Ulaanbaatar is the capital city of Mongolia, the landlocked country between Russia and China.
Ulaanbaatar lies in north-central Mongolia on the Tuul River, at an elevation of roughly 1,350 metres. It is by far the country’s largest city and its main political, economic, cultural, and transport center.
The city began as a mobile monastic settlement in the seventeenth century. It moved between locations several times before settling at its present site in 1778. Its name has changed over time: it was known as Urga in Western languages and later as Niislel Khüree before adopting Ulaanbaatar, meaning “Red Hero,” in 1924.
Mongolia has a highly continental climate, and Ulaanbaatar is widely recognized as one of the world’s coldest national capitals. The city combines apartment districts and modern institutions with large ger areas, where many residents live in traditional felt tents adapted for urban life.