Mongols
 Sorghaghtani Beki  | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Mongolia,  China,  Russia | |
| Languages | |
| Mongolic languages | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism with minorities of Christianity, Islam, Atheism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Khalkha, Daurs, Buryats, Evenks, Dorbots, Kalmyks, Oirats, Chakhars, Tumeds, Ordoses, Bayad, Dariganga, Urianhai, Uzemchin and Zakhchin. |
The name Mongols (Mongolian: Монгол Mongol) specifies one or several ethnic groups. A narrow definition includes the Mongols proper (self-designation Monggol), which can be roughly divided into eastern and western Mongols. In a wider sense, the Mongol peoples includes people who speak a Mongolic language but use other self-designations, such as the Kalmyks of eastern Europe.
The name Monggol has its origin in the Tungusic languages and originally means "the invincible ones".[citation needed] At first it was applied to a small and still insignificant tribe in the area of the Onon River. In the 13th century it grew into an umbrella term for a large group of tribes united under the rule of Genghis Khan.
== Geographic distribution DERP DA DERP DA DERP Today, people of Mongol origin live in Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia), Russia, and a few other central Asian countries.
The differentiation between tribes and peoples (nationalities) is handled differently depending on the country. The Tumeds, Chakhar, Ordoses, Bargut, Buryats, and Oirats are all counted as tribes of the Mongols.
Other geographically dispersed Mongol peoples include the Moghol, Hazara, and Aimak in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mongolia
The population of Mongolia consists of 85% Mongols, numbering approximately 2.4 million. Among those, the Khalkha, Uriankhai, and Buryats are counted as eastern Mongols. The Oirats, living mainly in the Altay region, belong to the western Mongols.
Russia
In Russia, the Buryats belong to the eastern Mongols. The western Mongols include the Oirats in the Russian Altay and the Kalmyks at the northern side of the Caspian Sea. Together they amount to roughly half a million people.
China
The Chinese census of 2000 counted 5.8 million Mongols (according to the narrow definition above). Most of them live in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, followed by Liaoning province. Small numbers can also be found in provinces near those two.
Other peoples speaking Mongolic languages are the Daur, Monguor, Dongxiang, Bonan, and parts of the Yugur. Those don't officially count as part of the Mongol nationality, but are recognized as nationalities of their own.
