Buryatia is in the south central part of Siberia. Because of this it has a subarctic climate, which have long, cold winters, and short, mild summers. There is not a lot of rainfall in the area because of the climate. The landscape is mostly mountainous. Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, is also in Buryatia. There are many animals and birds in the area. These animals and birds may appear depending on the season. The area is also rich in minerals like gold, tungsten, uranium, zinc and more.