Characteristics of Mongolia. How the Mongoloid race was formed: signs, interesting facts In the Mongolian yurt
live in China, Russia and Mongolia. O about 10 million people consider themselves Mongols. Most live in Mongolia and Chinese regions. In Russia, Mongols can be found in Kalmykia, Buryatia, and the Trans-Baikal Territory. The modern territory of Mongolia extends over 156 thousand square meters. km. However, the population density is low: about 2.5 million people live in the vastness of Mongolia. The national language, respectively, is Mongolian and the main population is Mongols. Besides them, bytes live here. There are about 20 ethnic groups in Mongolia, the largest are Khalkha Mongols. Territory of formation of the ethnic group Khalkha refers to the interfluve Onona and Kerulena.
From Genghis Khan to the Republic
Europeans considered the Mongols to be one of the harshest conquerors in the world. The history of this nation began in the 11th century, when the first principalities arose. The wise leader Temujin created a powerful alliance in the 13th century, uniting the Mongol tribes. For his far-sighted wisdom, the grateful Mongols nicknamed their leader the Great, which sounded like Genghis Khan. The most important territorial conquests are associated with the era of Genghis Khan's reign. So China, Persia and Kievan Rus submitted to the conquerors. But as soon as the Mongols were left without a leader, all their former glory and power began to wane. In 1480, the Principality of Moscow enslaved the Mongols and seized most of their lands. The main dates in the history of the Mongolian state were 1924 (formation Mongolian People's Republic) and 1991 ( Republic of Mongolia).
Life and customs of the Mongols
The Mongols were not settled tribes, so they constantly moved across the endless steppes. Nomadic lifestyle left its mark on the spiritual and cultural image of the people. To feed themselves in the harsh steppes, they actively raised livestock. As soon as the pastures were emptied, Mongol families collected their belongings and set out on the road in search of new places to feed their livestock. Due to frequent moves, the Mongols did not have substantial housing. National yurt " ger"was disassembled and erected in a short time. Inside the felt hut there were two rooms: a men's area and a women's room. You could only eat food with your right hand, as the locals considered the left hand to be unclean. Mongols also love to warm up with a cup of aromatic tea. The love for this drink is directly related to its territorial proximity to China. Mongolian tea is specific; milk is added to it and brewed especially for the arrival of a guest. Roots and herbs are used in tea.
The simple is complex – the culture of the Mongols
The religious culture of the Mongolian people is a complex system of centuries-old beliefs and rituals. The ancestors of the Mongols deified natural objects. The sky was especially revered. In the mythical ideas of the ethnos, Heaven was an intermediary between the higher world and ordinary everyday existence. Stones are another holy element of this people. Firmness, power and steadfastness of faith were associated with mountains, stones, and earth. The Mongol tradition of building stone pyramids is called Ovo. A pile of stones and the energy obtained from the construction of such a structure is perceived with respect by the Mongols. There is no noise near Ovo, practically no talking, because this is a place for freedom of thought. Destroying the sacred pyramid is a great sin. Mongols treat fire with no less respect. A fire, like a family hearth, gathers loved ones around and drives away evil spirits. The flame of the fire is not doused with water or touched with the edge of a knife. Old and dirty clothes and unnecessary garbage are never burned so as not to offend the Spirit of Fire.
In a Mongolian yurt
In a Mongolian yurt, although everything is simple, it is quite exotic for any tourist. Bright national clothes, amulets, and the hospitality of the yurt owner captivate any guest. The descendants of Genghis Khan are friendly with everyone who comes to their house. If help is needed, the Mongol will provide it in full and will never ask for payment for it. But when going to visit a yurt, take gifts with you. When you meet, the owner will show you where to sit. You shouldn’t give all the souvenirs at once. It is customary for the Mongols to prolong this pleasure. Give gifts in stages, first give the gift to the owner, after a while to the keeper of the hearth, and finally to the noisy children. It is a fascinating sight to watch the mass dances. To the accompaniment of national music, Mongols can perform a national dance, which is more reminiscent of a rite, a hunting dance or a hunter's ritual.
The country has rich natural reserves and interesting architectural monuments. Tourists are happy to go on a trip to touch the past of the Golden Horde..
Mongolia is an amazing country that amazes tourists with its uniqueness and originality. Located in Central Asia, this country borders only Russia and China and is landlocked. Therefore, the climate of Mongolia is sharply continental. And Ulaanbaatar is considered But still, Mongolia is popular among tourists all over the planet.
General information
Mongolia still preserves its traditions; it has managed to carry its cultural heritage through the centuries. The Great Mongol Empire had a huge impact on world history; the famous leader Genghis Khan was born on the territory of this particular country.
Today, this unique place on the planet attracts primarily those who want to take a break from the noise of big cities and usual resorts and immerse themselves in a special world of pristine natural beauty. Geographical location, climate, plants, animals - all this is unusual and unique. High mountains, endless steppes, blue skies, and a unique world of flora and fauna cannot but attract tourists from all over the world to this country.
Geographical position
Mongolia, whose topography and climate are naturally interconnected, combines on its territory the Gobi Desert and such mountain ranges as the Gobi and Mongolian Altai, Khangai. Thus, Mongolia contains both high mountains and vast plains.
The country is located at an average altitude of 1580 meters above sea level. Mongolia is landlocked and shares borders with Russia and China. The area of the country is 1,566,000 square meters. km. The largest rivers flowing in Mongolia are the Selenga, Kerulen, Khalkhin Gol and others. The capital of the state, Ulaanbaatar, has a long and interesting history.
Population of the country
Today, about 3 million people live in the country. The population density is approximately 1.8 people per square meter. m. territory. The population is distributed unevenly; in the capital the population density is very high, but the southern regions and desert areas are less populated.
The ethnic composition of the population is very diverse:
- 82% - Mongols;
- 4% - Kazakhs;
- 2% are Buryats and other nationalities.
There are also Russians and Chinese in the country. Among the religions here, Buddhism predominates. In addition, a small percentage of the population professes Islam, and there are many adherents of Christianity.
Mongolia: climate and its features
This place is called the "land of blue skies" as it is sunny most of the year. Located in the temperate climate zone, Mongolia has a sharply continental climate. This means that it is characterized by sharp changes in temperature and low amounts of precipitation.
The cold but practically snowless winter in Mongolia (temperatures can drop to -45˚C) gives way to spring with its strong gusts of wind, sometimes reaching hurricane force, and then warm and sunny summers. This country is often the site of sandstorms.
If we briefly describe the climate of Mongolia, it is enough to mention large temperature fluctuations even within a day. There are harsh winters, hot summers and increased dry air. The coldest month is January, the warmest is June.
Why is there such a climate in Mongolia?
Sudden temperature changes, dry air and a large number of sunny days make this place special. We can conclude what are the reasons for the sharp continental climate of Mongolia:
- distance from the seas;
- obstacles to the flow of moist air currents from the oceans are the mountain ranges that surround the country;
- the formation of high pressure in combination with low temperature in winter.
Such sharp temperature fluctuations and low rainfall make this country special. Familiarization with the reasons for the sharp continental climate of Mongolia will help to better understand the relationship between the topography, geographical location and climate of this country.
Seasons
The best time to visit Mongolia is from May to September. Despite the fact that there are many sunny days here, the temperature range is very large across the seasons. The monthly climate of Mongolia has very characteristic features.
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Vegetable world
Mongolia, whose climate is sharply continental, has a rich and unusual flora. On its territory there are various natural zones: highlands, taiga belt, forest-steppe and steppe, desert and semi-desert zones.
In Mongolia you can see mountains covered with deciduous, cedar and pine forests. In the valleys they are replaced by deciduous trees (birch, aspen, ash) and shrubs (honeysuckle, bird cherry, wild rosemary and others). In general, forests occupy about 15% of Mongolia's vegetation.
The vegetation cover of the steppes of Mongolia is also very diverse. It includes plants such as feather grass, wheatgrass and others. Saxaul predominates in semi-deserts. This type of vegetation makes up about 30% of the total flora of Mongolia.
Among the medicinal plants, the most common are juniper, celandine, and sea buckthorn.
Animal world
Mongolia is home to several very rare species of mammals, such as the snow leopard, Przewalski's horse, Mongolian kulan, wild camel and many others (about 130 species in total). There are also many (over 450) different species of birds - eagles, owls, hawks. In the desert there are wild cats, gazelle, and saiga, and in the forests there are deer, sable, and roe deer.
Some of them, unfortunately, need protection, as they are in danger of extinction. The Mongolian government is concerned about preserving the existing rich fund of flora and fauna. For this purpose, numerous reserves and national parks were organized here.
This country is unique. Therefore, it attracts many tourists who want to learn more about Mongolia. There are several features that characterize it:
- Mongolia, whose climate is quite harsh, is the country with the coldest capital in the world.
- It has the lowest population density of any country in the world.
- If you translate the name of the capital Ulaanbaatar from, you get the phrase “red hero”.
- Another name for Mongolia is “Land of the Blue Sky”.
Not all tourists heading to these regions know what the climate is like in Mongolia. But even a detailed acquaintance with its features does not frighten lovers of exotic and wild nature.
All Mongols were divided into two branches: the descendants of Dobun-Mergen into the Mongols - “Niruns”, these included: Tayjiuts, Barlases, Uruts, Manguts, Jajarats and Kyat-Borjigins, Katakin (Katagan) and Saljiut. All the rest are called the Mongols “Darlequins”, descendants of Nekuz. The Nirun tribes occupied nomadic camps in what is now Northern and Northeastern Mongolia and Southern Transbaikalia near the Onon and Kerulen rivers. Tribes lived in the neighborhood: the Kirait Turks (later joined the Mongol Empire), the Merkit Turks (some were destroyed, some went to the south of what is now Kazakhstan, some merged with the Mongols) and the Tatar Turks (retained their name after the ancient ancestor Tatar ). The Tatars were the more numerous tribes in the steppe, some were destroyed, the other part submitted to Genghis Khan. The Tatars were first in the sphere of influence of the Jurchens (descendants of their Manchus), then of the Khitans (descendants of the Karakitai). With the light hand of the Chinese, steppe peoples everywhere began to be called Tatars, including in Rus' and Europe. The Keraits lived to the west of the Mongol-Niruns on the plains of Central Mongolia from the middle reaches of the Selenga to the upper reaches of the Kerulen and Onon. The Merkits lived north of the Mongols, in Transbaikalia. True Tatars occupied vast territories to the east and southeast of the Mongols, the area of Lake Bi-Nur, the Khalkhin Gol River and the eastern half of the Chinese Autonomous Region - Inner Mongolia. Until the 12th century, the languages of the peoples of the so-called Altai language family were almost the same due to their family ties and ethnic proximity (ancient Turkic origin). There was a mixing of tribes and peoples; numerous tribes of China had a great influence. Linguists now divide the Altai (Turkic) family, depending on the existing relationship, into 3 tribal groups: Turkic, Mongolian and Tungus-Manchu. Although the Mongols and Tatars themselves, according to the historian Abulgazy, are Turks. The language of the true Mongols, obviously, received significant changes under the influence of the Jurch-Zhen, Dzungar and other tribes that moved to the Mongolian lands. Therefore, the modern Yakut Turk did not understand the Manchu-Mongol, although the former Turks and the Mongols of Genghis Khan spoke the same language, each of them necessarily knew the names of their ancestors up to the 7th generation. It is no coincidence that historians talk about the complexity of tribal relations among the Turkic-Mongolian peoples of the Great Steppe. At that time, different tribes lived together: the Dzhurkins, Khongirates (Konrat), Taytdzhiuts, Jalairs, Kyat-Borjigins, Kiyat-Dzhurkins, Kyat-Kuralas and others.
In the 7th tribe, the ancestor of the Kiyats was Khan Khabul (Ka-byl). He was born around the year 1100. In 1122, dominance in the eastern part of the Great Steppe was shared by the Mughuls and Tatars. In 1129, the Jurchen corps of Emperor Ukimay pursued the Khitans who fled to the west, they were stopped by the Mongol Khagan Khabul. In 1139, Kabyl defeated the troops of the Jurchen leader Kholu. In 1150, the new emperor of China, Digunai, ordered an attack on Mugul. The leader of the Tatars at that time was Khan Nor-buyurik, and the khan of the Keraits was Markuz, who was treacherously killed. After the death of Khan Kabyl, the Mugul tribes were led by his nephew Ianbahai (Ambagai) from the Taishi tribe. During this period, the Jurchen state of Chin (Qin) constantly attacked the Tatars and Mughuls. The Mongol Khan Ambagai was captured by the Jurchs, who was nailed to a wooden donkey and killed. All the Mughuls and the Taishi tribe gathered and chose a new khan, Khutulu (Kotor, Kotyr - in sores), the son of Kobyl. In 1161, he was killed by the entourage of Emperor Digunai of the Qin Empire. The Mugul Khanate disintegrated, and Yesugei-Baghatur, the son of Burtan and grandson of Kabyl Khan from the Kyat tribe, became the military leader. His tribe was called Borzhygan-Kiyat. In addition to Temujin, Yesugei from Hoelun had 3 more sons: Khasar - born in 1164, Khachi-un - born in 1166, Temuge - born in 1169. and daughter Temulun-1170. b., from his second wife two sons: Bekter, Belgutai. Yesugei did not become khan; the Tatars managed to poison him. After which the Tatars became blood enemies of Yesugei’s children.
Guillaume de Rubruk called the Mongols in the 12th century “Moals”, who lived powerlessly next to the Keraits, among them lived Temujin, who stole cattle from Unk (Uan), Kenkhan’s brother. He gathered an army, began to call himself a khan and went to war against the Moals, looking for Temujin, who fled to the Tatars and hid there. Then Temujin attacked Unk, who fled to China. The land where the moals and Temujin's court lived was called Onankerule, but the acquired Karakorum became their royal city. Karakorum stands in the lands of Kerey and Uak, in the mountains south of the land of the Uyghurs, who are the chief scribes. The Moals borrowed their writing from them. Mitsols or muguls in Rubruk were called “moals”.
A yurt is a mobile structure in which nomads live. Structurally, it consists of a frame and a covering, which is often made of felt.Used by nomads in Mongolia, Buryatia, Kalmykia, Tuva and even in distant Tibet.
Design: The Mongolian type of yurt is built flat and squat, this is due to the strong winds in that area. The dome-shaped flooring lies on special walls located exactly in a vertical position; the dome shape is supported by a frame made of special poles. The roof itself resembles a cone. There are support pillars in the center of the Mongolian yurt.
Advantages and disadvantages: The Mongolian yurt stands out because it is much easier to make and assemble. As for the cost, it will be significantly cheaper than the Turkic one, but less practical. Such yurts cannot withstand heavy snow loads, and their additional load-bearing columns can cause some inconvenience.
Used in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
Design: Its significant difference from the Mongolian one is the shape of the support poles to support the dome. In this case, they are curved, so the dome shape is a hemisphere and looks more elegant. Thanks to the curved poles, the weight can be redistributed so that there is no need to install additional supports. The poles themselves are attached to a hoop along all the walls. Thus, the Turkic yurt has more usable area and free space.
Advantages and disadvantages: The Turkic yurt requires special professional knowledge during assembly and higher quality materials. It weighs significantly less, is taller and much stronger than the Mongolian one. All these factors, combined with more complex assembly technology, of course, increase the cost of the Turkic yurt.
Yurt felt
Since ancient times, nomadic peoples used felt, which they produced themselves, as flooring and thermal insulation material. Now there is no need for this. The production of yurt felt has been put on stream; it is produced on an industrial scale using professional equipment.
Our felt factory "Horizon-Fetr" produces in accordance with the requirements. The material, 8 mm thick and with a density of 0.25 g/cm3, has low thermal conductivity and high noise insulation and is excellent for insulating yurts. You can read more about the use of yurt felt