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Background: |
The Mongols gained fame in the
13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian
empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful
Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols
eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under
Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
Communist regime was installed in 1924. Following a peaceful democratic
revolution, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP)
won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union
Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election. Since then,
parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000,
but 2004 elections reduced MPRP representation and, therefore, its
authority. |
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Location: |
Northern Asia, between China
and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
46 00 N, 105 00 E |
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Map references: |
Asia |
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Area: |
total: 1,564,116 sq km
|
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Alaska
|
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Land boundaries: |
total: 8,220 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km |
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Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
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Climate: |
desert; continental (large
daily and seasonal temperature ranges) |
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Terrain: |
vast semidesert and desert
plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in
south-central |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Hoh Nuur
518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m
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Natural resources: |
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum,
tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
|
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Land use: |
arable land: 0.76%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.24% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
840 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources: |
34.8 cu km (1999) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 0.44 cu km/yr
(20%/27%/52%)
Per capita: 166 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards: |
dust storms, grassland and
forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions |
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Environment - current issues: |
limited natural fresh water
resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted
rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the
environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of
enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in
Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land
to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the
environment |
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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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
landlocked; strategic location
between China and Russia |
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Population: |
2,951,786 (July 2007 est.)
|
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 28.7% (male
432,309/female 415,382)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 994,186/female
995,986)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 49,517/female 64,406)
(2007 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 24.6 years
male: 24.2 years
female: 24.9 years (2007 est.)
|
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Population growth rate: |
1.486% (2007 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
21.07 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Death rate: |
6.21 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.769 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 42.65
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 45.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 66.99
years
male: 64.61 years
female: 69.48 years (2007
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
2.25 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
|
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 500 (2003 est) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%,
Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1%
(2000) |
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Religions: |
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist
and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004) |
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Languages: |
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic,
Russian (1999) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98%
female: 97.5% (2000 census)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local long
form: none
local short form: Mongol Uls
former:
Outer Mongolia |
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Government type: |
mixed
parliamentary/presidential |
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Capital: |
name: Ulaanbaatar
geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E
time
difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in
March; ends last Saturday in September |
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Administrative divisions: |
21 provinces (aymguud, singular
- aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor,
Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,
Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs |
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Independence: |
11 July 1921 (from China)
|
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National holiday: |
Independence Day/Revolution
Day, 11 July (1921) |
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Constitution: |
12 February 1992 |
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Legal system: |
blend of Soviet, German, and US
systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent;
constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005)
head of
government: Prime Minister Sanjaa BAYAR (since 22 November 2007);
Deputy Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 6 December 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in
consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural
(parliament)
elections: presidential candidates nominated by
political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular
vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held
22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative
elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by State Great Hural
election results:
Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR
53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN 13.92%,
Badarchyn ERDENEBAT 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime minister by
the State Great Hural 56 to 10 |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral State Great Hural 76
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms
elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.8%,
MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.4%; seats by
party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - 2 seats disputed and unfilled;
following June 2004 election MDC collapsed |
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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 and approved by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Citizens' Will Republican Party
or CWRP [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN] (also called Civil Courage Republican Party
or CCRP); Democratic Party or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ];
Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn
ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Sanji BAYAR];
Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; People's
Party or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI]
note: DP and M-MNSDP formed
Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June
2004 elections as single party; MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in
December 2004 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
ADB, ARF, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ravdan BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington,
DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
FAX: [1]
(202) 298-9227 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mark C. MINTON
embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro
Region, Ulaanbaatar
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP
96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13
telephone: [976] (11)
329-095
FAX: [976] (11) 320-776 |
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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) |
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Economy - overview: |
Economic activity in Mongolia
has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has
extensive mineral deposits. Copper, coal, gold, molybdenum, tin, and
tungsten account for a large part of industrial production and foreign
direct investment. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP,
disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the
dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both
deep recession because of political inaction and natural disasters, as
well as economic growth because of reform-embracing, free-market economics
and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. Severe
winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock
die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling
prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to
privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, 7.5% in 2006, and
9% in 2007 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production.
Mongolia is experiencing its highest inflation rate in over a decade as
consumer prices in 2007 rose 14%, largely because of increased fuel and
food costs. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its
neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum products
and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it
vulnerable to price increases. China receives nearly 70% of Mongolia's
exports. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and
illegally are sizable, and money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia
settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable
terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks
to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic
and trade regimes. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$8.448 billion (2007 est.)
|
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$3.172 billion (2006) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
8.4% (2006) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$2,900 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 18.8%
industry: 40.4%
services: 40.8% (2006) |
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Labor force: |
1.042 million (2006) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 39.9%
industry: 11.7%
services: 49.4% (2006) |
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Unemployment rate: |
3.2% (2006) |
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Population below poverty line: |
36.1% (2004) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 24.6% (2002) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
32.8 (2002) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
9.5% (2005 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $1.162 billion
expenditures: $1.057 billion (2006) |
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Agriculture - products: |
wheat, barley, vegetables,
forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses |
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Industries: |
construction and construction
materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and
gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere
and natural fiber manufacturing |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
3% (2006 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
3.43 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
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Electricity - consumption: |
2.94 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - exports: |
15.95 million kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - imports: |
125 million kWh (2006) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
12,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - imports: |
12,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
|
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
|
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Exports: |
$1.542 billion f.o.b. (2006)
|
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Exports - commodities: |
copper, apparel, livestock,
animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
|
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Exports - partners: |
China 71.8%, Canada 11.7%, US
7.3% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$1.486 billion c.i.f. (2006)
|
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Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, fuel,
cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building
materials, sugar, tea |
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Imports - partners: |
Russia 29.8%, China 29.5%,
Japan 11.9% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$211.9 million (2005) |
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Debt - external: |
$1.38 billion (2005) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$NA |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$NA |
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$45.62 million (2005) |
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Currency (code): |
togrog/tugrik (MNT) |
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Currency code: |
MNT |
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Exchange rates: |
togrogs/tugriks per US dollar -
NA (2007), 1,179.6 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003)
|
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
156,000 (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
557,200 (2005) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
network is improving with international direct dialing available in many
areas
domestic: very low density of about 6 fixed lines per 100
persons (roughly 25 per 100 persons including cellular mobile phones);
there are multiple mobile cellular service providers; a fiber-optic
network is also being installed that will improve broadband and
communication services between major urban centers
international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7
|
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20
National radio broadcaster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006) |
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Radios: |
155,900 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
456 (including provincial and
low-power repeaters) (2006) |
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Televisions: |
168,800 (1999) |
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Internet country code: |
.mn |
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Internet hosts: |
298 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
5 (2001) |
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Internet users: |
268,300 (2005) |
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Airports: |
44 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 13
over
3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437
m: 2 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 31
over
3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m:
23
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
|
Heliports: |
1 (2007) |
|
Railways: |
total: 1,810 km
broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 49,250 km
paved: 1,724 km
unpaved: 47,526 km (2002) |
|
Waterways: |
580 km
note: only
waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and
Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and
rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 73 ships (1000
GRT or over) 448,252 GRT/668,689 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 12,
cargo 52, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 1, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 62 (Bulgaria 2,
China 3, Hong Kong 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Russia 17, Singapore
12, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 3, UAE 5, Vietnam 14) (2007)
|
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Military branches: |
Mongolian Armed Forces:
Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force (Agaaryn
Dovtolgoonoos Khamgaalakh Tsergiyn Komandial, MPAF); there is no navy
(2007) |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
18-25 years of age for
compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months in
land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land
forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be
deployed overseas for military operations (2006) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 18-49: 736,182
females age 18-49: 734,679 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 570,435
females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 34,674
females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.4% (2006) |
|
Disputes - international: |
none |
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
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