Mongolia is a landlocked nation in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and also China to the south. It covers a location of 1,564,116 square kilometres (603,909 square miles), with a population of just 3.3 million, making it the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country.

Mongolia is the globe’s largest landlocked nation that does not surround a closed sea, as well as a lot of its area is covered by verdant steppe, with hills to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and also biggest city, is home to about half of the nation’s population.

The area of modern-day Mongolia has been ruled by different nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the First Turkic Khaganate, and others. In 1206, Genghis Khan established the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous land empire in background. His grandson Kublai Khan conquered China to develop the Yuan dynasty.

After the collapse of the Yuan, the Mongols pulled back to Mongolia and resumed their earlier pattern of factional dispute, other than throughout the age of Dayan Khan as well as Tumen Zasagt Khan. In the 16th century, Tibetan Buddhism spread to Mongolia, being further led by the Manchu-founded Qing dynasty, which soaked up the nation in the 17th century. By the very early 20th century, virtually one-third of the adult male population were Buddhist monks.

After the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911, Mongolia declared freedom, and also achieved real self-reliance from the Republic of China in 1921. Shortly afterwards, the country became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, which had actually helped its self-reliance from China. In 1924, the Mongolian People’s Republic was founded as a socialist state. After the anti-communist transformations of 1989, Mongolia conducted its own relaxed democratic change in very early 1990. This resulted in a multi-party system, a brand-new constitution of 1992, and transition to a market economy.

Approximately 30% of the population is nomadic or semi-nomadic; horse culture continues to be essential. Buddhism is the bulk faith, with the nonreligious being the second-largest team. Islam is the second-largest faith, focused among ethnic Kazakhs.

The majority of residents are ethnic Mongols, with approximately 5% of the populace being Kazakhs, Tuvans, and other minorities, who are especially focused in the west. Mongolia belongs to the United Nations, Asia Cooperation Discussion, G77, Eastern Framework Investment Bank, Non-Aligned Activity as well as a NATO worldwide companion. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and also seeks to expand its participation in local economic and professional groups.