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Mongolia Images 12 images Created 29 May 2009

Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic tribes for centuries. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan who ruled much of Asia in his heyday. After the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty the Mongols returned to their earlier nomadic patterns and lifestyle. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world, with a population of only around 3 million people.
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  • Traditional ger or yurts consist of a circular wooden frame carrying a felt cover. The felt is made from the wool of the flocks of sheep that accompany most nomads. The timber to make the external structure is not found on the treeless steppes so must be bought or traded for in the towns or village. The frame consists of lattice wall sections, a door frame, roof poles and a crown. Some ger have columns to support the crown. The frame is covered with pieces of felt which is then covered with canvas for waterproofing and windproofing.
    ger-2.jpg
  • Naushki Railway Station on the Trans-Mongolian, Trans-Siberian Railway which follows a somewhat Georgian architectural style which reflects Mongolia's long dependance on Russia especially with regards to things like railways and modern technology.
    naushki-station-2.jpg
  • Nomads move around the steppes of Mongolia depending on the season, water availability and whether or not they like their neighbors.  Nomadic people move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. Nomads in Mongolia are usually of the pastoral type following seasonally available wild plants and game, moving with them in ways that avoid depleting pastures beyond their ability to recover.
    mongolian-nomad-camp.jpg
  • Nomads building a ger, top to bottom taking less than 30 minutes for a new home!  Setting up a ger requires this efficiency as nomads regularly move around the country depending on water availability, the season if they get along with their neighbors.
    ger-5.jpg
  • Portrait of a Nomad in her Ger - Nomadic people move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 35 million nomads in the world still today. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic but is increasingly rare in industrialized countries. Nomads in Mongolia are usually of the pastoral type following seasonally available wild plants and game - by far the oldest human subsistence method. Pastoralists raise herds, moving with them in patterns that avoid depleting pastures beyond their ability to recover.
    mongolian-nomad-7.jpg
  • Horseman runs his flock of sheep in the steppes outside of Ulan Bator Mongolia - Nomadic people move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location.   Nomads in Mongolia are usually of the pastoral type following seasonally available wild plants and game, moving with them in ways that avoid depleting pastures beyond their ability to recover.
    mongolian-nomad-3.jpg
  • Colorfully painted door of a 'ger' or 'yurt', traditional Mongolian tent-like dwelling.  Ger doors are usually nicely decorated, as little other embellishments make up the usual ger
    ger-6.jpg
  • Nomads move around the steppes of Mongolia depending on the season, water availability and whether or not they like their neighbors, this rugged individual included. Nomadic people move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location.  Nomads in Mongolia usually follow seasonal  game & wild plants, moving along with them so as to avoid depleting pastures beyond the ability to recover.
    mongolian-nomad-4.jpg
  • Gandantegchinlen Monastery is a Tibetan-style monastery in the Mongolian capital of Ulaan Baatar restored and revitalized since 1990. The Tibetan name translates to the "Great Place of Complete Joy". It currently has over 150 monks in residence.  Gandantegchinlen Khiid monastery was closed in 1938, but reopened in 1944 and was allowed to continue as the only functioning Buddhist monastery as a token to traditional Mongolian culture and religion. With the end of Marxism in Mongolia in 1990 restrictions on worship were lifted.
    gandan-monastery-1.jpg
  • State Department Store of Mongolia.  Still the best place to shop in Ulan Bator, despite its communist-sounding name. Flash western clothes and cosmetics are available - note the billboard. "Ger' dwellings are also for sale here.
    ger-8.jpg
  • National Theatre, Ulan Bator reflecting years of Russian influence, architecture, aid and control.
    national-theater-ulan-bator.jpg
  • Wood Paneled Dining Car on the Trans-Mongolian Railway - The Trans-Mongolian, a branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway running from Beijing, through Mongolia onto the Russian border.  The Trans-Mongolian is a popular branch, not only because it starts or ends in Beijing but also passes through some fascinating territory along the way breaking up the endless Siberian landscape with even more exotic Mongolia.
    trans-mongolian-dining-car.jpg