Always the Same Map

Almost no arable land and a culture of herding animals. Herd animals are the only ones able to make use of the steppe directly. They soil is too flimsy for agriculture. As a result, meat is the staple food and cheap, while anything else comes at a premium and often has to be imported.

Mongolia is also really good at breeding lifestock, back during the socialist period they helped the DPRK to get its breeding programs going after the war and donated many herds to start with.