Mongolia: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Mongolia

Mongolia is a large landlocked country in East Asia, sandwiched between Russia and China. Its landscape includes rolling grasslands called steppes, high mountains and the Gobi Desert. It is known for nomadic herders, horses and the empire of Genghis Khan.

About Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar lies in north-central Mongolia on the Tuul River, surrounded by mountains. It is often called the coldest capital city in the world and is home to the Gandan Monastery and the huge Sükhbaatar Square.

Fun facts about Mongolia

1. Mongolia is the most sparsely populated independent country in the world, with vast open grasslands.
2. Mongolia is the second-largest landlocked country in the world, after Kazakhstan.
3. In the 1920s, scientists found some of the first dinosaur eggs ever identified at the Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi Desert.
4. Many Mongolian herders live in a ger, a round felt tent that can be taken down and moved in a few hours.
5. The Naadam festival every July features three traditional sports: wrestling, horse racing and archery.
6. Two-humped Bactrian camels roam the Gobi Desert and can survive both scorching summers and freezing winters.