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Travel Information on Mongolia
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Mongolia (MN)
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| Continent: |
Asia |
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| Area: |
1,565,500 km² |
| Population: |
2,791,272 |
| Capital city: |
Ulaanbaatar |
ISO code: |
MN |
| National language: |
Mongolian |
International dialling code: |
+976 |
| Currency: |
Tugrug |
Licence plate number: |
MGL |
| Flight routes from Mongolia: |
152 |
Flight routes to Mongolia: |
197 |
| Popular airports: |
Ulan Bator (ULN),
Bayankhongor (BYN),
Khovd (HVD),
Tosontsengel (TNZ),
Arvaikheer (AVK),
Moron (MXV),
Bulgan (UGA),
Ulgii (ULG),
Ulaangom (ULO),
Uliastai (ULZ)
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| Large cities: |
Ulaanbaatar,
Erdenet,
Ulaangom,
Hovd,
Mörön,
Sühbaatar,
Bayanhongor,
Dzüünharaa,
Dzuunmod,
Bulgan,
Baruun-Urt,
Mandalgovi,
Dalandzadgad,
Öndörhaan,
Choyr
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| Airlines based in Mongolia: |
Miat-Mongolian Airlines
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Travelguide Mongolia (Asia)
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The Republic of Mongolia is a landlocked country in central Asia bordering on the Russian Federation, China and the autonomous Republic of Tyva.
Geography: it is the most sparsely populated country on earth and consists of steppes highlands and desert plains, with the Gobi desert in the southeast, which is the most northerly desert in the world. Fossils and traces of more than 30% of the known species of dinosaur have so far been discovered here. The Gobi desert is also the fifth largest in the world and is called „Han-Hai” in China, meaning dry lake. It extends for more than 2000 km (1242 ft) in a west easterly direction and covers more than 1 million square km, which in fact makes it the second largest desert on earth. The desert is interspersed by lakes, including many saline lakes. The climate is dry and continental with extreme daily temperature fluctuations due to the lack of compensatory water mass, which also leads to large losses of lifesaving grazing animals. In the north of Mongolia are the high Altai and Changai mountains bordered by the Gobi Altai and the Mongolian highlands. The wettest region in Mongolia is on the border to the Peoples Republic of China in the southwest. This is a region of lush green forests and grass steppes, which together make up 10% of the total area of the country.
Mountains and rivers: the highest mountain in Mongolia is Hüyten Uul, with an altitude of 4,374 m (14,350 ft), in the northeasterly Altai region. The longest river in the country is the Selenga with a length of 1,024 km, approximately 636 miles. There are also many lakes in Mongolia; the largest is Uvs Nuur with an area of about 3,350 km².
Climate and best time to visit: Mongolia has one of the most extreme climates on the whole planet. An extreme continental climate dominates and spring and summer are very short, lasting from May to October, with long, almost dry winters from November to April. Daytime and night time temperature fluctuations are between -25° C in the winter and +25°C in the summer months, and therefore much more extreme than in Europe. The very short rainy season occurs during the two summer months when, despite higher temperatures, the ground is unable to take up the water completely as the frost penetrates the ground so deeply due to the lack of a protective snow cover. Mongolia is the most southerly permafrost region on earth.
Language and communication: the official and national language is Mongolian and about 10% of the population also speaks Kazakh. Knowledge of Russian is of advantage as English is only understood in the larger cities.
Health and vaccinations: vaccination against hepatitis A, typhoid, diphtheria, polio and tetanus is recommended. Long clothing should be worn to provide protection against mosquitoes and other insects, and a locally purchased insect repellent should also be used. There is no occurrence of malaria in Mongolia. Medical care is only of a sufficient standard in the larger cities. Visitors are advised to take out comprehensive medical and travel insurance that covers repatriation costs. A first aid kit should be packed and fruit and vegetables peeled or boiled before being eaten.
Entry requirements: all British travellers to Mongolia require visas and these are normally issued for a stay of up to 30 days. Visas should be applied for and obtained from the Mongolian embassy before travelling. Those intending to travel with children should also contact the Embassy. For more information on vaccination and entry requirements please refer to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website.
Arrival and onward journey: many European and Asian airlines provide convenient connections from Europe to the capital Ulan Bator (ULN), all of which involve at least one stop over. Aeroflot fly from London airports to Ulan Bator (ULN) via Moscow (SVO). The best way of travelling within Mongolia is by using MIAT, flying for example to Altai (LTI), Dalanzadgad (DLZ), Murun (MXV) or Khovd (HVD).
Capital city: Ulaanbaatar, also called Ulan Bator is one of the coldest capital cities in the world. Winter normally begins in October as temperatures then may already fall to below freezing, finally dropping to -30° C in February. From February onwards the temperatures slowly climb back up to reach freezing point at the end of April. About 950,000 people live in the city on the banks of the river Tuul, accounting for 30% of the entire population of Mongolia. No other towns in Mongolia have a population of over 100,000, meaning that Ulaanbaatar is the cultural and economic centre of the country. Places of interest include the Natural History Museum with an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons, the palace of Bogd Khan and the Zanzibar art museum, giving visitors a good overview of Mongolian Buddhism. The city library is also of interest and has a unique collection of manuscripts dating from the 11th centuries. Neither should visitors miss the opportunity to visit the Buddhist temple museum from the Gandan monastery west of the city centre. The Gandan monastery is well known for its 26 m (85 ft) high statue of the goddess Jairaisig, erected in 1990 by monks from abroad and also the location of a throne for the Dalai Lama.
Places of interest: as hardly any other religious buildings exist in other parts of Mongolia, the attractions in the rest of the country are mainly in the form of breathtaking landscapes and natural wonders. The Uvs Nuur National Park in the north of the country is worth visiting and is under the protection of UNESCO. It lies at an altitude of 2,760 m (9,055 ft) amongst mountains, pine forests and grasslands. There are many rare animals here such as the Yak by Lake Uvs Nuur, one of the deepest lakes in central Asia and also one of the most significant and largest freshwater lakes in the world. There are also over 200 different species of bird around the lake including several that are rare or in danger of extinction. The deserts and the mountain regions of Mongolia are home to such animals as the Mongolian gerbil and the Asian desert warbler, the polar cat and the endangered snow leopard.
The Gurwansajkhan National Park is in the Gobi desert and is another popular attraction. It is a paradise for geologists as different climatic conditions were prevalent in the region during the past millennia and the former lush vegetation provided good conditions for the dinosaurs, visible in the large numbers of fossils from various epochs. Also in the national park are massive sand dunes, unusual rock formations and a valley with snow all year round due to the extreme climatic conditions.
Religion: about 50% of the Mongolian population are Tibetan Buddhists, which was imported in the 13th century from Tibet and combined with the traditional natural religions of the central Asian nomads. 40% consider themselves without confession and there are also minorities of Christians and Muslims.
Major Cities and accommodation: Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Darchan, Tschoiubalsan, Ölgii, Sainschand, Ulaangom and Chowd.
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Favourite Flights and Cheap Flights from and to Mongolia / MN
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