A young boy moves a herd of sheep across the steppe in Tyva, Russia.
The vast steppes of central Asia form a
belt of grasslands that sweeps for roughly 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) from Europe to China.
Steppes are semiarid grasslands that get between 10 and 20 inches (between 25 and 51 centimeters) of rain each year. These treeless plains cover about 15 percent of the Earth's surface.
Central Asia's steppes have long been home for many nomadic peoples, such as the Mongols. The short grass of the western steppes provides feeding grounds for pastoral animals (such as sheep and goats) and is easy to traverse on horseback. Grass is less abundant in the harsher climate of the eastern steppes of Mongolia and Siberia. Long, cold winters send many nomads south.
Temperature differences are extreme in the eastern steppes. In Mongolia, temperatures range from 90°F (30°C) in the summer to minus 50°F (-45°C) in winter. Precipitation is scarce and unpredictable.
Hundreds of thousands of gazelles roam the open steppes, as do marmots, which are prized for both flesh and fur.
Genghis Khan and his soldiers used their expert horsemanship and their knowledge of the steppes to their advantage in building the Mongol Empire.
Like many environments, Asia's steppes are under growing threat from development, most notably oil exploration.
