The Gobi Desert Explained

The Gobi Desert is a large cold region in southern Mongolia and North China. Much of the ground is exposed bare rock.

The desert sits on a plateau roughly 910 to 1,520 meters above sea level.

The Gobi Desert experiences frost and snow on its dunes.

Average annual rainfall is only about 194 millimeters. Winter snow blown from the Siberian Steppes adds some extra moisture.

Temperatures swing rapidly. The climate can change by as much as 35 degrees Celsius within a single 24-hour span.

Wild Bactrian camels roam these harsh landscapes. Cashmere goats are the desert's most overdressed residents.

China began the Three-North Shelter Forest Program in 1978 to slow expansion. Planting trees continues through 2050.