Mongolia is a country of high, windy plains and grassy steppe. It is located between Russia to the north and China to the east, south and west. On the southern part of Mongolia is the “cold desert” known as the Gobi desert, which also extends into China. Its border almost—but not quite—touches Khazahstan to the west. Historically, Mongolia has long been a land of horses, grazing on the steppe. Ghengis Khan, who conquered much of Europe in the 13th century, came from Mongolia.