Geography and climate Mongolia

the southern portion of mongolia taken gobi desert, while northern , western portions mountainous.



the khentii mountains in terelj, close birthplace of genghis khan.

at 1,564,116 km (603,909 sq mi), mongolia world s 18th-largest country (after iran). larger next-largest country, peru. lies between latitudes 41° , 52°n (a small area north of 52°), , longitudes 87° , 120°e. point of reference northernmost part of mongolia on same latitude berlin (germany) , amsterdam (netherlands), while southernmost part on same latitude rome (italy) , chicago (usa). westernmost part of mongolia on same longitude kolkata (india), while easternmost part on same longitude qinhuangdao (china) , hangzhou (china), western edge of taiwan. although mongolia not share border kazakhstan, westernmost point 36.76 kilometres (22.84 mi) kazakhstan.

the geography of mongolia varied, gobi desert south , cold , mountainous regions north , west. of mongolia consists of mongolian-manchurian grassland steppe, forested areas comprising 11.2% of total land area, higher percentage republic of ireland (10%). whole of mongolia considered part of mongolian plateau. highest point in mongolia khüiten peak in tavan bogd massif in far west @ 4,374 m (14,350 ft). basin of uvs lake, shared tuva republic in russia, natural world heritage site.

climate

mongolia known land of eternal blue sky or country of blue sky (mongolian: mönkh khökh tengeriin oron ) because has on 250 sunny days year.

mongolia map of köppen climate classification.



riverine forest of tuul river near ulaanbaatar.



uvs lake, world heritage site, remnant of saline sea.

most of country hot in summer , extremely cold in winter, january averages dropping low −30 °c (−22 °f). vast front of cold, heavy, shallow air comes in siberia in winter , collects in river valleys , low basins causing cold temperatures while slopes of mountains warmer due effects of temperature inversion (temperature increases altitude).

in winter whole of mongolia comes under influence of siberian anticyclone. localities severely affected cold weather uvs province (ulaangom), western khovsgol (rinchinlhumbe), eastern zavkhan (tosontsengel), northern bulgan (hutag) , eastern dornod province (khalkhiin gol). ulaanbaatar affected not severely. cold gets less severe 1 goes south, reaching warmest january temperatures in omnogovi province (dalanzadgad, khanbogd) , region of altai mountains bordering china. unique microclimate fertile grassland-forest region of central , eastern arkhangai province (tsetserleg) , northern ovorkhangai province (arvaikheer) january temperatures on average same , higher warmest desert regions south in addition being more stable. khangai mountains play role in forming microclimate. in tsetserleg, warmest town in microclimate, nighttime january temperatures go under −30 °c (−22 °f) while daytime january temperatures reach 0 °c (32 °f) 5 °c (41 °f) .

the country subject occasional harsh climatic conditions known zud. annual average temperature in ulaanbaatar −1.3 °c/29.7 °f, making world s coldest capital city. mongolia high, cold, , windy. has extreme continental climate long, cold winters , short summers, during of annual precipitation falls. country averages 257 cloudless days year, , @ center of region of high atmospheric pressure. precipitation highest in north (average of 200 350 millimeters (7.9 13.8 in) per year) , lowest in south, receives 100 200 millimeters (3.9 7.9 in) annually. highest annual precipitation of 622.297 mm (24.50 in) occurred in forests of bulgan province close border russia , lowest of 41.735 mm (1.64 in) occurred in gobi desert (period 1961–1990). sparsely populated far north of bulgan province averages 600 mm (23.62 in) in annual precipitation means receives more precipitation beijing (571.8mm) or berlin (571mm).

wildlife

the name gobi mongol term desert steppe, refers category of arid rangeland insufficient vegetation support marmots enough support camels.mongols distinguish gobi desert proper, although distinction not apparent outsiders unfamiliar mongolian landscape.

bactrian camels sand dunes in gobi desert.

gobi rangelands fragile , destroyed overgrazing, results in expansion of true desert, stony waste not bactrian camels can survive. arid conditions in gobi attributed rain shadow effect caused himalayas. before himalayas formed collision of indo-australian plate eurasian plate 10 million years ago mongolia flourishing habitat major fauna still arid , cold due distance sources of evaporation. sea turtle , mollusk fossils have been found in gobi apart more well-known dinosaur fossils. tadpole shrimps (lepidurus mongolicus) still found in gobi today. eastern part of mongolia including onon, kherlen rivers , lake buir form part of amur river basin draining pacific ocean. hosts unique species eastern brook lamprey, daurian crayfish (cambaroides dauricus) , daurian pearl oyster (dahurinaia dahurica) in onon/kherlen rivers siberian prawn (exopalaemon modestus) in lake buir.