Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert is a vast cold desert spanning southern Mongolia and northern China. Its arid plateaus, mountains, and sparse vegetation include rocky terrain as well as sand dunes.

Cold desert: A desert with low precipitation and cold winters, often receiving snow rather than rain. The Gobi’s severe winters distinguish it from hot deserts.
Aeolian processes: The erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment by wind. Wind moves dust and sand across exposed Gobi surfaces.
Khongoryn Els: A major field of sand dunes in the southern Gobi of Mongolia. These dramatic dunes represent one of the Gobi’s best-known sandy landscapes.
Himalayan uplift: The tectonic processes that raised the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau over millions of years. High terrain to the south helped alter atmospheric circulation and regional moisture.
Mongolian nomadism: A pastoral way of life in Mongolia based on seasonal movement with livestock. Mobile herding helps communities use sparse and seasonally variable Gobi pastures.
Aridity: A persistent shortage of water caused by low precipitation and high water loss. Limited moisture shapes the Gobi’s soils, vegetation, and wildlife.
Dust storm: A storm that lifts large quantities of dust and sand into the air. Strong winds can carry Gobi dust far beyond the desert.
Flaming Cliffs: A sandstone escarpment in Mongolia’s Bayanzag area, noted for its red color and fossils. Their exposed rocks preserve celebrated dinosaur discoveries from the Gobi.
Tibetan Plateau: A vast, high-altitude region of Central and East Asia surrounded by major mountain ranges. Its elevation influences winds and precipitation reaching the Gobi region.
Saiga antelope: A critically endangered antelope adapted to open steppe and semidesert habitats across Eurasia. Its populations face habitat pressures across drylands near the Gobi.

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