Overview

The Inner Mongolia autonomous region is also called Inner Mongolia for short, with Hohhot as its capital city. Its origin can be traced back to the Ordos people who lived 2,000 years ago.

With agriculture and stockbreeding as its main livelihood, Inner Mongolia also engages in forestry, coal mining and steel industries. The region boasts abundant natural resources, particularly minerals, and its reserves of rare earth and natural alkali rank first in China.

Inner Mongolia is a special economic zone renowned as a "treasure basin", with a foremost attraction of natural beauty. Vast grasslands, mushroom-like yurts, bright sky, fresh air, rolling grass and flocks and herds moving like white clouds on the remote grassland, all contribute to relaxing and picturesque scenery.

The Greater Hinggan Mountain, renowned as the "green treasure", is the largest and most preserved primitive forest. As the Kingdom of Wildlife, it is home to over 300 species of birds and 100 species of animals, 40 of which are listed as national rarities.

Inner Mongolia is an area of multiple ethnic groups with a total population of 24.05 million as of 2020. In 1947, it became the first autonomous region of China to be established. People of various ethnic groups all have long histories and brilliant cultures linked to this region.

Places of interest include Zhaojun Tomb in Hohhot, the Five-towers Temple, the Wudangzhao Monastery, and the Genghis Khan Mausoleum in Ejin Horo Banner. Traditional special local products include pure wool coarse string, Alashan camel's hair, XilinGol mushroom and Hetao melon.

Geography

The Inner Mongolia autonomous region is situated at the cross of 97"12"-126"04" east longitude and 37"24"-53"23" north latitude, with an area of 1.18 million square kilometers, spanning 1/8 the country and ranking 3rd in China's square coverage. Inner Mongolia not only has a large area but also geographical advantages, bordering Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces as well as Ningxia Hui autonomous region to the east, south and west. It spans the north, northeast and northwest of China and borders Russia and Mongolia in the north with a boundary line as long as 4,221 km, thus becoming an important frontier in China's global "opening up" initiatives.

Administrative division

The Inner Mongolia autonomous region has nine cities - Hohhot, Baotou, Wuhai, Chifeng, Tongliao, Ordos, Hulunbuir, Ulanqab and Banyannur; three leagues - Hinggan, Alxa and Xilin Gol; two municipalities with independent planning statues -Manzhouli and Erenhot; and 52 banners.

Food

Roast lamb, instant-boiled mutton, finger mutton and milk tea are some of the staple foods.

Culture

Singing, dancing and recreational sport are an important part of Mongolian culture.