Mongolia, a landlocked country in East Asia, shares a 4,709 km border with China to the south and a 3,543 km border with Russia to the north. Spanning 1.566 million square kilometers, it ranks as the 18th largest country globally, with a low population density of roughly 1.5 people per square kilometer. Located at an average altitude of 1,580 meters above sea level, Mongolia’s terrain is characterized by mountains and expansive plateaus.
The Altai Mountains dominate the western and northern regions, gradually giving way to lower plains and depressions in the south and east. The Altai Mountain range, Mongolia’s largest, stretches 1,500 kilometers in the western part of the country, with Mount Khuiten—the highest peak at 4,374 meters—located within. The lowest point, Khukh Lake, lies in the eastern Dornod province at 560 meters above sea level. Expansive steppes prevail in the eastern and southern regions, with the Menengiin Tal steppe being the largest at 250,000 square kilometers.
Mongolia’s diverse landscape supports four primary vegetation zones: mountain forest, steppe, semi-desert, and desert. The country is rich in water bodies, with around 3,000 rivers, including the Orkhon River, the longest at 1,124 kilometers. Mongolia is also home to over 3,000 lakes, with Uvs Lake as the largest by area and Khuvsgul Lake as the deepest.
