Mongolia

Communist stateIndependence 13 March 1921 (from China

Mongolia as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalUlaanbaatar
Area1,565,000 km2
1990

Every edition of Mongolia

Populationas each edition published it
2.19 million July 1990 · 3.28m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.62% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 65.77 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.7 children per woman 1990 · 2.6 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
50 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 8.6 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition -15% in 1993

Geography

11 fields
Total area
1,565,000km2
land area: 1,565,000 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries
8,114km total
China 4,673 km, USSR 3,441 km

Coastline

none--landlocked

Climate

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain

  • vast semidesert and desert plains;
  • mountains in west and southwest;
  • Gobi Desert in southeast

Natural resources

coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold

Land use

  • 1% arable land;
  • 0% permanent crops;
  • 79% meadows and pastures;
  • 10% forest and woodland;
  • 10% other;
  • includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment

harsh and rugged

Note

landlocked; strategic location between China and Soviet Union

People

14 fields
Population
2,187,275
(July 1990), growth rate 2.7% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
35Death
8Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

Mongol 90%Kazakh 4%Chinese 2%Russian 2%other 2%
Literacy
80%
(est.); 100% claimed (1985)

Infant mortality rate

50 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

62 years male, 67 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

4.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Mongolian(s); adjective--Mongolian

Religion

predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, about 4% Muslim, limited religious activity because of Communist regime

Language

Khalkha Mongol used by over 90% of population; minor languages include Turkic, Russian, and Chinese

Labor force

  • NA, but primarily agricultural;
  • over half the adult population is in the labor force, including a large percentage of women;
  • shortage of skilled labor

Organized labor

425,000 members of the Central Council of Mongolian Trade Unions (CCMTU) controlled by the government (1984)

Government

Communist state

17 fields

People's Great Hural, 370 seats, elected 22 June 1986seats by party

MPRP 370

Long-form name

Mongolian People's Republic; abbreviated MPR

Type

Communist state

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

Independence

13 March 1921 (from China; formerly Outer Mongolia)

Constitution

6 July 1960

National holiday

People's Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Executive branch

chairman and deputy chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural, Presidium of the People's Great Hural, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Great Hural

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court Chief of State--Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 21 March 1990);
  • Head of Government--Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sharabyn GUNGAADORJ (since 21 March 1990);

Political parties and leaders

only party--Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), Gombojabin Ochirbat, General Secretary

Suffrage

  • universal at age 18 President--last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held July 1991);
  • results--Punsalmaagiyn Ochirbat elected by the People's Great Hural;
  • People's Great Hural--last held on 22 June 1986 (next to be held June 1990);
  • results--MPRP was the only party;
  • seats--(370 total) MPRP 370

Communists

MPRP membership 88,150 (1986 est.)

Member of

CEMA, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBEC, ILO, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Gendengiin NYAMDOO; US--Ambassador Richard L. WILLIAMS

Flag

  • three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
  • centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is a five-pointed star above the national emblem (soyombo--a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representations for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Economy

Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and the breeding of livestock--Mongolia has the highest number of livestock per person in the world.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$1.7billion
per capita $880 (1985 est.); average real growth rate 3.6% (1976-85 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$2.2 billionExpenditures
$2.19 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $0.9 billion (1987 est.)

Overview

Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and the breeding of livestock--Mongolia has the highest number of livestock per person in the world. In recent years extensive mineral resources have been developed with Soviet support. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production.

Exports

  • $388 million (f.o.b., 1985);
  • commodities--livestock, animal products, wool, hides, fluorspar, nonferrous metals, minerals;
  • partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80% with USSR)

Imports

  • $1.0 billion (c.i.f., 1985);
  • commodities--machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea;
  • partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80% with USSR)

Industrial production

growth rate 10.9% (1985)

Electricity

657,000 kW capacity; 29,500 million kWh produced, 1,340 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

processing of animal products, building materials, food and beverage, mining (particularly coal)

Agriculture

  • accounts for 90% of exports and provides livelihood for about 50% of the population;
  • livestock raising predominates (sheep, goats, horses);
  • crops--wheat, barley, potatoes, forage

Aid

about $500-$700 million annually from USSR

Currency

tughrik (plural--tughriks); 1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Exchange rates

tughriks (Tug) per US$1--3.355 (1986-1988), 3.600 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Networkskm · (1986)

Highways
46,700Railroads
1,750Inland waterways
397
Highways: ; 1,000 km hard surface; 45,700 km other surfaces

Highways

46,700 km total; 1,000 km hard surface; 45,700 km other surfaces (1986)

Civil air

22 major transport aircraft

Airports

  • 80 total, 30 usable;
  • 10 with permanent-surface runways;
  • fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m;
  • fewer than 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
  • 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

  • stations--13 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (with 18 provincial relays);
  • relay of Soviet TV;
  • 60,000 TV sets;
  • 186,000 radio receivers;
  • at least 1 satellite earth station

Defense Forces

Mongolian People's Army, Air Force (negligible)

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
518,482fit for military service
338,652reach military age (18) annually
24,783

Branches

Mongolian People's Army, Air Force (negligible)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Mongolia.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mongolia/1990.

How to cite 1991 edition →