Page last updated on January 31, 2014

Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 1,564,116 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 19
land: 1,553,556 sq km
water: 10,560 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 8,220 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
More Climate Details

Terrain:
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use:
arable land: 0.39%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.61% (2011)

Irrigated land:
843 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
34.8 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.55 cu km/yr (13%/43%/44%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 196.8 cu m/yr (2009)

Natural hazards:
dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia