History: Khans to Communism—and Beyond
Nomad Life: Surviving on the Steppe
Home Life: Ger, Sweet Ger
Religion: An "Ocean Of Wisdom" for a Landlocked People
The Mongols galloped onto the global stage in the 13th century,
led by legendary warrior-king Genghis Khan. Genghis's mounted
hordes, and those of his descendants, inspired terror far and
wide and established a land empire unequaled before or since.
The Mongols once held sway throughout much of Asia and the Middle
East. Their armies conquered foes from Europe to the shores of
Japan. There, weather foiled their invasions and gave rise to
the legend of the divine wind, or kamikaze.
As the empire divided and declined, the Mongol people returned
to their homelands on the steppe and lived among various mutually
hostile tribes. The Mongols eventually became a focus of Russian-Chinese
rivalry—and border disputes—in northeastern Asia.
Not until 1921, a decade after the fall of China's Manchu dynasty, did
Mongolia become an independent nation—a communist country
founded with some help from the neighboring U.S.S.R.
After some seven decades of communist rule as a Soviet satellite, Mongolia saw the
rise of competing political parties and the advent of a parliamentary
system in the early 1990s after the fall of the U.S.S.R.
Modern Mongolia is a vast, open land whose 2.5 million citizens
are outnumbered by their livestock by a ratio of more than eight to one.
Urban areas like the capital, Ulaanbaatar (population: more
than 800,000), have seen booming growth in recent years. Yet Mongolia's
average population density is a sparse four people per square
mile (1.6 square kilometers).
Most Mongolians live in rural areas and are part of an enduring
nomadic culture that arose on the nation's grasslands. They still
thrive on traditional rural pastimes like horse racing, archery,
Yet change is always on the horizon. Despite its long history,
Mongolia is a young nation. About two-thirds of Mongolians are
under 30, and about 40 percent are under 14.
Though about one in three Mongolians lives below the poverty
line, an incredible 99 percent of the over-15 population can read
About nine of every ten Mongolians are Khalkhas, ethnic Mongols
who speak Khalkha. Significant minorities in Mongolia include
Chinese, Kazakhs, and Russians.
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The Mongolian heart is apparently a restless one, moved by an
ancient nomadic lifestyle born on the nation's vast steppe.
In most of the country, rainfall is scarce and unreliable and
the growing seasons too variable for sustained agriculture. Thus
Mongolian nomads still travel in search of pastures to sustain
their animals and themselves.
Mobile Mongolians prize the horse above all animals and are
legendary for their horseback prowess. In Mongolian epics, the
hero's chief ally is often a horse, which dispenses sage
Yet herd animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and yaks
are equally important for survival. They provide cheeses, yogurts,
milks and a myriad of other dairy products, as well as fats and
meats for the Mongolian nomad's table.
In addition to foodstuffs, every part of the herding animal
is put to use—from wool for clothing and shelter to dried
dung for fueling fires.
Nomadic herding camps, composed of a few households, move within
a large territory. Though the landscape appears uniform to outside
eyes, to the nomad it is dotted with established points of value,
such as water sources or outstanding winter campsites, which are
in limited supply.
Winter is the most dangerous time of year. The herds, and the
humans who depend on them, are pushed to the limit. Devastating
storms sometimes kill animals by the tens of thousands.
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Nomads rely on the ger as portable housing that weathers
Mongolia's extreme climate. A ger is a collapsible, round tent
of felt and canvas that is erected on a wooden frame.
Even in urban areas, many Mongolians prefer to live on the fringes,
where they can dwell in a ger.
During its many centuries of service, the ger has become home
to important traditions. The colorful wooden door always faces
south, away from the worst of the winds. Opposite the door is
the family's Buddhist shrine.
The hearth and its revered fire occupy pride of place in the
very center of the ger.
When guests arrive they take their place to the left of center
and enjoy cheeses, salty tea (süütei tsai), and the famous
nomadic hospitality. Mongolians are also very fond of homemade
fermented mare's milk, airag, an alcoholic drink believed
to have health benefits.
Guests often salute their hosts and hostesses with specific good
wishes, such as "May your bucket be brimful with milk" (at milking
time) or "May the wool be soft as silk" (if they find their hostess
A traditional answer to all good wishes is the same: "May it
be as you say."
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Mongolians cherish their long-standing religious ties with nearby
Tibet, traditional home to the Buddhist faith. Buddhism spread
through Mongolia and melded with indigenous shamanism. Some 96
percent of Mongolians practice Lamaism (Buddhism presided over
by the Dalai Lama), and Mongolian painting and music is often
centered on the themes of Buddhism and nomadic life.
The 16th-century Mongol leader Altan Khan hosted the visiting
head of the rising Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and dubbed
his guest the first Dalai Lama. Dalai means "ocean" in
Mongolian, thus the name translates as "ocean lama" or "ocean
The succeeding Dalai Lamas have carried the title ever since,
including the 14th Dalai Lama, who currently heads in India a
Tibetan government in exile.
During Mongolia's communist period, Buddhism was vigorously
suppressed. Hundreds of monasteries were shuttered or ransacked,
and thousands of monks disappeared.
During this period the Buddhist shrine found in nearly every
ger was replaced by a display of family photos and other valuables.
Since the early 1990s, however, the faith has publicly flowered
anew, and monks are regaining some of their former status.
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Photo Gallery: Living Traditions
All images courtesy National Geographic Television & Film.