Geography
Mongolia is located in the geographic centre of Asia, between the latitudes of 41°35' and 52°06' North and the longitudes of 87°47' and 119°57' East. Mongolia shares borders to the north with the Russian Federation (3485 kilometres) and to the south with the People's Republic of China (4676.9 kilometres). The national territory occupies 1564.1 thousand square kilometres, extending 2392 kilometres from its easternmost to westernmost points, and 1259 kilometres from north to south; in terms of its area, Mongolia ranks 17th among all nations of the world.
Mongolia has an average elevation of 1580 metres above sea level, with a maximum elevation of 4374 metres at the summit of Xüiten Uul (also known as "Nairamdal" or "Friendship" peak), and a minimum elevation of 532 at the surface of the lake Xöx Nuur. The national territory includes mountains, hilly regions, steppe, river valleys and desert regions.
Glaciers can be found along the peaks of some of the highest peaks in the Altai Mountains, while remains of glaciations are visible on some mountains in the Xövsgöl, Xangai, Xentii and Altai ranges. Mongolia is also home to a large number of rivers and lakes, including the Xövsgöl, Uvs, Buir, Xar-Us, Xar, Ögii, Telmen, Dörgön, Achit, Üüreg and other freshwater and saltwater lakes, and the Selenge, Orxon, Tuul, Delger, Eg, Chuluut, Xovd, Zavxan, Tes, Xerlen, Onon, Xalx and Ulz Rivers.
Topographically, Mongolia occupies a transitional zone situated between the southern Siberian mountainous taiga and the arid Central Asian steppe and Gobi desert regions to the south. The country is traversed by a bow-shaped range of mountains which extends from the northwest through the centre of the territory and into the northeast, broken by several north-south basins located to the south of Lake Xövsgöl, which delimit Mongolia's primary geographic regions—the Altai, the Great Lakes Depression, the Xövsgöl Mountains, the Xangai Mountains, the Orxon-Selenge foothills, the Xentii Mountains, the Dornod steppe, and the Ix Xyangan.
 | In commemoration of the legacy and teachings of His Holiness Dulduit Danzanravzhaa Fifth Wrathful Noble Xutagt of the Great Gobi (1803-1856) I did not overbearingly sophize Nor preach with pride and arrogance But having found a sense in this world Spoke the truth of my dear heart. |   |