12 Fun Facts About Mongolia From Genghis Khan to the Gobi Desert

There’s a lot more to Mongolia than Genghis Khan! If you decide to go on a teen adventure travel program to Mongolia with Rustic Pathways, you will get the chance to try fermented horse milk (it’s better than it sounds). You’ll also be able to learn about the many dinosaur fossils and dinosaur eggs that are in Mongolian grounds.

Here are some key facts about Mongolia:

Read on for some fun facts about this intriguing Asian nation.

1. Mongolia’s first president served for just one day

The Mongolian People’s Republic, located in Outer Mongolia, was a socialist state that existed during the Chinese Qing Dynasty. The first president of this republic was Navaandorjiin Jadambaa, who served as the interim president in 1924 and he was replaced by Peljidiin Genden the very next day.

2. Mongolia is home to the world’s largest equestrian statue

Mongolia’s statue of Genghis Khan riding a horse is the largest equestrian statue in the world. Standing at an impressive 130 feet, this enormous silver monument is made of stainless steel and it towers over the Genghis Khan Statue Complex in the capital, Ulaanbaatar.

This huge statue was erected in 2008 in celebration of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Mongol Empire. Visitors are able to climb up to the head of the horse. Once at the top, it’s possible to take in the full view of this vast complex and take a selfie with the giant, silver Genghis Khan in the background.

The giant silver Genghis Khan statue stands at the Genghis Khan Statue Complex in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

3. The Mongol Derby is the longest horse race in the world

Mongolia is home to the Mongol Derby, the longest horse race in the world. The Mongol Derby extends 620 miles across the Mongolian Steppe and participants must change horses every 25 miles.

The Mongol Derby recreates the Yam postal system developed by Genghis Khan in 1224, which functioned as a relay system. The relay system allowed the Mongolian horsemen and horses to rest at each station and ensured messages were passed on without riders and horses getting tired and slowing down on long journeys.

Extra Mongolian horse fact:

Mongolia is also home to Przewalski’s horse, the last breed of truly wild horses. Locally these horses are called takhi which means “spirit.” Unfortunately, these wild animals are currently an endangered species.

Extra-extra horse fact: Did Mongolians invent ice cream?

There are rumors that Mongolians invented ice cream. There’s an interesting theory that Mongolian horsemen carried cream in containers made from animal intestines during their long journeys across the Gobi Desert in winter. As the nomads and riders galloped, the cream was shaken and froze due to the low temperatures, creating an early form of horse produced ice cream. It’s probably not true, but it’s a story. Ice cream is popular in Mongolia today, and often sold out of paper boxes in the winter with no need for refrigeration.

4. The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in world history

The Mongol Empire was founded in 1206. The empire is credited as being the largest contiguous land empire in the world, stretching an impressive 9.27 million square miles. Founded by Genghis Khan, it extended from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan at its peak, accounting for 22% of all land on Earth.

Despite the fact that it came to an end in the 14th century, the Mongol Empire remains the second largest in world history, beaten only by the British Empire. The top five largest empires of all time are:

1. The British Empire: 13.71 million square miles
2. The Mongol Empire: 9.27 million square miles
3. The Russian Empire: 8.80 million square miles
4. The Qing Dynasty: 5.68 million square miles
5. The Spanish Empire: 5.29 million square miles

5. The burial site of Genghis Khan has never been found

Despite the incredible power and success of this national hero, Genghis Khan’s final resting place remains a mystery to this day. Khan reportedly never wanted his body to be found.

Many stories regarding his burial exist, with some saying that his soldiers killed everyone involved in laying the leader to rest before killing themselves to ensure the secret of its location was kept. Other stories suggest that the soldiers remained alive but that they had 1,000 horses run over the burial site to ensure that no traces of this fresh grave remained.

Whatever the truth, no one knows the location to this day, despite many attempts from outsiders to find it.

6. The Naadam Festival focuses on all that is “manly”

The Naadam Festival, held every July, is also known locally as eriin gurvan naadam, which means “the three games of men.” These games are:

• Mongolian wrestling: Mongolian wrestling, or bökh, is a sport in which two men prove their strength and agility by remaining upright. The participant who touches the ground with any body part that isn’t their foot, loses. This sport dates back to the times of Genghis Khan, who used it to keep his warriors in shape and ready for combat. Today it is also characterized by its unique clothing.
• Horse racing: Horse racing is taken very seriously in Mongolia and the Naadam horse races are just some of the important horse races in the nation. At Naadam the races are divided into six categories according to the age of the horses and cross-bred horses are not allowed to compete against Mongolian horses.
• Archery: Archery is a popular sport in Mongolia, with three styles practiced in the country — Khalka, Buriat and Uriankhai. Khalka is the most commonly practiced form of archery and involves the longest shooting distances. Buriat is practiced by the Buriat ethnic minority in Mongolia and they will often wear traditional clothing during Naadam. Uriankhai is only practiced by men and is associated with the Uriankhai ethnic group.

Naadam Festival events are held throughout the nation and the festival has been celebrated in Mongolia for centuries. The festival events allow people to gather with friends and family, eat together and watch the games. Though men and boys have traditionally been the only ones to compete, women and girls now also participate in the horse racing and archery events.

Men in Mongolia practice traditional wrestling in Traditional clothing.

7. Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city in the world

Ulaanbaatar, which translates to “Red Hero,” is the coldest capital city of anywhere on the planet, with an average temperature of under 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures in the city can reach as low as -40 degrees in winter, so be prepared with some warm clothes if you choose to head over in January.

8. The population density of Mongolia is one of the lowest in the world

Mongolia’s population density is so low that only remote locations such as Greenland can beat it.

At 603,909 square miles, Mongolia is the 18th largest country in the world but its total population is only around 3.4 million, meaning its population density amounts to roughly 6 people per square mile.

9. Mongolia is home to the hardy Bactrian camel

The wild Bactrian camel, a double-humped camel, roams the Gobi Desert in Southern Mongolia and Northern China. Thanks to the species’ resilience, the Bactrian camel is able to withstand temperatures ranging from as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit to as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to the Bactrian camel, there is a wide array of wildlife native to Mongolia. Mongolia is home to the snow leopard, Mongolian horse and Gobi bear.

10. The Gobi Desert gets very cold, as low as -22 °F

The Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia and occupies part of Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia. It gets very cold. The Gobi Desert can drop to temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter with snow covering the sand under the blue sky.

The Gobi Desert is also the location of important archaeological discoveries, with the Scientific American saying, “Mongolia’s Gobi Desert contains one of the richest assemblages of dinosaur remains ever found.”

11. Mongolian mothers get an award if they have 4 children or more

In an attempt to encourage population growth, the Mongolian government awards mothers the Second Order of Glorious Motherhood if they have four or five children. The First Order of Glorious Motherhood is awarded if they bear 6 or more children.

Mothers who win these awards receive a medal and a financial payout. In 2022 alone, an impressive 912 women won the First Order and 11,647 won the Second Order.

Lots of smiles to be seen on Rustic Pathways trips to Mongolia.

12. Mongolia has the world’s oldest national park, Bogd Khan Uul National Park

Bogd Khan Uul National Park in Mongolia, was established by the Mongolian government in 1778, predating the establishment of Yellowstone National Park by around a century.

These are the five oldest national parks in the world: