It is also Mongolia's center of culture and industry. The city lies in the northeastern part of the country. Mongolia Large government buildings line Ulan Bator's central square. The city has a university, a national theater, and several museums. Its manufactured products include furniture, cast iron, paper, pharmaceutical products, soap, and textiles.
Meat packing is also an important industry in the city.
In 1639, a Lamaist monastery was built on the site of what is now Ulan Bator. Lamaism is a form of Buddhism. A settlement grew up around the monastery, and it became an important trade center. The city was called Urga until 1924, when Mongolia became an independent republic. Andrew C. Hess, Ph.D., Professor of Diplomacy, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.