Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wild Lands & Wildlife
Mongolia is the sort of country that naturalists dream about. With the
world's lowest population density, huge tracts of virgin landscape, minimal
infrastructure, varied ecosystems and abundant wildlife, Mongolia is right-
fully considered to be the last bastion of unspoilt land in Asia. Mongolia's
lack of urban development, along with shamanic prohibitions against defil-
ing the earth, have for centuries protected the country from degradation.
Traditional beliefs, however, are always at odds with modern economics.
The Wildlife Conservation Society's Mongolia program strives to address wildlife conser-
vation issues through various approaches that reach local communities, wildlife biolo-
gists, provincial governments and national ministries. Read more at
www.wcs.org/mongo-
lia
.
The Land
Mongolia is a huge landlocked country. At 1,566,500 sq km in area, it's about three times
the size of France. The southern third of Mongolia is dominated by the Gobi Desert,
which stretches into China. Only the southern sliver of the Gobi is 'Lawrence of Ara-
bia'-type desert with cliffs and sand dunes. The rest is desert steppe and has sufficient
grass to support scattered herds of sheep, goats and camels. There are also areas of desert
steppe in low-lying parts of western Mongolia.
Much of the rest of Mongolia is covered by grasslands (or mountain forest steppe).
Stretching over about 35% of the country, these steppes are home to vast numbers of
gazelle, birdlife and livestock. The far northern areas of Khövsgöl and Khentii aimags are
essentially the southern reaches of Siberia and are covered by larch and pine forests
known by the Russian word 'taiga'.
Near the centre of Mongolia is the Khangai Nuruu range, with its highest peak, Otgon
Tenger Uul, reaching 3905m. On the northern slope of these mountains is the source of the
Selenge Gol, Mongolia's largest river, which flows northward into Lake Baikal in Siberia.
Just to the northeast of Ulaanbaatar is the Khentii Nuruu, the highest mountain range in
eastern Mongolia and by far the most accessible to hikers. It's a heavily forested region
with meandering rivers and impressive peaks, the highest being Asralt Khairkhan Uul
(2800m). The range provides a major watershed between the Arctic and Pacific oceans.
