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| Location | Northern Asia, between China and Russia | | | Geographic coordinates | 46 00 N, 105 00 E | | | Zone | Asia | | | Area | total: 1,564,116 sq km | | | Land boundaries | total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km | | | Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | | | Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | | | Climate | desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) | | | Terrain | vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m | | | Natural resources | oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron | | | Irrigated land | 0 km (landlocked) | | | Natural hazards | dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions | | Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | | Geography - note | landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia | |
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