Yes! Alive and kicking!
Yes, it is! It is one of the least crime ridden countries in Asia. Play it safe and use common sense. The most common problem you might run into is pickpockets. Keep your belongings close and safe when in public or using the public transportation.
By air: MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Aero Mongolia operate domestic flights from Ulaanbaatar. Some delays in scheduling must be taken into account. Planning ahead needed during tourist season of June, July and August.
By road: Majority of the roads in Mongolia, especially to tourist sights are off road tracks laid out across the land by jeeps that ply those roads regularly. Thus the time required for a given distance vary considerably, depending on the quality of the road, choice of vehicle and weather conditions. For example, a trip to Kharkhorin from Ulaanbaatar is approx. 360 km, will take about 4 hours driving. A trip of approx. 180 km, from Dalanzadgad to Khongor sand dunes including a back country road could take about the same time or more.
By animal: Horse trekking, camel trekking are probably the best methods of transportation if you’re into riding.
United States is approx 6.2 times larger than Mongolia. Mongolia is 2.2 times larger than Texas and little bit smaller (9%) than Alaska.
Russia is 10.9 times larger, China is 5.9 larger, Australia is 4.9 times and Canada is 6.3 times larger than Mongolia by land size.
Mongolia is 5 times larger than UK, 4 times larger than Germany and Japan, 2 times larger than France and 15 times larger than South Korea by land size.
Mongolians speak Mongolian and it does not sound like Chinese or Russian. Some people think it sounds like German, probably because or lots of rolling R’s and rough sounds. Mongolian language is one of Altaic language family. Different dialects do exist such as the Oirat “Ойрд” dialect in Western Mongolia, Kazakh “Казак” dialect in Southwest, Kalmyk “Халимаг” dialect in Russia, Buryat “Буриад” in North and East part of Mongolia and Russia and Moghol (spoken in Afghanistan).
Why not? There is no civil conflict, gang violence, mass shootings or guerrilla wars. One of the few countries in the world that has sustained it’s nomadic culture. Home of Chinggis Khan who took over almost half the world on horse cavalry. Mongolia averages 250 sunny days a year! And the skies are full of stars at night.
Yes, Mongolia gained its independence in 1924. Many people confuse Mongolia with Inner Mongolia, which is an autonomous part in China. However, Inner Mongolians do speak Mongolian (with some dialect).
The great warrior, Chinggis Khan, who built the Mongol Empire in 12th century. If you were raised in the west, depending on which country and historical point of view, he is either a mighty warrior or a mass murderer. If you’re reading history books written by historians from those countries taken over by Mongolians in the past, he will be considered ruthless killer. However, he is looked as a hero, military geniuos, and amighty warrior who united the Mongolian tribes among Mongolians, still to this date.
Definitely a YES! There is much to see, a nomadic culture to experience, off roads to be driven and tours to be completed. P.S. please bring money. No money, no honey.
It is called Төгрөг or Tugrug (Symbol: ₮), pronounced: too-groog and not tugrik or whatever they have it on youtube.
Улаанбаатар or Ulaanbaatar/Ulan Bator, depending on the source. Pronounced kinda like Oo-lahn-ba-ter. This is HOW NOT it is pronounced: youtube link
Mongolia consists mostly buddhist and shaman believers, small amount of Muslims and Christians.
Consist of vertical tricolour with two reds and a blue in the middle. The blue stripes symbolizes eternal blue sky and the red stripes symbolise thriving forever. The symbol is called Soyombo, a geometric abstraction that represents fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and a dualist aspect or ying yang.
13.0667 Bln USD (2018) link
Mongolia!
69.51 years (2017) link
The term is vague. Mongolia is developing country with rich mineral resources including uranium, rare Earth minerals, coking coal and copper deposits.
Free market economy.
Ride horses and camels, go trekking, motorcycle tours, fishing, hunting, hiking, explore the Gobi desert and the sand dunes, meet locals and try Mongolian food. If you’re stay is short, travel to Terelj national park, visit the tallest horse riding Chinggis Khan Statue, go on a day ride, eat buuz or khorkog all within 100 miles or 3-4 days. Note, one week is not enough time to explore Mongolia. We hear the same thing from everyone who comes for 4-7 day visit, “I must come back for longer…”