TheLunarCat

Mongolia has a long history. It was originally a massive empire made up of parts of China, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East.  In the 13th century the famous Genghis Khan formed a united Mongolian state out of all the nomadic tribes called the Mongol Empire, prior to this they were a nation of fragmented warring clans. By the late 17th century, the empire had collapsed due to internal conflicts, and was split up. Northern Mongolia was occupied by the Qing of China (Machus), whose rule collapsed in 1911, and Mongolia’s religious leader was declared the head of the state. However, they were not independent of China until 1919, when the Soviets helped Nationalists drive out Chinese troops who were trying to re-occupy Mongolia. In 1921, they also drove out the White Russian cavalry. In 1924, Mongolia was declared the Mongolian People’s Republic and until the 1990s, Mongolia had a close association with the Soviet Union, looking to them for political and economic guidance. This changed in 1990 when free multi-party elections were announced, and Mongolia transformed to a market economy, who remains neutral in international relations, and has more religious freedom under a new constitution.

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Mongolia geographically is a landlocked country above China and below Russia. It has several geographical zones– desert, mountains, and steppes, with three quarters designated as farmland for livestock.

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Crop cultivation is impossible for 6-9 months of the year, as they have harsh winters and very dry summers (called dzuds). As a result of climate change the dzuds are more common, so fruit and vegetables are less common as a result. The small number of crops that they do have include wheat, barley, potato, cabbage and carrots, which are normally grown in the central provinces. Some watermelons and berries are grown in the urban areas.

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Their history has influenced their food, which includes nomadic influences, influences from Russia, China and Central Asia.

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The Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and an abundance of livestock, means that meat is commonly eaten, including mutton, sheep, goat, cows, yak and camel. Recently, due to a shortage of camels, it is forbidden to eat them in many regions. Meat is eaten in many ways including grilled, roasted, smoked, and dried. All parts of animal are eaten including intestines, kidneys, heart, eyeballs and so forth. Milk and other dairy products from livestock are also commonly eaten. The food is considered quite heavy. There are more heads of livestock than people! Fruits and vegetables are in short supply because of the climate, and mostly imported from China. Chicken and pork are not eaten much at all, and eating fish is extremely rare.