Welcome to Mongolia

Mongolians celebrated Naadam in old times. Since the 1921 Revolution Mongols started to celebrate Naadam to commemorate the great victory. Naadam is held every summer between 11 - 13 July at the Central Stadium in Ulaanbaatar. People all the country come to Ulaanbaatar on these days to watch and participate in the Naadam festival. The three games of men are: Wrestling, Archery and Horse racing.

Wrestling

Wrestling is the most popular sport in Mongolia and all people, including women, know and like to watch wrestling. Mongolian wrestling, is similar to that of Sumo wrestling. The wrestlers are greatly respected and honoured people in Mongolia, and there are many traditions and rituals to do with wrestling and wrestlers. Wrestling culture is very hierarchal as well as maternalistic .

Horse Race

Horseracing is one of the most rejoiced and honoured traditions in Mongolia and therefore it is every one's favorite part of the Naadam. The Horserace of the Naadam festival takes place about 30 km out of Ulan Bator. Many horsemen and horse-trainers travel as far as 1000 km with their fastest horses to the capital city, to participate in the race.
There are 6 six races for horses of different ages (Daaga (1 year), Shudlen (2 years) Hyazaalan (4 years), Soyolon (5 years), Ih nas (above 7 years old) and Azarga (Stallion)) and each race has about 400 horses in average participating. Normally, 6 to12 year old boys and girls are jockeys (wearing colorful dresses with numbers) and some of them race without any saddles for the sake of being lighter and more convenient for the horse. At the start of the each race, jockeys sing a special song, while riding, named Giin-Goo in order to hearten the horses to speed along. The horses recognize this song as the sign to race, because when they were being trained they are introduced to it. The race distance varies depending on the age of the horses. Daaga, being the youngest, race a distance of 15 km, Ih nas race the longest distance of 30 km, whereas stallions race 28 km. The total distance that the racehorses run that day is actually double the above distance, because the racehorses trot to the starting point and then return to the finish galloping at full speed. They say that the average race speed of Mongolian racehorses is 60 - 80 km/hour.

Archery

Although it is named "Men's 3 games", women participate in archery competition. Archers use bent bow made out of layered horn (of wild mountain goats), bark and wood. Usually arrows are made from willow and feathers are from vultures and other birds of prey. The distance from the stand to the target is different for men and women. Men shot from 75 meters and women from 60 m. After each shot judges standing near the target sing Uuhai song and raises their hands in the air to show how good was the shot. An archer who shot the target more than others becomes Champion or Mergen.

Geography

Mongolia lies in central Asia between Siberia on the north and China on the south. It is slightly larger than Alaska.

The productive regions of Mongolia—a tableland ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 ft (914 to 1,524 m) in elevation—are in the north, which is well drained by numerous rivers, including the Hovd, Onon, Selenga, and Tula. Much of the Gobi Desert falls within Mongolia.
Government

Parliamentary republic now in transition from communism.
History

Nomadic tribes that periodically plundered agriculturally based China from the west are recorded in Chinese history dating back more than 2,000 years. It was to protect China from these marauding peoples that the Great Wall was constructed around 200 B.C. The name Mongol comes from a small tribe whose leader, Ghengis Khan, began a conquest that would eventually encompass an enormous empire stretching from Asia to Europe, as far west as the Black Sea and as far south as India and the Himalayas. But by the 14th century, the kingdom was in serious decline, with invasions from a resurgent China and internecine warfare.

The State of Mongolia was formerly known as Outer Mongolia. It contains the original homeland of the historic Mongols, whose power reached its zenith during the 13th century under Kublai Khan. The area accepted Manchu rule in 1689, but after the Chinese Revolution of 1911 and the fall of the Manchus in 1912, the northern Mongol princes expelled the Chinese officials and declared independence under the Khutukhtu, or “Living Buddha.”

In 1921, Soviet troops entered the country and facilitated the establishment of a republic by Mongolian revolutionaries in 1924. China also made a claim to the region but was too weak to assert it. Under the 1945 Chinese-Russian Treaty, China agreed to give up Outer Mongolia, which, after a plebiscite, became a nominally independent country.

Allied with the USSR in its dispute with China, Mongolia began mobilizing troops along its borders in 1968 when the two powers became involved in border clashes on the Kazakh-Sinkiang frontier to the west and at the Amur and Ussuri rivers. A 20-year treaty of friendship and cooperation, signed in 1966, entitled Mongolia to call on the USSR for military aid in the event of invasion.

In 1989, the Mongolian democratic revolution began, led by Sanjaasurengiyn Zorig. Free elections held in Aug. 1990 produced a multiparty government, though it was still largely Communist. As a result, Mongolia has moved only gradually toward a market economy. With the collapse of the USSR, however, Mongolia was deprived of Soviet aid. Primarily in reaction to the economic turmoil, the Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won a significant majority in parliamentary elections in 1992. In 1996, however, the Democratic Alliance, an electoral coalition, defeated the MPRP, breaking with Communist rule for the first time since 1921. But in 1997, a former Communist and chairman of the People's Revolutionary Party, Natsagiyn Bagabandi, was elected president, further strengthening the hand of the antireformers. In 1998, however, Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj, a pro-reform politician, became prime minister, but parliamentary cross-purposes led to his resignation, and a succession of prime ministers followed. In 2005, Nambariin Enkhbayar of the former Communist party MPRP became president, and Miyeegombo Enkhbold, also of the MPRP, was elected prime minister in 2006. Mongolia is plagued by poor economic growth, corruption, and inflation.

 

 Mongolia will surprise you... 
 Mongolia, the ancient realm of Genghis Khan, has emerged from the shadow  of Communism and is now open to the world.  To begin your travel to discover  the history, culture and people of Mongolia, click on some of the links below. 
Mongolia travel is one of today's best kept travel secrets and most rewarding destinations for adventurous travelers. 

By jeep, on foot, or on horseback, the natural wonders of Mongolia rival any in the world.  Roam the dry washes of the Gobi famous for dinosaur bones or watch the Naadam festival; horse racing, wrestling and archery.
ariguunbat@yahoo.com