MONGOLIA

Geography: Mongolia is a landlocked country about 3 times the size of France, sitting between China and Russia. As one of the highest countries in the world, with an average elevation of 1580m it's highest mountains are permanently snowcapped. Mongolia has numerous saltwater and freshwater lakes, the largest of which is the Khšvsgšl Nuur, which contains 2% of the world's fresh water. The southern 33% of the country is dominated by the Gobi Desert. and although barren looking, it has enough grass to support scattered herds of sheep, goats and camels. The other 66% is grassland, from where Genghis Khan's famed takhi horses came. 

Climate: It is extreme with long subarctic winters and snow in the Gobi Desert into April, while some lakes remain frozen until June. A short rainy season from mid-July to September with brief, gentle showers being normal. Summer evenings are cool. In Ulaan Baatar, the winter (October to April) is cold and seven months long, with temperatures down to -30oC in January, February. Then horrific dust storms kick up during the short spring of May to June. 

Currency: tšgrošg (T or MNT) Bring US dollar traveller's cheques and have some US$ in cash. Credit cards are handy at some hotels and at airline offices in Ulaan Baatar, but you won't be able to buy anything on credit outside the capital. For some unknown reason, US dollars dated before 1988 are unacceptable. Tipping is appreciated in up market restaurants. Bargaining is catching on in the public markets, but be prepared to pay more than Mongolians. 

Languages: Mongolian, the official language, is a member of the Ural-Altaic family of languages, which includes Finnish, Turkish, Kazak, Uzbek and Korean. Turkic, Russian and Chinese are spoken as well.