Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, characterized by vast steppe plains and deserts. Covering an area of 1,564,116 square kilometers (sq km), it is bordered by Russia and China. The country is especially vulnerable to droughts, particularly the dry summers followed by cold winters, which can be severe, and result in the loss of millions of livestock. The country’s vulnerability is exacerbated by a sizable proportion of the population’s dependence on agriculture and livestock herding for their livelihoods and subsistence.