Nei Monggol
(1996 pop. 23.6 million). Bordering on the Mongolian People's Republic and Russia in the north, Nei Monggol, or Inner Mongolia, is China's northern frontier. It is an oblong strip of land, extending from northeast to southwest, with an area of 1.2 million square kilometers. Internally, it borders on Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang Provinces. It is home to the Mongolian, Han, Hui, Manchu, Daur, and Ewenki peoples.
Nei Monggol, with a temperate continental monsoonal climate, has a cold, long winter with frequent blizzards and a warm, short summer. With its vast stretch of grasslands, it is a major stockbreeding center known for its Sanhe horses, Sanhe oxen, and fine wool sheep. Daxinganling Forest, in Nei Monggol's northeast sector, makes up one-sixth of China's total forest reserve. Apart from wheat, naked oats, millet, sorghum, maize, and rice, a wide range of cash crops is grown, including soybeans, linseed, rapeseed, castor oil plants, and sugar beets. Inner Mongolia holds first place in the country in rare earth metals and niobium and natural soda reserves and second place in coal reserves.
Huhehaote, capital of Nei Monggol, is an ancient city that is located north of the Great Wall. Baotou, another major city in the region, is one of China's major iron- and steel-producing centers.
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