Outer Mongolia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Outer Mongolia (Chinese: 外蒙古; pinyin: Wài Měnggǔ) was a political division of the Qing Empire. It consisted of the following four provinces (ayimagh), ordering from east to west:
- Chechen Khan Province (Chechen Khan Ayimagh, Tsetsen Han Aymag)
- Töshiyetü Khan Province (Töshiyetü Khan Ayimagh, Tusheet Han Aymag)
- Sayin Noyan Province (Sayin Noyan Ayimagh, Sayn Noyon Aymag)
- Jasaghtu Khan Province (Jasaghtu Khan Ayimagh, Zasagt Han Aymag)
Today the name is sometimes still informally used referring to Mongolia (a sovereign state), which controls roughly the same territory. The historic definition also included Tannu Uriankhai, the majority of which is the modern-day Tuva Republic, part of the Russian Federation, but not the area of the Mongolian Bayan-Ölgiy Province.
The name "Outer Mongolia" is opposed to Inner Mongolia (内蒙古; Nèi Měnggǔ), today an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Continued use of the term is felt by many to reflect a Sinocentric perspective that takes the northern part of Mongolia as "outer," while the southern portion, closer to the Chinese capital (Beijing), is regarded as "inner."
The Republic of China (Taiwan) has not constitutionally renounced sovereignty over Outer Mongolia, although Article 3 of the Enforcement Rules for the Act Governing Relations between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, effective from 30 January 2002, has been amended to exclude Outer Mongolia from the Mainland Area (defined as areas under control of the Chinese Communists after the amendement) to treat it as de facto foreign territory.
The term "Outer Mongolia" is sometimes used in western slang to denote a stereotypically remote place.
