evidence: It's important to note that the terms "Outer" and "Inner" Mongolia historically referred to the geographical locations relative to China, with "Outer" being farther from the Chinese heartland and "Inner" being closer. Today, these terms are primarily used to distinguish between the independent country of Mongolia and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region within China. [...] Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region in northern China, bordering Mongolia to the north and west. Although it shares some cultural similarities with Mongolia, Inner Mongolia has its own unique history and attractions. [...] Lastly, Inner Mongolia has a population of around 25 million people with a territory of 1.18 million square kilometers (457,000 square miles), which is roughly equivalent to the size of South Africa or three times the size of Japan.