Mongolia: Country Features, the Main Causes of Desertification and Remediation Efforts - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 207

Fig. 11.1 Geographic location of Mongolia and the location of population centers, It is the 18th
largest country in the world, 5th largest in Asia

90°0'0''E 100°0'0''E 110°0'0''E 120°0'0''E

50°0'0''N

50°0'0''N

45°0'0''N

45°0'0''N

40°0'0''N

40°0'0''N

100°0'0''E

110°0'0''E

Fig. 11.2 The southern regions of Mongolia are desert whilst in the north and north-west there are
uplands with forest cover

1.3 Climate

Mongolia has an extreme continental climate, very cold in winter and warm in sum-
mer. The average temperature ranges from

40 ı C in winter.
There are over 250 sunny days a year. Some western and northern mountains areas
in the country receive 450-1,000 mm precipitation. Precipitation in the northern and
central areas is approximately 300 mm and the eastern southern areas receive less
than 200 mm precipitation. The short growing seasons, low precipitation and high
evapo-transpiration are the overriding constraints of Mongolian agriculture.

35 ı C in summer to

C