In general, the Mongol state (Great Mongol Ulus) was spanning the central and, to some extent, also southeastern part of the Asian continent, but it should be noted, that the northern reaches of this territory were still running along the 55th-56th parallel which lies as far north as southern Sweden. This imaginary line quite well overlaps with the divide between the Dfb (Dwb/Dwc in northern China) and Dfc climate zones. This means that although the southern part of the Asian Mongol holdings were indeed chiefly arid steppes (Bwk, Bsh), northern part of the Golden Horde territory at its greatest extent shared the climate with southern Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Poland, regions quite known for its moderate albeit continental climate, fertile lands and high grain output.

Now, the territories lying north of the aforementioned line are very green and lush, but not particularly well-suited to settlement or agriculture. As I said previously, this is more or less the latitude of south Sweden at the southernmost part of the region, but in the strictly continental part of the landmass, without the moderating influence of warm sea currents (Gulf Stream in this particular case). In other words, this part of Asia experiences strictly continental climate and usually is heavily forested and essentially cold. Even in the southern part, the summers are relatively short (usually 2-3 months) and cool, with the average summer temperatures not exceeding 10-12 °C (50-54 °F) with the average yearly temperatures being close to zero and winters experiencing extremely low temperatures, from -20°C (-4°F) to over -60°C (-88°F). The territories further north are even more extreme. It is worth noting that the lowest temperature ever recorded in the northern hemisphere (−68°C or −90°F) was measured nowhere close North Pole, but in the town of Oymyakon in northeastern Russia, on a latitude of 63°27'N, so not that far north as one might have suspected (it is more or less midway throughout the northern Siberia). Low temperatures precipitate the formation of permafrost, that even when it thaws near the upper part of the soil in warmer part of the year, resulting water cannot be drained due to the deeper permafrost creating swampland that severely hinder any attempt at agriculture or animal husbandry, low temperatures notwithstanding.

This does not mean that Mongols did were not interested in the northern parts of Eurasia. Although they were focused on the already well populated and developed areas of the Western Asia and Eastern Europe, especially the areas of Khwarezmian Empire and Kievan Rus, they also took interest in the areas north of their lands. They were less enticing though due to the aforementioned unfavourable climate, very low population and relative lack of development. Nevertheless, Mongols made some forays into the region, vassalizing the local population.

A good example of this process was the Siberian Khanate. Although centered around Qasliq, near what is now Tobolsk, it reached north along Irtysh river as far as the confluence of Ob, Kazim and Northern Sosva, slightly south of modern-day Byeryozovo that lies near 63rd parallel. It has been already a part of the Golden Horde territory and was created as a separate polity after the dissolution of the latter in 1490, with Ibaq-Ibrahim being its first Khan. Siberian Khanate was populated to some extent by Tartars, especially in the southern part of the territory, with the northern ranges, primarily inhabited by Voguls and Ostyaks (Khants).

In mid-13th century Mongol influence reached the Kievan Rus that became a target of the intensive military conquest, and after the defeat of Ruthenian-Polovets army at the Kalka River in 1233 and the sacking of the Torzhok, Byezhetsk and Volok, the Novgorod Republic pre-emptively agreed to accept Mongol sovereignty in 1259. This means, that although lands of what is now Russia were not settled by Mongols, the political influence of the latter reached the nortwestern borders of Kievan Rus and Novgorod Republic, i.e. almost reaching modern borders of Poland in the west and White Sea in the north.

Thus, the relative lack of interest in the central and northern Siberia has been dictated by the cold, inhospitable climate that was not conducive to large scale settlement. The region is still relatively sparsely populated and a large number of cities there have been built only in late 19th and 20th century in the wake of industrialization of the country, as the region is quite rich in fossil fuels and mineral resources.