Set in a sweeping valley surrounded by four sacred peaks of the Khentii range, Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia. It is undoubtedly the political, economic and cultural center of the nation, and is a city rich in wonderful character. As befitting a famously nomadic country, it is appropriate that Ulaanbaatar was established as a moving - and moveable - city back in 1639. After a few varying locations (though none was very far from the present site), it stayed permanently in its current location from the later years of the 18th century.
Though the skyline is dotted with modern buildings such as skyscrapers, Ulaanbaatar also hosts many traditional yurts - the felt-covered tents that have been used by Mongolian nomads for centuries. The city took its current name in 1924, after Mongolian hero Damdin Sükhbaatar, together with the Soviet Red Army, saved the country from Chinese occupation. The name 'Ulaanbaatar' means 'Red hero'.
