introduction
The capital and largest city of the Central Asian country of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar (also spelled Ulan Bator). Surrounded by mountains, the city stands on the Tuul River in north-central Mongolia. It is one of the world's coldest capital cities, if not the coldest, with a year-round average temperature of 27° F (-3° C).
Places of interest
The cityscape of Ulaanbaatar shows both Russian and Asian influences. Many of its residents live in high-rise apartment complexes like those typical of Russia. However, some still live in circular tents called yurts or ger, which are the traditional dwellings of the Mongolian people. Most of the yurts are covered with felt for warmth and have a single wooden door.
In the heart of Ulaanbaatar is Sühbaatar Square. Its chief feature is a statue of Damdiny Sühbaatar, who led Mongolia's fight for independence from China in 1921. The square is surrounded by government and cultural buildings. Ulaanbaatar has museums dedicated to fine arts, Mongolian history, and natural history. The treasures of the natural history museum include many dinosaur fossils, including eggs and skeletons found in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China. Among the city's centers of learning are the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences.
Economy
Thousands of people in Ulaanbaatar make a living in government jobs. Many others work in hospitals, schools, banks, restaurants, and private business offices. The city is also Mongolia's industrial center, with factories that make woolen fabrics, carpets, leather goods, food products, and chemicals. Coal from nearby mines provides heat and power. Ulaanbaatar is on the Trans-Mongolian Railway that links Russia with China. It also has an international airport.
History
The history of the Mongols goes back thousands of years. The early Mongols were nomads, or wanderers, who had little need for fixed capital cities. The site of Ulaanbaatar was not settled permanently until 1639, when the Da Khure Buddhist monastery was built there. For the next 200 years this monastery was the home of the Mongols' high priests, known as “living Buddhas.” The city grew as camel caravans passed through while traveling between China and Russia. Russian traders called it by the name of Urga, which means “headquarters” in the Mongolian language.
In 1911 Outer Mongolia declared itself independent from China. At this time the city was renamed Niislel Khureheh, meaning “Capital of Mongolia.” In 1921 revolutionary troops led by Damdiny Sühbaatar took control of the city. Three years later it was renamed Ulaanbaatar, which means “Red Hero.” The hero was Sühbaatar, who had captured the city with the support of the Soviet Union's Red Army.
In the 1920s Ulaanbaatar was a small town of Buddhist temples, adobe (sun-dried brick) buildings, and yurts. In the decades that followed, the city grew rapidly. Many modern buildings and monuments were built with Soviet aid. With international help, the city recovered from disastrous floods in 1966. The breakup of the Soviet Union in the late 20th century also brought change to Mongolia. In the 1990s Ulaanbaatar became the seat of Mongolia's new democratic government. Population (2000 estimate), 691,000.
