The Mongols are a major ethnic minority group in China, with a population of around 6 million, and are also closely linked to populations in Mongolia and parts of Russia. In China, they are primarily concentrated in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as smaller communities in northern and western provinces.

The Mongols are a Central Asian ethnolinguistic group with a long-standing nomadic tradition, historically living across the Mongolian Plateau and surrounding steppe regions. Their language belongs to the Mongolic language family, with various dialects spoken across different regions.

In the early 13th century, Mongol tribes were unified under Genghis Khan, who led a series of military campaigns that established one of the largest empires in world history. This period marked a major transformation in Mongol political organisation and regional influence across Eurasia.

Traditionally, Mongol society was shaped by nomadic pastoralism, centred on livestock herding and seasonal movement across the steppe. Cultural practices such as horse riding, wrestling and archery remain closely associated with Mongol heritage, and continue to be showcased in festivals such as Naadam.