Gobi Desert Gobi Desert The Gobi Desert () is a large desert region in Asia. It covers parts of Northern and Northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia. The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands and steppes of Mongolia on the north, by the Taklamakan Desert to the west, by the Hexi Corridor and Tibetan Plateau to the southwest, and by the North China Plain to the southeast. The Gobi is notable in history as part of the great Mongol Empire, and as the location of several important cities along the Silk Road. The Gobi
Gobi Desert Water is scarce, with no streams, no lakes, no wells, and precipitation falls seldom. The prevailing winds blow from the west and northwest, and the pall of dust overhangs the country as in the Takla Makan and the desert of Lop. Characteristic of the flora are wild garlic, "Kalidium gracile", wormwood, saxaul, "Nitraria schoberi", "Caragana", Ephedra, saltwort and the grass "Lasiagrostis splendens". The taana wild onion "Allium polyrrhizum" is the main browse eaten by many herd animals, and Mongolians claim that this is essential to produce the correct, slightly hazelnut-like flavour of camel airag (fermented milk). This great desert country