Documentary : Know Mongolia

Mongolia until now has been one of the world’s best-kept secrets. Three times the size of France and with more horses than people; it is one Asia’s last unspoilt destinations. Nomadic herders still roam the steppe, as they have since the time of ChinggisKhaan.

Watch Mongolia and prepare yourself for an invigorating experience. Immerse yourself in the staggering beauty and warm hospitality of Mongolia; Experience the vast epic landscapes and rich cultural and natural heritage of this wonderful country. You will be charmed by Lake Husvug, the Altai Mountains, the Gobi Desert, the Orgo volcano and Ulaanbaatar. You will be seduced by its welcoming nomads, their customs and traditions, spirituality and music. The spectacular Naddam Festival will have you packing your suitcase to discover this enchanting country yourself.

Mongolia is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Ulan Bator, the capital and also the largest city, is home to about 45% of the population. Mongolia’s political system is a parliamentary republic. The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the Gökturks, and others. In 1206 Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, and his grandson Kublai Khan conquered China to establish the Yuan Dynasty. After the collapse of the Yuan, the Mongols retreated to Mongolia and resumed their earlier pattern of factional conflict and occasional raids on the Chinese borderlands. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. At the end of the 17th century, all of Mongolia had been incorporated into the area ruled by the Qing Dynasty along with Han China. During the collapse of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in 1911, Mongolian secessionists declared independence from the ensuing Republic of China.

The country came under Soviet influence, resulting in the proclamation of the Mongolian People’s Republic as a Soviet satellite state in 1924. After the breakdown of communist regimes in Europe in late 1989, Mongolia saw its own democratic revolution in early 1990; it led to a multi-party system, a new constitution of 1992, and transition to a market economy.

At 1,564,116 square kilometres (603,909 sq mi), Mongolia is the 19th largest and the most sparsely populated independent country in the world, with a population of around 2.9 million people. It is also the world’s second-largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan. The country contains very little arable land, as much of its area is covered by steppes, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Approximately 30% of the population are nomadic or semi-nomadic. The predominant religion in Mongolia is Tibetan Buddhism, and the majority of the state’s citizens are of Mongol ethnicity, although Kazakhs, Tuvans, and other minorities also live in the country, especially in the west. About 20% of the population live on less than US$1.25 per day. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes.