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One of the most striking features about Mongolia is how little the average person on the street knows about it. Remarkable for a country that created the largest land empire the world has known, is home to the Bactrian or two-humped camel, and holds the dubious honor as the only country to have moved from feudalism to communism without an intervening communist phase. Hidden from the rest of the world for 70 years by the maternal Soviet blanket, Mongolia is now undergoing a renaissance of self-identity as its democratically elected government steers a fledgling market economy on the uncharted waters of capitalism. Tradition and contemporary mix on the streets of Ulaanbaatar and imported luxury goods abound, yet on the steppes one returns to a world where little has changed since the time of Chinggis Khan. The following links and resources are intended to direct the interested reader on a path of discovering this diverse and fascinating country - enjoy! Stats-in-brief
Land
Area: 1.57million sq km: equivalent to two times size of Texas
Books "Mongolia - A Travel Survival Kit" - 2nd Ed, Paul Greenway. Lonely Planet Publications THE English language guide to Mongolia, full of facts and travel tips in the practical LP way. "The Travels" - Marco Polo. Remarkable to compare Polo's notes from the C13th court of Kublai Khaan with modern day Mongolia - many common threads. "The Changing World of Mongolia's Nomads", 1994 Odyssey. A fascinating anthropological study of herding life during Mongolia's transition period in the early 1990's. "The Secret History of the Mongols: the Origin of Chinggis Khan", 1984 Paul Khan. Regarded as the best translation and study of this C13th classical work. Links Impressions of Mongolia Compiled by Ulaanbaatar resident, outdoors enthusiast and self-confessed gear freak Rogier Gruys. A personal collection of images and information from two years living in Mongolia - plus lots more! Lonely Planet Mongolia , packed with travel tips. Surf their website for other sections on Mongolia and links. The Great Mongol Homepage Packed with history by Oyunbilig, this site is upfront about it aim to reveal the greatness of the Mongol Empire. |