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Situated on China's northern frontier, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region shares a
4,220 kilometre border with Mongolia and Siberia. A land mass of 1.183 million square kilometres
inhabited by 22,320,000 people of the Mongol, Han, Duar, Ewenki, Hui, Manchu, and other, ethnic groups. The regional
capital is Hohhot, the regional railway hub in the central part of the autonomous region.
Climate: Inner Mongolia, with a temperate continental monsoon climate, has a cold, long
winter with frequent blizzards and a warm, short summer. Except for the relatively humid Greater Hinggan Mountain area,
the greater part of Inner Mongolia is, from west to east, arid, semi-arid and semi-humid.
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Geography: Inner Mongolia forms the greater part of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, with the Greater
Hinggan and Yinshan ranges that stretch from northeast to southwest. It naturally divides into six zones based upon
terrain. A. The north-eastern part is made up of the Greater Hinggan range, with an elevation of 1,000-2,000 metres and
dense forests; B. The Hulun Buir Plateau west of the Greater Hinggan range, about 1,000 metres above sea
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Mausoleum of Genghis Khan |
level, has vast grasslands well suited for grazing; C. The Northern Inner Mongolia Plateau, also 1,000
metres above sea level, comprises vast excellent natural pasturelands. There are many deserts on the plateau, especially
in its west; D. The Songliao Plain east of the Greater Hinggan range adjoins the Northeast Plain; E. The Hetao Plain,
Known as the ‘granary of the Great Wall’, lying between the Yinshan Mountains and the Yellow River is crisscrossed by
streams and fields; F. The Ordos Plateau stands south of the Yellow River at a height of 1,200 metres.
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Agriculture: Inner Mongolia is a major stockbreeding centre known for its Sanhe Horses, Sanhe Oxen and
fine wool sheep. In addition to oats, maize, millet, potato, rice, sorghum and wheat, a wide range of cash crops are
grown that include castor-oil
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Genghis Khan |
plants, linseed, , rapeseed, sugar-beets and soy beans. The Greater Hinggan range contain one-sixth of
the country's total timber reserves.
The region
has large deposits of iron, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, gold, mica salt and mirabilite. Founded in many parts of Inner
Mongolia is coal, the reserves of which total 198.2-billion tons - second largest in China those of Shanxi Province.
Coal is mined in four large open-cut mines and other collieries. Huge quantities are used for electrical generation at
thermal power plants and carried transmission lines to North and North-east China.
Tourism: Inner Mongolia is rich in tourist attractions: Colourful ethnic culture, grassland
scenery, the virgin forests in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, grand views along the Yellow River, the majestic Xiangsha
Gulf, rivers and lakes, and springs. Inner Mongolia is home to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, the Zhaojun Tomb, ancient
Great Wall, Wudang Monastery at the bottom of the Yinshan Mountains, Wuta Monastery, Bailing Temple, and tomb murals
dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). |
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