Chinese Nei Monggol or Nei-meng-ku
Autonomous region (pop., 2000 est.: 23,760,000), China.
Stretching some 1,800 mi (2,900 km) across north-northeastern China, it has an area of 454,600 sq mi (1,177,500 sq km); its capital is Hohhot . Mongols and Chinese make up the bulk of the population, most of which is concentrated in the agricultural belt near the Huang He (Yellow River). Inner Mongolia is an inland plateau lying at an elevation of about 3,000 ft (900 m); it is fringed by mountains and valleys. Its northern portion lies within the Gobi Desert , and its southern border is partly marked by the Great Wall . Inner Mongolia was separated from Mongolia (Outer Mongolia) in 1644 and was established as an autonomous region in 1947. Its harsh climate restricts intensive agriculture; some industrial development has occurred there.