Inner Mongolia, with a temperate continental monsoon climate, has a cold, long winter with frequent blizzards and a warm, short summer. Except for the relatively humid Greater Hinggan Mountain area, the greater part of Inner Mongolia is, from west to east, arid, semi-arid and semi-humid.

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Mongol, Han, Duar, Ewenki, Hui, Manchu and other ethnic groups.

Inner Mongolia is a major stockbreeding center known for its Sanhe Horses, Sanhe Oxen and fine wool sheep. Apart from wheat, oat, millet, sorghum, maize, potato and rice, a wide range of cash crops are grown, including soy beans, linseed, rapeseed, castor-oil plants and sugar-beets. The Greater Hinggan range makes up one-sixth of the country's total timber reserves.