About Mongolia
MOUNTAINS OF MONGOLIA
Western Mongolia is dominated by the Mongol Altai Mountains, which is stretched for 600-650 kilometers and were structured by thin hills, hollows and straight precipitous crags, which have a height of more than 4000 meters.
The Great Lakes Depression is situated in the eastern part of the Mongol Altai and consisted of a few hollows with bigger lakes. The Altai mountain range stretching for 900 km across Russian, Mongolia, and China and the Tavan Bogd National Park have always stood out from any other part of Mongolia.
DESERT OF MONGOLIA
Gobi dominates southern part of Mongolia. Although Gobi is known as a desert, it offers a startlingly diverse landscape, from grassy pastures to dinosaur fossil beds, lunar landscapes, red sandstone formations and white sand dunes and provides grazing for herds of camels, sheep and goats as well as some rare animals as snow leopard, ibex, wild sheep and goats, and antelopes.
MONGOLIAN FORESTS
Mongolia is not a huge desert, but it is a country of fresh water lakes, rivers, magnificent mountains and heavily forested regions where hillsides and valley meadows are spangled with alpine flowers. Country covered by closed forests. The forests are mainly located in the north-central parts of the country, forming a transition zone between the Great Siberian boreal forest and the Central Asian steppe desert.
Taiga zone which covers 5 percent of Mongolian territory occurs only in northern Mongolia, where it is found in the Khentii Mountains, in the mountainous terrain around Lake Khuvsgul, back part of Tarvagatai mountain range, first higher place near Orkhon river and some parts of Khan Khukhii mountain range.
MONGOLIAN STEPPES
Extensive grassland of steppe makes up the heart of Mongolia both geographically and economically. The entire far eastern part of Mongolia falls into this area extending west below Khangai range to the Great lake basin of Uvs province.
RIVERS AND LAKES
If you travel in Mongolia you will see beautiful natural landscapes of Mongolia and fresh rivers, crystal clear lakes and icy streams. Mongolia is the world’s most extreme continental climate and notable aridity. In spite of its aridity, Mongolia has substantial reserves of surface and ground water with almost 4000 rivers, the total length of which is more than 40,390 miles (65,000 km) and 16 large lakes. The rivers are inundated with fresh water resources and abundant fish populations.
Mongol Nomads – people who live lifestyle that runs for generations. Because of the eternal blue dome hanging over endless steppes, from the ancient times Mongols refer to their motherland as “Blue Mongolia
MONGOLIAN BIRTHMARKS (MONGOLIAN SPOT)
A Blue Birthmark or Mongolian mark is one of the unexplained phenomenon of human being. This kind of birthmark seen well just after delivery located at lower part of spine on the back. Scientifically or medically called born Dermal Mepanocitoz called Mongolian Blue Birthmark because of mixed blood with Mongolian nationalities.
Eurasians call it “the origin spot” or “Mongolian spot” and “mathula Mongolia”.
In the world only Mongols and Indians, sometimes majarians have born with Mongolian spot. There are still wasn’t discovered the secret of this phenomena. Last time, were informed that among Japanese and Koreans had born children with Mongolian spot.
When child grows, this spot become light and clears itself. Some researchers had raised a hypothesis that Mongolian blue spot have an association with the term such as “blue sky”, “blue Mongolia” and even “Blue wolf”.
WHERE NOMADS LIVE?
The mongolian ger – the nomads tent, nomadic lifestyle over the centuries has principally depended on this classic, collapsible, round tent. The ger’s durability, lightness and low cost are all points of tremendous advantage to the nomad. The ger is a unique model of engineering – an ingenious prefabricated home.
The design of this compact tent is ideally suited to nomadic lifestyle. It combines coolness in summer and warmth in winter. Made mostly of wood and other locally available materials, it can be quickly assembled or taken to pieces, and is easily transported from place to place on camelback or more often than not these days, by truck.
WHAT NOMADS WEAR?
The Mongolian National dress (deel) is worn by men and women. It is an elegant three-quarter-length gown that buttonsat the right shoulder to a high round-necked collar. That worn in winter is made of cotton lined with sheepskin and, in summer, of silk with traditional patterns and designs, in shining bright colours- red orange, blue and green.
The winter colors are darker –deep purple and dark blue – and are brightened up by a colorful sash of a contrasting color. The sleeves are so long that they cover the hands so Mongols never need wear gloves. Heads are covered by exotic fur hats and scarves.
The Mongolian knee-length boots, gutal, have exotic upturned toes and are made of brightly coloured leather, stencilled and incised with patterns. The leather is also stained in different colours and decorated by scoring the surface or stamping with a hot iron.
Mongolian hats, fur hats or padded hats with ear-flaps are worn in winter and in summer trilby hats are popular with the men while the women wear shawls or scarves.
GER, MONGOLIAN TRADITIONAL DWELLING
The traditional architecture of the Mongols differed strongly from that of the settled peoples of Asia and other continents. Centuries ago, there appeared the GER, known as yurt which still offers shelter to nomads in the particular places of central Asia. Its development and fundamental principles are determined by the specific features of the way of life of Mongol tribes which made it necessary to evolve a light and collapsible structure to be used as dwelling or for public functions.
MONGOLIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
MONGOLIAN is the language of the most population of Mongolia and of inner Mongolia. By origin it is one of the languages of Mongolian group of the Altaic family and the history of Mongolian language is long and complex.
RELIGION AND BELIEFS
The Mongols have practiced several religions, of which Shamanism and Buddhism were the most common. The faith in Mongolia is Buddhism, though State and religion have been separated during socialist period, but with the transition to the parliamentary republic in the 1990s there has been a general revival of faiths.
MONGOLIAN ART AND CRAFTS
The art and crafts of Mongolia developed over the centuries which stretches from prehistoric ancient rock art of Paleolithic and Neolithic times to present-day.
From the ancient times the territory of Mongolia had been inhabited by different tribes and people, superseding, and assimilating with each other, and at times, disappearing forever. But the arts, crafts and their trade have been passed down from one generation to another leaving behind deep impressions on all facets of the mode of life, conscious, aesthetic and philosophical thinking.
HORSE CULTURE OF MONGOLIA
It is famously known as that horses play a large role in the daily and national life of the Mongols and said that “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings”, and “Mongols are born on horseback”, this is arguably true words. It is clearly seen in today’s Mongolia; a horse-based culture is still practicing by nomadic Mongolians.
