| Mongolia |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Mongolia | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a national election. Over the next four years the Coalition implemented a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and institutionalize democratic reforms. However, the former communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional reforms and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won 72 of the 76 seats in Parliament and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social welfare and public order priorities.

Mongolia | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: | 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: | Asia

Area: | total: 1.565 million sq km land: 1.565 million sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: | total: 8,161.9 km border countries: China 4,676.9 km, Russia 3,485 km

Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)

Climate: | desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain: | vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: | oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: | arable land: 5.7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 81% forests and woodland: 11.4% other: 1.9% (2000 est.)

Irrigated land: | 800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: | dust and snow storms, grassland and forest fires, drought and "zud", which is a combination of drought followed by harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities have also had a deleterious effect on the environment

Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: | landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Mongolia | People | Top of Page

Population: | 2,654,999 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 32.99% (male 445,252; female 430,758) 15-64 years: 63.13% (male 837,771; female 838,384) 65 years and over: 3.88% (male 44,436; female 58,398) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 1.47% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 53.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 64.26 years male: 62.14 years female: 66.5 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 2.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: | Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions: | Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages: | Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000)

Mongolia | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia

Government type: | parliamentary

Capital: | Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: | 18 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 3 municipalities* (hotuud, singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan*, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Erdenet*, Govi-Altay, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs note: there may be a new province named Gobi-Sumber; further, there may now be 21 provinces and 1 capital city instead of 18 provinces and 3 municipalities

Independence: | 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: | Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: | 12 February 1992

Legal system: | blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: | chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote - NA%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch: | unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts, but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the president)

Political parties and leaders: | Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [D. DORLIGAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian Democratic New Socialist Party or MDNSP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN] note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

International organization participation: | ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CCC, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador John DINGER embassy: inner north side of the Big Ring, just west of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: United States Embassy in Mongolia, P. O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description: | three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Mongolia | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91, at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, which was prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government has embraced free-market economics, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade, and attempting to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the ex-communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of external debt.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | -1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $1,780 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 36% industry: 22% services: 42% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: | 40% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 7.6% (1999)

Labor force: | 1.3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: | primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate: | NA%

Budget: | revenues: $262 million expenditures: $328 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: | construction materials, mining (particularly coal and copper); food and beverages, processing of animal products

Industrial production growth rate: | 2.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: | 2.671 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 2.767 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 80 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 363 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: | $454.3 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: | copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners: | China 60%, US 20%, Russia 9%, Japan 2% (2000 est.)

Imports: | $510.7 million (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners: | Russia 33%, China 21%, Japan 12%, South Korea 10%, US 4% (1999)

Debt - external: | $760 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: | $200 million (1998 est.)

Currency: | togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code: | MNT

Exchange rates: | togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,097.00 (December 2000), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996)

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Mongolia | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 104,100 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 110,000 (2001)

Telephone system: | general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: | 155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: | 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low powered repeaters) (1999)

Televisions: | 168,800 (1999)

Internet country code: | .mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 5 (2001)

Internet users: | between 10,000 and 15,000 (2001)

Mongolia | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2001)

Highways: | total: 3,387 km paved: 1,563 km unpaved: 1,824 km note: there are also 45,862 km of rural roads that consist of rough, unimproved, cross-country tracks (2000)

Waterways: | 400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: | none

Airports: | 34 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 26 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.)

Mongolia | Military | Top of Page

Military branches: | Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 748,779 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 486,491 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 30,230 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $25.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.3% (FY01)

Mongolia | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none