In what natural zone does the mongolia tree grow. The animals of Mongolia are the rich fauna of the steppes and mountains. Salt lake and mountain rivers

Mongolia (Mongolian People's Republic)

Territory - 1.57 million km 2. Population - over 1.55 million people (1978). Most of the country is a plateau, mountains rise in the west and north (Mongolian Altai, Khangai, Khentei).

The climate is temperate, very dry, with sharp fluctuations in temperature. The average amount of precipitation is from 50 to 200 mm per year in deserts and semi-deserts in the south and from 200 to 500 mm in the mountains in the north of the country. The forests of Mongolia occupy a transition zone between the mountain taiga forests of Siberia and the deserts of Central Asia and are concentrated mainly in the mountainous regions in the north and west of the country. These are forests along the northern slopes of Khangai and Khentei at an altitude of 1000 m to 1800 m in the west and up to 2200 m in the east. As you move south, more and more areas are occupied by grass-forb steppes, the landscape resembles a mountain forest-steppe, and forest areas gradually disappear.

The southern part of Mongolia is treeless. Forest cover in individual aimags ranges from fractions of a percent to 40% of the total land area. In the Gobi aimags, among the semi-desert and desert spaces, small areas of saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) and individual species of caragana (Caragana pygmaea, C. bungei) are found in places on the sands.

The predominant species in the forests of Mongolia is the Siberian larch (Larix sibirica). It is widespread over a vast stretch along the northern border of the country from Ulangom in the west to the middle reaches of the Onon in the east. Pine, Siberian stone pine, rarely spruce (Picea obovata), birch and aspen are found as an admixture in larch plantations. Laurel-leaved poplar (Populus laurifolia), various types of willows and shrub birches grow in the floodplains of the rivers, and squat elm (Ulmus pumila) grows in mountain valleys and along the banks of temporary streams. Pine occupies significant areas in the Eastern, Khentei, Selenginsky and partially Central aimags, and is also found as an admixture with larch.

Larch and pine are widespread in the middle part of the mountain slopes, while in the lower part, in the stands, deciduous species predominate, especially flat-leaved birch (Betula platyphylla) and aspen. Birch owes its predominance in the lower part of the slopes to a large extent to man, since coniferous forests in this more accessible part of the slopes are more often cut down.

In the upper part of the slopes of high ridges, at an altitude of 2000-2100 m, where the soils become more humid and cold, cedar is mixed with larch, which, as it approaches the upper border of the forest belt, forms pure cedar stands. At an altitude of 2200-2300 m in the mountains of Khentei, there is a Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila). The banks of small forest rivers and streams are bordered by a dense border of shrub birches (Betula humilis, B. gotundifolia) and willows (their height reaches 2-3 m), and higher in the mountains, in river hollows, there are gallery valley forests of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata ) in some places with an admixture of fir (Abies sibirica). Within the river valleys of the Khangai-Khentei mountainous region, as well as in the west of the country, in intermountain basins and valleys, a complex complex of valley tree and shrub communities, called urema, is widespread. It is dominated by different species of willows, bird cherry, hawthorn, sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), wild Siberian apple tree (Maius pailasiana). In places, singly or in groups, tall poplar trees are found. Individual tracts of the urema reach a width of 6-8 km and stretch along the river valleys for tens of kilometers.

Forest lands occupy 15 million hectares. Of these, 9.5 million hectares are coniferous-deciduous stands, 3.8 million hectares are saxaul forests and 614 thousand hectares are shrubs, the rest of the area - 926 thousand hectares - unforested fellings and burnt forests. Forest cover - 9%.

Coniferous plantations predominate, occupying 83% of the forested area (excluding saxaul and shrubs); of these, larch forests - 66%, cedar forests - 11, pine forests - 6, spruce forests (mainly valley forests) and fir forests - less than one percent. In deciduous stands, 17% of the forests are occupied by birch, while the remaining species (aspen, poplar, etc.) account for about one percent.

The productivity of Mongolian forests is quite high. The average stock per 1 ha: larch - 130 m 3, cedar - 163, pine - 152 and birch - 57 m 3. Often there are plantations of larch with a reserve of 300 m 3 or more per 1 ha, and cedar - up to 600 m 3 / ha.

The total stock of wood is 1223 million m 3 , including coniferous wood - 1165 million m 3 . Of the total stock of mature and overmature forests, approximately 560 million m 3 are forests available for exploitation. Annual growth of forests - 5.6 million m 3, annual cutting area - 11.3 million m 3.

The forests of Mongolia are of great importance for water protection and soil protection.

In the past, unsystematic deforestation and frequent forest fires have led to the destruction of forest stands and have largely disrupted the forest environment over large areas. As a result, the southern border of the forests moved somewhat northward. In the south of the country, forests have survived only in separate small areas. Therefore, the forest laws were based on the issues of protection and protection of forests, as well as their rational use.

The Law on Forests (1957) allocated forbidden forest strips 5 km wide along large rivers, and protective strips up to 1 km wide were established along railways and highways. Green zones are planned around the cities: Ulaanbaatar (with a radius of 50 km), Sukhe-Bator and Zun-Khor (with a radius of 25 km), aimak centers (with a radius of 15 km), state farms and other settlements (with a radius of 10 km). It also provided for the creation of several reserves. The volumes and rules of logging, forest taxes were regulated, measures were determined to protect forests and forest pastures from fires.

In 1964, the country's forests were divided into three groups. The first group includes all forbidden and protective forest strips along rivers, railways and highways, all green areas around cities and towns, nature reserves of republican significance, as well as saxaul forests of the Gobi-Altai, Bayan-Khongor, Ubur-Khangai, South Gobi, East Gobi, Middle Gobi and Kobdo aimags. In the forests of the first group, only maintenance felling and sanitary felling are allowed. The remaining forests are assigned to the second and third groups. In the forests of the second group, fellings of the main use are allowed in the amount of an annual increment, and in the forests of the third group - all types of fellings in an unlimited amount.

From 1968-1970 aviation protection of forests from fires is organized in the country. 12 leshozes with forest nurseries and 5 independent forestries have been created.

Forestry is self-supporting and is financed by 15% of the tax value of the forest allowed for felling. Logging works are carried out by specialized enterprises and self-producers, as well as partly by forestries and forestries. Forest use is small. Thus, the volume of logging in 1973 reached 2.4 million m 3 (commercial wood - 1 million m 3). Forest exploitation is carried out in the areas of railways, in the basins of the Tola and Iro rivers, to a lesser extent along the river. Selenge.

There are timber processing enterprises, the main products of which are sawn timber, plywood, chipboard, standard houses, transport products, furniture, technological chips, containers. A small amount of timber is exported.

In recent years, secondary use of the forest has been developing. Among the most important products currently harvested are: juniper branches, medicinal herbs, mushrooms, berries, wild onions, garlic (ramson), pine nuts, hay, deer antlers (antlers). Of particular importance is the collection of sea buckthorn fruits. In 1970, 30 thousand hectares of sea buckthorn thickets were identified.

Forestry specialists are trained in special departments at the Agricultural Institute and the Construction College of Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolians of the USSR and other fraternal socialist countries provide great assistance in the training of forestry specialists.

All forests are state-owned. Forestry activities are coordinated by the Ministry of Forests and Woodworking Industry of the MPR. In addition to forestries and forestries, there are logging, woodworking and furniture enterprises in the system of the ministry.

Rare species of various animals have been preserved in the Mongolian People's Republic. Here you can meet wild camel and snow leopard, Przhevalsky horse and kulan, Altai maral, reindeer, elk. Hunting in the forests is regulated by special laws.

Three reserves with a total area of ​​about 400,000 hectares have been identified in the forests. The largest of them (125 thousand hectares) is Choibalsan-Ula (or Bogdo-Ula) with taiga forests (larch and cedar) and characteristic taiga fauna.

INFORMATION FOR TOURISTS

MONGOLIAN FLORA

Mongolia is located at the junction of the taiga regions of Siberia and the deserts of Central Asia, which leads to the formation of specific natural ecosystems. In terms of the totality of all ecological conditions, Mongolia is very peculiar: this is due to its inland position, the history of the formation of the territory, a high hypsometric level and a bizarre combination of mountains, plains and intermountain depressions. At the same time, there is a significant contrast of natural factors in different parts of the country. The territory of Mongolia is vast: the length from north to south is more than 1200 kilometers, from west to east - 2368 km. Highlands, mountain-taiga zone, forest-steppe zone, steppe zone, semi-desert and desert zones stand out in a variety of landscapes.

Mountains occupy almost 2/3 of the country, and some peaks are covered with eternal snow and exceed 4000 m above sea level, there are glaciers. There are more than 3,000 permanent lakes with fresh and salt water in the intermountain basins and valleys. In the north, in the mountains of Khentei and in the Khubsugul region, mountain taiga dominates, located on the southern border of the taiga zone of Eastern Siberia. The vast mountain ranges Khangai, Mongolian Altai, the western slope of Khingan and the southern periphery of Khentei are occupied by mountain steppe and forest-steppe in lower areas. These landscapes, which are generally zonal, are located at an altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level. seas. An intermediate position is occupied by the high plains of Eastern Mongolia, occupied by steppe vegetation. And, finally, the southern regions of the country should be attributed to the zone of desert steppes, which merge in the extreme south with the zone of sharply continental deserts of Central Asia.

The territory of Mongolia is dominated by a temperate sharply continental climate with precipitation of 100 mm or less in deserts, 100–200 mm in semi-deserts, and up to 600 mm in the Khentei and Altai mountains. Average temperatures in July are relatively low - +20–25°С, in January - 8...30°С. Over the past 60 years, the average annual air temperature in the country has increased by 1.56°. According to the calculations of the Institute of Meteorology of the Academy of Sciences, it will continue to increase further, by 2020 by 1.4°, by 2050 by 3.0° and by 2080 by 5.1°.

The world watershed passes through Mongolia: in the south lies the region of drainless basins and lakes of Central Asia. Mongolia, representing a transitional region from the Siberian taiga to the deserts of Central Asia, shows all the signs of such a transition both in flora and fauna, with Daurian elements predominating in the north of the country, Central Asian elements in the south, and a noticeable influence of Manchurian species is noted in the east. Forests occupy only 8.1% of the total area of ​​the country and are located on the southern border of the Siberian taiga region. They protect soils from dryness and erosion, regulate water flow. The tree flora includes over 140 species of trees and shrubs.

The vegetation of Mongolia is very diverse and is a mixture of mountain, steppe and desert with inclusions of the Siberian taiga in the northern regions. Under the influence of the mountainous relief, the latitudinal zonality of the vegetation cover is replaced by a vertical one, so deserts can be found next to forests. Forests along the slopes of the mountains are far to the south, in the vicinity of dry steppes, and deserts and semi-deserts are along plains and hollows far to the north.

The natural vegetation of Mongolia corresponds to local climatic conditions. The mountains in the northwestern part of the country are covered with forests of larch, pine, cedar, and various deciduous tree species. There are magnificent pastures in wide intermountain basins. The river valleys have fertile soil, and the rivers themselves abound in fish. As you move to the southeast, with a decrease in height, the density of vegetation gradually decreases and reaches the level of the Gobi desert region, where only in spring and early summer do some types of grasses and shrubs appear. The vegetation of the north and northeast of Mongolia is incomparably richer, since these areas with higher mountains receive more precipitation. In general, the composition of the flora and fauna of Mongolia is very diverse. The nature of Mongolia is beautiful and diverse. In the direction from north to south, six natural belts and zones are successively replaced here. The high-altitude belt is located to the north and west of Lake Khubsugul, on the Khentei and Khangai ridges, in the mountains of the Mongolian Altai. The mountain-taiga belt passes in the same place, below the alpine meadows. The zone of mountain steppes and forests in the Khangai-Khentei mountainous region is the most favorable for human life and is the most developed in terms of the development of agriculture. The largest in size is the steppe zone with its variety of grasses and wild cereals, most suitable for cattle breeding. In the floodplains of the rivers, water meadows are not uncommon.

Currently, 2823 species of vascular plants from 662 genera and 128 families, 445 species of bryophytes, 930 species of lichens (133 genera, 39 families), 900 species of fungi (136 genera, 28 families), 1236 species of algae (221 genera, 60 families). Among them, 845 kinds of medicinal herbs are used in Mongolian medicine, 68 kinds of soil strengthening and 120 kinds of edible plants. There are now 128 species of herbs listed as endangered and endangered and listed in the Red Book of Mongolia.

The Mongolian fora can be conditionally divided into three ecosystems: - grass and shrubs(52% of the earth's surface), the woods(15%) and desert vegetation(32%). Cultural crops make up less than 1% of the territory of Mongolia.

THE WOODS

About 8-10% of the territory of Mongolia is covered with forests, the total area of ​​which reaches 120-150 thousand square kilometers. Forests grow, as a rule, along the northern and northwestern slopes of the mountains. In the north of Khentei and Lake. Khuvsgul has areas of real mountain taiga. Forests include about 140 varieties of trees, bushes and treelike plants. Of the tree species, more than 70% of the total reserves are accounted for by Siberian larch and 12% by cedar, spruce and fir are less common. Pine forests are concentrated mainly around the Selenga. Deciduous species grow in the river valleys: poplar, birch, aspen, ash, from shrubs - willow, wild rosemary, bird cherry, hawthorn, honeysuckle, willow. Above the forest border there is an alpine zone with mixed grass meadows and creeping forms of juniper, birch, and willow.

The natural regeneration of Mongolian forests is slow and the forests are often destroyed by fire, insects and human activities. Wood is mainly used as a source of fuel (larch, pine, birch, saxaul). In the north of the country, trees are cut down for construction needs. There are whole illegal groups specializing in the supply of trunks of young trees (up to 10 cm in diameter) for use in casting ceilings in construction. These groups operate mainly as follows: during the day, separate groups of citizens cut wood, saw it into small chocks (about 2 meters long) and store it. At night, under the cover of darkness, small trucks transport timber. As a rule, cars are covered with a tarpaulin so that the cargo being transported cannot be seen.

STEPPE

The steppe regions of Eastern Mongolia and the western part of the country are excellent pastures. The herbaceous cover is extremely diverse; the leading place belongs to feather grass-grass and wormwood-grass plants (feather grass, vostrets, wheatgrass, thin-legged, serpentine, wheatgrass, fescue). In the steppe zone, karagana shrubs are often found. The steppe zone is characterized by the presence of solonchak areas, with typical plants for them: derisun, Mongolian feather grass, late snake, saltpeter and saltwort. The presence of derisun means the presence of water.

DESERT

The Gobi is a special type of desert steppe, the border of which begins 500 kilometers south of Ulaanbaatar and is characterized by the appearance of shrubs, brown soils and the disappearance of steppe animals - voles and tarbagans.

In the Mongolian language, the word "gobi" is a common noun, denoting semi-desert steppes with saline vegetation. It is wrong to identify the Gobi with the desert, since only small areas of the Gobi are covered with sand and do not at all resemble either the Kazakh steppes or the Kara Kum, and even more so the Sahara. The Gobi is not a lifeless desert, but a grassy steppe, crossed by hills, hollows and ridges. The vegetation of the Gobi is poor, saxaul grows in the semi-desert zone, and squat elm grows along the banks of dry channels.

MEDICINAL PLANTS

Flora of Mongolia is very rich in medicinal and fruit plants. In the valleys and in the undergrowth of deciduous forests there are a lot of bird cherry, mountain ash, barberry, hawthorn, currant, wild rose. Such valuable medicinal plants as juniper, gentian, celandine, sea buckthorn are common. Mongolian Adonis (Altan Khundag) and Rose Radiola (golden ginseng) are especially valued.

In 2009, a record harvest of sea buckthorn was harvested. Today, private companies grow berries in Mongolia on an area of ​​1,500 hectares.

RESERVES (NATIONAL PARKS)

Mongolia is rightfully considered one of the few countries that have preserved the purity and virginity of the environment. Since 1995, after the adoption by the Great Khural of Mongolia of the Law on Specially Protected Natural Territories, a clear distinction has been introduced in the country between nature reserves, national parks, sanctuaries and natural monuments. New protected areas were created, the area of ​​existing ones was expanded, the boundaries of specially protected areas were approved and their protection was strengthened. Today in Mongolia there are 11 reserves, 7 national parks, 13 reserves. The largest reserve in Mongolia - the Great Gobi (5300 thousand hectares), is included in the international network of UNESCO biosphere reserves, and is the largest in Asia. The oldest one is Bogd-Khanul (near Ulaanbaatar), organized in 1965, but the environmental regime has been observed since 1778, from the time when the Bogd-Uul mountain range was proclaimed sacred.

Today the Ministry of Nature and Environment manages the national park system with a tiny annual budget of around US$100,000 per year. It is clear that such an amount is not enough to protect all protected areas. Unfortunately, in many national parks and specially protected areas, protection regimes are not observed. But if the Mongols turn a blind eye to the violation of the rules by their citizens, then having caught a foreigner in violation of the rules of specially protected areas, do not hesitate to take such a fine from you ...

The Ministry of Nature and Environment classifies all protected areas into four categories which, in order of importance, are:

• Strictly Protected Areas- Very fragile very important areas; hunting, logging and development is strictly prohibited and there is no established human influence.
• National parks historical and educational interest; fishing and grazing by nomadic people is allowed and parts of the park are developed for ecotourism.
• reserves- Less important areas protecting rare species of flora and fauna and archaeological sites; some development is allowed within certain guidelines.
• Natural & Historical Monuments- Important places of historical and cultural interest; development is allowed within the guidelines.

In 2000, the government created five new national parks and one new nature reserve. The 48 protected areas now make up over 13% of Mongolia's territory. The government aims to consolidate the status of natural protected areas up to 30% of the country's territory, which will make Mongolia the largest reserve on the planet.

RESERVES

NATIONAL PARKS

RESERVES

National park fares

To visit a national park - usually you need to buy an entrance ticket or obtain (for a fee) permission to stay in the national park (either from the park ranger or local office). Income from the entrance fee goes to the development of infrastructure and the wages of park workers.

National park fees vary. They can take from 1000 to 3000 tugris (per person) for entering the national park. They can take additionally from 300 to 3000 tugris per vehicle. Moreover, the fee if you are a foreign citizen, then the fee is higher than the locals pay. In some parks, the guide and driver do not pay for the entrance to the park (payment is taken ONLY from the tourist)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Information about Mongolia 2000. Da. Gandbold. ADMOND Co.Ltd., Mongolia.
• Mongolia guide. Le Petit Fute. Ed. Vanguard. 2005
• Status and prospects of nature conservation in Mongolia. B. Oyuungerel
  Institute of Geography of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar.

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, and 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 scientists attribute the traces of Homo sapiens to these lands 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, right up to the early Middle Ages, the tribes of the Huns, Xianbei, Juan, ancient Turks, Uighurs, Khitan were replaced, pushed aside and partially assimilated with each other in the Mongolian lands. 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 alliances 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 taxes 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 14th century, the star of a new great conqueror, Timur Tamerlane, rose, who defeated the 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, an autonomous region of China), the last to fall 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 of the 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), the 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 relict 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 The Secret History of the Mongols (or The Secret History), 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. In epic national songs, the native land or the beloved horse is praised, 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. In the 16th-17th centuries, Buddhist temples were designed as rooms with six and twelve corners under a pyramidal roof, resembling 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.

The near and far neighborhoods of Ulaanbaatar are incredibly picturesque, where national parks are located surrounded by mountains. 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.

Mongolia is located in Central Asia. The country has an area of ​​1,564,116 km2, three times the size of France. Basically it is a plateau, elevated to a height of 900-1500 m above sea level. Above this plateau rises a series of mountain ranges and ranges. The highest of them is the Mongolian Altai, which stretches in the west and southwest of the country for a distance of 900 km. Its continuation is the lower ranges that do not form a single massif, which received the common name Gobi Altai.

Along the border with Siberia in the north-west of Mongolia there are several ridges that do not form a single massif: Khan Khukhei, Ulan Taiga, Eastern Sayan, in the north-east - the Khentei mountain range, in the central part of Mongolia - the Khangai massif, which is divided into several independent ridges.

To the east and south of Ulaanbaatar towards the border with China, the height of the Mongolian plateau gradually decreases, and it turns into plains - flat and even in the east, hilly in the south. The south, southwest, and southeast of Mongolia is occupied by the Gobi Desert, which continues into north-central China. According to the landscape features of the Gobi - the desert is by no means homogeneous, it consists of sections of sandy, rocky, covered with small fragments of stones, even for many kilometers and hilly, different in color - the Mongols distinguish especially the Yellow, Red and Black Gobi. Surface water sources are very rare here, but groundwater levels are high.

Mountains of Mongolia

Ridge of the Mongolian Altai. The highest mountain range of Mongolia, located in the North-West of the country. The main part of the ridge is elevated by 3000-4000 meters above sea level and stretches to the southeast of the country from the western border with Russia to the eastern regions of the Gobi. The Altai Range is conditionally divided into the Mongolian and Gobi Altai (Gobi-Altai). The area of ​​the Altai mountainous region is huge - about 248,940 square kilometers.

Tavan-Bogdo-Ula. The highest point of the Mongolian Altai. The height above sea level of the top of Mount Nayramdal is 4374 meters. This mountain range is located at the junction of the borders of Mongolia, Russia and China. The name Tavan-Bogdo-Ula is translated from the Mongolian language as "five sacred peaks". For a long time, the white glacial peaks of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula mountain range have been revered as sacred by the Mongols, Altaians and Kazakhs. The mountain consists of five snow-capped peaks, with the largest area of ​​glaciation in the Mongolian Altai. Three large glaciers Potanin, Przhevalsky, Grane and many small glaciers feed the rivers that go to China - the Kanas and Aksu rivers, and the tributary of the Khovd river - Tsagaan-gol that goes to Mongolia.

Khukh-Sereh Ridge is a mountain range on the border of Bayan-Ulgiy and Khovd aimags. The ridge forms a mountain junction that connects the main ridge of the Mongolian Altai with its mountain spurs - the peaks of Tsast (4208 m.) and Tsambagarav (4149 m.). The snow line runs at an altitude of 3700-3800 meters. The ridge is rounded by the Buyant River, which is born from numerous springs at the eastern foot.

The Khan-Khuhiy ridge is the mountains separating the largest lake Uvs in the basin of the Great Lakes from the lakes of the Khyargas system (lakes Khyargas, Khar-Us, Khar, Durgun). The northern slopes of the Khan-Khukhi Range are covered with forest, in contrast to the southern mountain-steppe slopes. The highest peak Duulga-Ul lies at an altitude of 2928 meters above sea level. The mountain range is young and growing rapidly. A huge 120-kilometer seismic crack runs next to it - the result of an 11-point earthquake. Bursts of earth waves one after another rise along the crack to a height of about 3 meters.

Statistical indicators of Mongolia
(as of 2012)

Mount Tsambagarav. A powerful mountain range with the highest height of 4206 meters above sea level (Cast peak). Near the foot of the mountain is the valley of the Khovd River, not far from its confluence with Lake Khar-Us. On the territory of the somon, located at the foot of Mount Tsambagarav, live mainly Olet Mongols, descendants of numerous once Dzhungar tribes. According to the Oletov legend, once a man named Tsamba climbed to the top of the mountain and disappeared. Now they call the mountain Tsambagarav, which is translated into Russian: "Tsamba came out, ascended."

Rivers and lakes of Mongolia

The rivers of Mongolia are born in the mountains. Most of them are the headwaters of the great rivers of Siberia and the Far East, carrying their waters towards the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The largest rivers of the country are the Selenga (within the borders of Mongolia - 600 km), Kerulen (1100 km), Tesiin-Gol (568 km), Onon (300 km), Khalkhin-gol, Kobdo-Gol, etc. The most full-flowing is the Selenga. It originates from one of the Khangai ranges, receives several large tributaries - Orkhon, Khanuy-gol, Chulutyn-gol, Delger-Muren, etc. Its flow rate is from 1.5 to 3 m per second. In any weather, its fast cold waters, flowing in clay-sandy shores, and therefore always muddy, have a dark gray color. Selenga freezes for half a year, the average ice thickness is from 1 to 1.5 m. It has two floods a year: spring (snow) and summer (rain). The average depth at the lowest water level is at least 2 m. After leaving Mongolia, the Selenga flows through the territory of Buryatia and flows into Baikal.

Rivers in the western and southwestern parts of the country, flowing down from the mountains, fall into intermountain basins, have no outlet to the ocean and, as a rule, end their journey in one of the lakes.

Mongolia has over a thousand 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. The largest of them are located in the basin of the Great Lakes in the north-west of the country - Ubsu-nur, Khara-Us-nur, Khirgis-nur, their depth does not exceed several meters. In the east of the country there are lakes Buyr-nur and Khukh-nur. In a giant tectonic basin in the north of Khangai, there is Lake Khubsugul (depth up to 238 m), similar to Baikal in terms of water composition, relict flora and fauna.

Climate of Mongolia

The high ridges of Central Asia, encircling Mongolia almost from all sides with powerful barriers, isolate it from the humid air currents of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which creates a sharply continental climate on its territory. It is characterized by the predominance of sunny days, especially in winter, significant dryness of the air, low rainfall, sharp temperature fluctuations, not only annual, but also daily. The temperature during the day can sometimes fluctuate between 20-30 degrees Celsius.

The coldest month of the year is January. In some regions of the country, the temperature drops to -45 ... 50 ° С.

The hottest month is July. The average air temperature during this period in most of the territory is +20°С, in the south up to +25°С. The maximum temperatures in the Gobi Desert during this period can reach +45…58°С.

The average annual rainfall is 200–250 mm. 80–90% of the total annual precipitation falls within five months, from May to September. The maximum amount of precipitation (up to 600 mm) falls in the Khentii and Altai aimags and near Lake Khuvsgul. The minimum precipitation (about 100 mm per year) falls on the Gobi.

The winds are strongest in spring. In the Gobi regions, winds often lead to the formation of storms and reach enormous destructive force - 15–25 m/s. A wind of such strength can rip off yurts and carry them away for several kilometers, tear tents to shreds.

Mongolia is characterized by a number of exceptional physical and geographical phenomena, within its boundaries are:

• center of world maximum winter atmospheric pressure
• the world's southernmost permafrost distribution belt on a flat terrain (47 ° N).
• in Western Mongolia, in the basin of the Great Lakes, there is the northernmost desert distribution zone on the globe (50.5 ° N)
• The Gobi desert is the most abruptly continental place on the planet. In summer, the air temperature can rise to +58 °С, in winter it can drop to -45 °С.

Spring in Mongolia comes after a very cold winter. The days were getting longer and the nights were getting shorter. Spring is the time for the snow to melt and the animals to come out of hibernation. Spring begins in mid-March, usually lasting about 60 days, although it can be as long as 70 days or as much as 45 days in some areas of the country. For people and livestock, this is also the season of the driest and windiest days. In the spring, dust storms are not uncommon, not only in the south, but also in the central regions of the country. Leaving the house of a resident, they try to close the windows, as dust storms come suddenly (and pass just as quickly).

Summer is the warmest season in Mongolia. The best season to travel in Mongolia. Precipitation is higher than in spring and autumn. Rivers and lakes are the most full-flowing. However, if the summer is very dry, then closer to autumn the rivers become very shallow. The beginning of summer is the most beautiful time of the year. The steppe is green (the grass has not yet burned out from the sun), livestock is gaining weight and fat. In Mongolia, summer lasts approximately 110 days from late May to September. The hottest month is July. The average air temperature during this period in most of the territory is +20°С, in the south up to +25°С. The maximum temperatures in the Gobi Desert during this period can reach +45…58°С.

Autumn in Mongolia is the season of transition from hot summers to cold and dry winters. There is less rain in autumn. Gradually it becomes cooler and vegetables and grains are harvested at this time. Pastures and forests turn yellow. The flies are dying and the livestock are fat and fuzzy in preparation for the winter. Autumn is an important season in Mongolia to prepare for winter; gathering crops, vegetables and fodder; preparation to the extent of their cattle sheds and sheds; preparing firewood and heating them at home and so on. Autumn lasts approximately 60 days from early September to early November. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is a very favorable season for travel. However, it must be borne in mind that snow can fall in early September, but within 1-2 it will completely melt.

In Mongolia, winter is the coldest and longest season. In winter, the temperature drops so much that all rivers, lakes, streams and reservoirs freeze. Many rivers freeze almost to the bottom. It is snowing all over the country, but the cover is not very significant. Winter begins in early November and lasts approximately 110 days until March. It sometimes snows in September and November, but heavy snow usually falls in early November (December). In general, compared to Russia, there is very little snow. Winter in Ulaanbaatar is more dusty than snowy. Although with climate change on the planet it is noted that in winter more snow began to fall in Mongolia. And heavy snowfalls are a real natural disaster for pastoralists (dzud).

The coldest month of the year is January. In some regions of the country, the temperature drops to -45 ... 50 (C.). It should be noted that the cold in Mongolia is much easier to bear due to dry air. For example: a temperature of -20°C in Ulaanbaatar is also transferred as -10°C in the central part of Russia.

Flora of Mongolia

The vegetation of Mongolia is very diverse and is a mixture of mountain, steppe and desert with inclusions of the Siberian taiga in the northern regions. Under the influence of the mountainous relief, the latitudinal zonality of the vegetation cover is replaced by a vertical one, so deserts can be found next to forests. Forests along the slopes of the mountains are far to the south, in the vicinity of dry steppes, and deserts and semi-deserts are along plains and hollows far to the north. The natural vegetation of Mongolia corresponds to local climatic conditions. The mountains in the northwestern part of the country are covered with forests of larch, pine, cedar, and various deciduous tree species. There are magnificent pastures in wide intermountain basins. The river valleys have fertile soil, and the rivers themselves abound in fish.

As you move to the southeast, with a decrease in height, the density of vegetation gradually decreases and reaches the level of the Gobi desert region, where only in spring and early summer do some types of grasses and shrubs appear. The vegetation of the north and northeast of Mongolia is incomparably richer, since these areas with higher mountains receive more precipitation. In general, the composition of the flora and fauna of Mongolia is very diverse. The nature of Mongolia is beautiful and diverse. In the direction from north to south, six natural belts and zones are successively replaced here. The high-altitude belt is located to the north and west of Lake Khubsugul, on the Khentei and Khangai ridges, in the mountains of the Mongolian Altai. The mountain-taiga belt passes in the same place, below the alpine meadows. The zone of mountain steppes and forests in the Khangai-Khentei mountainous region is the most favorable for human life and is the most developed in terms of the development of agriculture. The largest in size is the steppe zone with its variety of grasses and wild cereals, most suitable for cattle breeding. In the floodplains of the rivers, water meadows are not uncommon.

Currently, 2823 species of vascular plants from 662 genera and 128 families, 445 species of bryophytes, 930 species of lichens (133 genera, 39 families), 900 species of fungi (136 genera, 28 families), 1236 species of algae (221 genera, 60 families). Among them, 845 kinds of medicinal herbs are used in Mongolian medicine, 68 kinds of soil strengthening and 120 kinds of edible plants. There are now 128 species of herbs listed as endangered and endangered and listed in the Red Book of Mongolia.

The Mongolian fora can be conditionally divided into three ecosystems: - grass and shrubs (52% of the earth's surface), forests (15%) and desert vegetation (32%). Cultural crops make up less than 1% of the territory of Mongolia. Flora of Mongolia is very rich in medicinal and fruit plants. In the valleys and in the undergrowth of deciduous forests there are a lot of bird cherry, mountain ash, barberry, hawthorn, currant, wild rose. Such valuable medicinal plants as juniper, gentian, celandine, sea buckthorn are common. Mongolian Adonis (Altan Khundag) and Rose Radiola (golden ginseng) are especially valued. In 2009, a record harvest of sea buckthorn was harvested. Today, private companies grow berries in Mongolia on an area of ​​1,500 hectares.

Animal world of Mongolia

The vast territory, the diversity of landscape, soil, flora and climatic zones create favorable conditions for the habitat of a variety of animals. The fauna of Mongolia is rich and diverse. Like its vegetation, the fauna of Mongolia is a mixture of species from the northern taiga of Siberia, the steppes and deserts of Central Asia.

The fauna includes 138 species of mammals, 436 birds, 8 amphibians, 22 reptiles, 13,000 species of insects, 75 species of fish and numerous invertebrates. Mongolia has a great variety and abundance of game animals, among which there are many valuable fur and other animals. Sable, lynx, deer, deer, musk deer, elk, roe deer are found in the forests; in the steppes - tarbagan, wolf, fox and dzeren antelope; in the deserts - kulan, wild cat, goitered antelope and saiga, wild camel. In the Gobi mountains, mountain sheep argali, goats and a large predatory leopard are common. Irbis, the snow leopard in the recent past was widespread in the mountains of Mongolia, now it mainly lives in the Gobi Altai, and its number has decreased to up to a thousand individuals. Mongolia is the land of birds. Demoiselle crane is a common bird here. Large flocks of cranes often gather right on paved roads. Turpans, eagles, and vultures can often be observed close to the road. Geese, ducks, waders, cormorants, various herons and giant colonies of different species of gulls - silver, black-headed gull (which is listed in the Red Book in Russia), lacustrine, several species of terns - all this biodiversity amazes even experienced ornithologists-researchers.

According to conservationists, 28 species of mammals are endangered. The more commonly known species are the wild ass, wild camel, Gobi mountain sheep, Gobi bear (mazalai), ibex and black-tailed gazelle; others include otters, wolves, antelopes, and tarbagans. There are 59 species of endangered birds, including many species of hawk, falcon, buzzard, eagles and owls. Despite the Mongolian belief that it is bad luck to kill an eagle, some species of eagles are endangered. The Mongolian Border Service constantly thwarts attempts to take falcons out of Mongolia to the Persian Gulf countries, where they are used for sports.

But there are also positive aspects. Finally, the number of wild horses has been restored. Takhi - known in Russia as Przewalski's horse - was virtually destroyed in the 1960s. It has been successfully reintroduced into two national parks after an extensive breeding program overseas. In mountainous areas, approximately 1000 snow leopards remain. They are hunted for their skin (which is also part of some shamanistic rites).

Every year the government sells licenses to hunt protected animals. Per year, licenses are sold for shooting 300 wild goats, 40 mountain sheep (as a result, receiving up to half a million dollars to the treasury. This money is used to restore wild animal populations in Mongolia).

Population of Mongolia

According to the preliminary results of the population and housing census, held on November 11-17, 2010 nationwide, there are 714,784 families in Mongolia, that is, two million 650 thousand 673 people. This does not include the number of citizens who registered via the Internet and through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia (i.e., those living outside the country), and also does not take into account the number of military personnel, suspects and prisoners under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defense.

Population density - 1.7 people / sq. km. Ethnic composition: 85% of the country are Mongols, 7% are Kazakhs, 4.6% are Durvuds, 3.4% are representatives of other ethnic groups. According to the forecast of the National Statistical Office of Mongolia, the population of the country by 2018 will reach 3 million people.

Source - http://ru.wikipedia.org/
http://www.legendtour.ru/

A new analysis of tree rings has shed light on periods of drought in Mongolia, both in the past and in the future.

By studying rings of semi-petrified trees, the researchers reconstructed Mongolia's climatic history over the past 2,060 years - 1,000 years more than previous studies. The age of some trees, according to scientists, exceeds 1100 years, and a fragment of one of the trees found dates back to about 650 BC.

The severe drought that lasted from 2000 to 2010, which killed tens of thousands of livestock, is believed to have been unprecedented in the history of the region and was the result of anthropogenic influence on the climate. But data from tree-ring studies show that drought, although such extended dry spells were rare, is within the limits of natural climate variability. The researchers reported this online March 14 in Science Advances.

"We don't know much about the climate in the past," says Williams Park, bioclimatologist at Columbia University Lamont-Doherty. "These data will help to learn more about past droughts in the region."

In recent years, many studies have not sought to distinguish between the role of anthropogenic climate change and natural variability in extreme weather events. Such work is needed to better predict future climate trends and help governments prepare for the most severe scenarios, study co-author says. Amy Hessl, geographer at West Virginia University at Morgantown. This is especially true in countries such as Mongolia, which do not have enough water bodies to dampen the effects of a prolonged drought, for example.

Hessl and her colleagues studied the tree rings of hundreds of specimens of Siberian pines well preserved in Mongolia's naturally dry climate. The width of the ring indicates the growth of the tree in a year. In dry years, the rings are narrower, in periods with sufficient rainfall, they are wider.

The recent drought was the worst in history. But the rings "told" that an even more severe drought occurred about 800 years ago, long before the onset of anthropogenic climate change.

However, thanks to computer simulations, the researchers found that about a third of recent droughts could be caused by temperature increases associated with climate change. This conclusion is consistent with research on the role climate change has played in recent droughts in South Africa and California.

Using computer simulations, Hessl and her colleagues concluded that droughts in the coming decades could be no worse than in the past in Mongolia. The team predicts that as global temperatures rise over the next century, Mongolia will first become drier and then wetter. Excess heat will dry out the plains first. But at a certain point, the hot air will hold more moisture, leading to more precipitation.

These climate patterns are likely to determine Mongolia's development, Hessl says, because they have already been in the past. In 2014, she and her colleagues published a paper detailing how a 15-year period of unprecedented temperate and rainy conditions in 13th-century Mongolia may have led to the rise of Genghis Khan. In 1211 - 1225, which accounted for the active expansion of the empire, an unusually mild climate was established in Mongolia with regular rainfall and moderate temperatures.