Show outer mongolia arid stretch in central asia outer mongolia whose independence has been agreed to in the moscow treaty by her neighbors to the north and south the soviet union and china has an area of 6 2 square miles the region about equals the combined areas 0 of I 1 indiana illinois iowa missouri nebraska kansas wyoming and colorado this block of territory occupies about the same position on oil the north american continent as that occupied in asia by outer mongolia the eastern boundary of the latter country Is 40 miles from the nearest pacific ports and extends largely through plateau land 1500 miles farther west the prewar population of this area was estimated at which would give each resident more than a square mile of territory this estimate included about mon gols nearly russians and the remainder mostly chinese the natives I 1 pro pre predominantly buddhists buddhist windswept wind swept outer mongolia Is too arid tor for agriculture and Is devoted mostly to stock raising by its nomadic tribes prewar herds feeding on the high grass gra ss included more than lo 10 sheep cattle and horses and camels together in excess of the latter fuguru flig ure the tented tribesmen live largely on horse meat mutton and beef they drink quantities of tea supplemented by mares milk often in a fermented form |