Inner Mongolia's amazing and varied natural and cultural landscape, and its religious heritage combine to offer you everything you could ever wish for during a holiday.

From the moment you arrive to be greeted by the stunning grasslands and the Gobi desert, you are enticed by the intense natural beauty and unique ethnic traditions of the area.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located on China's northernmost strip, shares 4,221-km border with Russia and the People's Republic of Mongolia. The region neighbors Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces in the east, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in the west, and Hebei, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces in the south.

A tract of beautiful, fertile land, Inner Mongolia is the first ethnic minority autonomous region to be established in China on May 1, 1947.

With a population of 23.84 million, the region covers 1.1183 million sq km, with its capital at Hohhot.

This region is the cradle of many minority ethnic cultures of North China, and is home to 49 ethnic groups including the Mongolian, Manchu, Korean, Hezhe, Daur, Oroqen and Ewenki.

Natural resources

Inner Mongolia is endowed with bountiful natural resources. It has 86 million hectares of pasture, making up 21 percent of the nation's total.

It also has more than 120 kinds of minerals. Among the 78 kinds of minerals that have proven reserves, 7 varieties lead the other provincial-level areas of the country in terms of reserve volume, while 22 rank among the top three and 42 among the top 10. Inner Mongolia's proven reserves of rare earth oxide account for 90 percent of the country's total.

By 2001, some 318 coalfields had been founded in the region, with an accumulated proven reserve of 223.24 billion tons, second to only that of Shanxi Province. There are five coalfields with reserves of over 10 billion tons each.

Its rich forest resources have led to the region being dubbed one of the country's most important forest bases. Its 18.67 million hectares of forest area, more than that of any other provincial-level area, accounts for 11 percent of the national total, and its forest coverage rate of 14.8 percent is above the country's average of 13.4 percent.

Visitors are thus bound to experience a welcome and refreshing respite from the urban hustle and bustle as they wander among the forests and grasslands of this beautiful region.

Inner Mongolia is also noted for its pesticide free farm produce.

Scenery & culture

Besides rich natural resources, Inner Mongolia's main attraction lies in its immense natural beauty. The most well-known grasslands in the region, including the Hulumbuir, Xilingol, Horqin, Ulanqab and Ordos prairies, are all good places to enjoy a grassland experience.

Countless attractions are also scattered amid the primitive forests of the Great Hinggan Mountains, Badain Jaran Desert and Tengger Desert.

The bright sky, fresh air, rolling grasslands, mushroom-like yurts and the flocks and herds moving like white clouds on the enormous prairies combine to present a tranquil landscape.

Moreover, the long history and unique culture of the area add to its value as a tourism destination.

The Mongolians, who make up the major ethnic group in the region, are the descendants of the armies of Genghis Khan (1162-1227) whose grandson Kublai Khan founded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). For the brilliant achievements in unifying the Mongol tribes and conquering most of Eurasia, he was later given the title "Genghis Khan", meaning "universal ruler".

Many Mongolians today still live the way their forefathers did, following herds of cattle, sheep, goats and camels and living in yurts.

History has left many relics in the enormous grassland. Governments at all levels have attached great importance to the development of tourism, leading to the establishment of distinguished tourist cities such as Baotou, Hohhot, Xilinhot, Chifeng and Hailar. The cemetery of Genghis Khan, the Sino-Russian market in Manzhouli and the Gegentala Prairie have all been labeled 4A tourist destinations by the National Tourism Administration.

While visiting Inner Mongolia, tourists may also take pleasure in experiencing different folk customs and sports such as Mongolian wrestling, horse and camel riding, rodeo competitions, archery, visiting traditional Mongolian families and enjoying the graceful Mongolian singing and dancing.

(China Daily 07/20/2007 page5)