a republic in E central Asia: made a Chinese province in 1691; became autonomous in 1911 and a republic in 1924; multiparty democracy introduced in 1990. It consists chiefly of a high plateau, with the Gobi Desert in the south, a large lake district in the northwest, and the Altai and Khangai Mountains in the west. Official language: Khalkha. Religion: Buddhist majority. Currency: tugrik. Capital: Ulan Bator. Pop: 3 075 647 (2017 est). Area: 1 565 000 sq km (604 095 sq miles)

a vast region of central Asia, inhabited chiefly by Mongols: now divided into the republic of Mongolia, Inner Mongolia (the Mongol Autonomous Region of China), and the Tuva Republic of S Russia; at its height during the 13th century under Genghis Khan