Much ado about Mongolia

As Carrie returns from Ulaanbaatar tomorrow armed with hundreds, if not thousands, of photos and pages of information from her fabulous trip, we thought it’d be nice to get a little background on what exactly makes the nation of Mongolia so great.

Roughly twice the size of Texas, Mongolia is a nation that spans lowlands to mountains, from desert to steppe.  It has a rich history tied directly to the land on which the people rely.  It is the world’s least densely populated country: only 2.9 million people live spread over 600,000 square miles.  Running the numbers quickly, that means that groups of people are separated by a mile or more.  Compare this to New York City: we’re separated by about a foot!

The ample space in Mongolia is used mostly for husbandry, a profession which sustains over one third of the population.  Several hard winters spanning from 1999 to 2002, however, brought the industry to its knees, and many Mongolians began to rethink this traditional way of life.  The country is again facing hardship after last winter when almost 17 percent of the country’s livestock died from cold and exposure, again forcing herders to head to the cities to find work.  Though the export of livestock products (chiefly cashmere) is important for Mongolian herders, there are consequences to unregulated expansion.  With a radical explosion in goat population, the grassy steppe is becoming desert, impacting future generations’ way of life.  Because the country has billions of dollars worth of untapped natural resources (copper, gold, uranium, etc.), uncontrolled mining also threatens the environment and lives of thousands of Mongolians.  Without careful regulation of the country’s natural resources and land, Mongolia may face even harder times.  As in all situations, there is a delicate balance for everything.

Now, I don’t want to make Mongolia out to be some kind of disastrous, ticking time bomb.  Quite the contrary:  Mongolia is the epitome of spirit, surviving for thousands of years in commune with nature.  Eco-tourism is beginning to flourish, Mongolians are taking an active interest in biodiversity and conservation, and, instead of reinventing the wheel, the nation is combining modern methods and ideas with its traditional past.  Instead of Cyrillic, there is a push to reestablish the traditional Mongolian script, one that is as flowing as the country’s many rivers.  Cattle population control is now a priority, and many herders may soon be able to return to their way of life.  The untapped resources put Mongolia in a position for accelerated future growth, and Mongolians are ready to take the reins.  Mongolia may be between the two giants Russia and China, but it shines just as brightly on its own.

If you’re a little too eager to wait for Carrie’s update, visit Mongoluls for a little more information on Mongolia.