MONGOLIA (MoNnoLs, ante), " the country of the Mongols," comprises a vast extent of territory in the interior of Asia, and forms a part of the Chinese empire. It extends over an 'area of 1,200,000 sq.m., between lat. 37" and 54° n., and 85° and 125° e. long., and is bounded on the n. by Siberia, e. by Mantchooria, s. by China proper, and w. by e. Turkistan and Dzungari; pop. 2,500,000, of whom 500,000 are Chinese. It is more than 1700 m. in length; its width, from n. to s., varying between 600 and 1000 miles. For the most part it is a high table-land, 3,000 ft. above the level of the sea, arid, with out running water, and without important vegetation. The central portion is the great desert of Gobi, extending s.w. and n.e., from the boundary-line of the province of Kansu to the Dalai Nor, near the boundary of Dauria, having an average width of 200 miles. This is the worst part of the country, the surface being covered with sand and stones. and the vegetation scanty and occasional. Vast tracts are level; but, at great distances from each other, there are hills of moderate elevation. The entire region is destitute of trees, and the water, which is only found at some distance below the surface, is brackish. South-east of the Gobi extends a more elevated and uneven country, termi nating in a mountain range of considerable height. This range, the Alashan or Ho-lang Shan, begins near the most southern point of Mongolia, near the hanks of the river Hoang-ho, and extends northward along that river nearly 400 miles. Near 42° n. lat. it turns abruptly to the e., forming nearly a right angle, and continues in this direction about 600 m., being now under the name of Inshan. It finally proceeds in a n.e. direc tion front 42° to 5Y. Its highest point has an elevation of more than 15,000 ft. above the sea. The country skirting this range is unfit for agriculture, and is only used as pasture-ground. South of the Inshan mountains there are fertile valleys and mountains partly wooded. To the e., and extending to the Yellow sea, is a tract of fertiie land. And southward, again, the country contains numerous meadows clothed with rich grass, where agriculture has been introduced by the Chinese, who send thither criminals who have been condemned to transportation. The most southern district is the haunt of wild animals, including tigers and leopards, and is the hunting-ground of the Chinese. It contains the palace of Ichol, which was described by sir George Staunton. Tke country which extends along the n.w. side of the desert of Gobi is little known, with the exception of the e. part, which is traversed by the caravan road front Kiachta in Siberia to khalgan in China. Here the surface of the country is frequently broken by hills and isolated ridges; but the intervening level tracts contain rich pasture-ground. It 15
mostly well watered, but wood is scarce. In achemckig northward the hills are higher, and the valleys, or intervening tracts, grow narrower, till near the boundary-line between Mongolia and Siberia the country rises into mountains, which run in a continuous chain, and are a portion of the Altai mountains. Here originate the principal rivers of Mon golia, the Selenga and its numerous upper branches; the Kerlon and the Onon, which, by their union, form the Amur. This country is rich when compared with the other parts of Mongolia. The western part of Mongolia is traversed by a mountain range, which. near its w. extremity, is connected with the Altai mountains not far from the e. bank of the Irtish. That porrioi of the country which lies s. of this range seems to par take largely of the mostly in .sterile plains. The Irtish is the largest river in this c.,oentry. and 'abeut'160 m. before it falls Into lake Zaizan.
The climate of the whole of Mongolia is generally cold, though it is subject to sudden changes, and in summer is insupportably hot. The snow-fail, however, is very light, The wealth of the Mongols consists in their numerous herds of cattle (on the more hilly tracts), camels, horses, and sheep. Wild animals are numerous, including hares, ante lopes, wild asses, foxes, deer, sables, squirrels, and marmots. Water-fowl are plentiful in the lakes which abound in the n.w. part. The wolves are numerous and savage, attacking even the shepherds in preference to the sheep: there are also the brown and black bear, the yak, and the ounce. The double-humped or Bactrian camel is dontesti cated for its milk. It is remarked that in the southern portion, where the Chinese prac tice agriculture, the temperature has risen with the progress of cultivation of the soil, and that grain is now grown there, and ripens readily, which could not formerly be culti vated on account of the cold. The Mongols are generally nomadic, and live in tents. They have sometimes been curiously confounded with the Tartars, and Mongolia is called Tartary on many old maps. No two nations could physically be inure distinct, though both are addicted to the same nomadic mode of life. The Tartam belong to the Turki race, from whom the European Turks are descended. The Mongol race, which is far more numerous than the Tartar, is dispersed over almost all the eastern countries of Asia, but it is to the restless hordes of middle Asia, and to the Buriates, Bashkirs, Kahnucks, and other roving tribes that the name of Mongols is chiefly restricted.