Mongolia is made up of lots of different climates, including steppes (prairies), forests, mountains, lakes, semi-desert and desert regions. However, almost all parts of Mongolia are very arid, meaning that they are dry, have little humidity, and don’t get much water from rain or snow. Because it’s so dry, people have to be very careful about protecting the environment so that desertification (more area turning into a desert) doesn’t happen.
Mongolians have lived on the steppes for thousands and thousands of years. You can still find cave drawings and burial sites dating back thousands of years in the area. For at least the past several thousand years, people have used horses to hunt and herd animals. Today, Mongolians still live on the land alongside the same animals they have for centuries, like horses, camels, cows, yaks, goats and sheep. About 30% of people in Mongolia are nomadic, which means that they travel with their animals in search of new pastures where there is fresh grass for their animals to eat. Although living in cities or towns can make life much easier, nomadism and its direct connection to the environment is still very important to many Mongolians.
