It’s a portable round house uniquely suited to the Mongolian nomadic lifestyle, and the Mongolian climate. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer oweing to the excellent insulation properties of the felt and canvas walls.

The ger consists of a circular wooden frame carrying a felt cover. The felt is made from the wool of the flocks of sheep that accompany the pastoralists. The timber to make the external structure is not to be found on the treeless steppes, and must be traded for in the valleys below.*

The frame consists of one or more lattice wall-sections, a door-frame, roof poles and a crown. Some styles of ger have one or more columns to support the crown. The (self-supporting) wood frame is covered with pieces of felt. Depending on availability, the felt is additionally covered with canvas and/or sun-covers. The frame is held together with one or more ropes or ribbons. The structure is kept under compression by the weight of the covers, sometimes supplemented by a heavy weight hung from the center of the roof. They vary regionally, with straight or bent roof-poles, different sizes, and relative weight.