mongolia. It is practiced by more than ninety percent of the entire population. Shamanism, Islam and other religions are also widespread in the territory of Mongolia.

Finance

The official currency is the Tugrik.

Medical care and insurance

Medical care is relatively good. It should be noted that there are few medical institutions in which tourists can receive qualified assistance. Emergency assistance is provided free of charge. There is no health insurance system in Mongolia.

Mains voltage

220 V, frequency 50 Hertz. Type of sockets - C and E.

International dialing code

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