Mongolia is home to Ulaanbaatar, widely recognized as the world's coldest national capital by long-term average temperature.
Ulaanbaatar lies in the Tuul River valley at roughly 1,300 metres above sea level. Its position far from oceans gives it a strongly continental climate, with very cold winters and relatively warm summers.
The city developed around Buddhist monastic centers and became Mongolia’s permanent capital in the twentieth century. It is now the country’s political, economic and cultural center and contains a large share of Mongolia’s population.
Winter air pollution has been a serious urban issue, partly because many households in the expanding ger districts use coal and other fuels for heating. Ulaanbaatar’s cold reputation therefore reflects both its climate and its high-altitude inland setting.