Mongolia

republicIndependence 13 March 1921 (from China)

Mongolia as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 96 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

Position46 00 N, 105 00 E

Area1.565 million sq km

LocationNorthern Asia, between China and Russia

Populationas each edition published it

2.54 million July 1997 est. · 2.19m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.62% 1997 est. · 2.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

61.1 years 1997 est. · 65.77 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.89 children per woman 1997 est. · 4.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

68 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,060 1996 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1996 est. · -15% in 1993

Geography

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

18 fields

Land use(1993 est.)

arable land 1%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 80%forests and woodland 9%other 10% (1993 est.)irrigated 800 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

1.565million sq km

land: 1.565 million sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly smaller than Alaska

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

4,374m

Tavan Bogd Uullowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m

Land boundaries

8,114km

border countries: China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km

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

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

Natural hazards

dust storms can occur in the spring; grassland fires

Environment - current issues

limited natural fresh water resources;
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 and the concentration of factories in Ulaanbaatar have severely polluted the air;
deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to :: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People

15 fields

Population

2,538,211

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.62% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

24.57Death

8.41Net migration

Ethnic groups

Mongol 90%Kazak 4%Chinese 2%Russian 2%other 2%

Literacy

82.9%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale : 88.6%female: 77.2% (1988 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 38% (male 485,760; female 471,005)
15-64 years:: 58% (male 743,194; female 743,529) 65 years and over : 4% (male 40,621; female 54,102) (July 1997 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:: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population:: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 61.1 years
male:: 59.1 years
female :: 63.2 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun :: Mongolian(s)
adjective:: Mongolian

Religions

predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4% note: previously limited religious activity because of communist regime

Languages

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese

Government

Republic; Prime Minister Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN (since 18 July 1996)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

66%

DUC 66%MPRP 33%MCP 1%last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)

State Great Hural, 76 seats, elected 30 June 1996one dot, one seat

DUC (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3) 50MPRP 25MCP 1

Percent of vote

DUC 66%MPRP 33%MCP 1%

Country name

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

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

Legal system

blend of Russian, Chinese, and Turkish systems of law;
no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

chief of state :: President Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 3 September 1990)
head of government:: Prime Minister Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN (since 18 July 1996)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural
elections:: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held 19 May 1997);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
election results:: Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) reelected president;
percent of vote - Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT 57.8%, Lodongiyn TUDEV (MPRP) NA%;
Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN elected prime minister;
percent of State Great Hural vote - NA

Legislative branch

unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)
election results:: percent of vote by party - DUC 66%, MPRP 33%, MCP 1%; seats by party - DUC 50 (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3), MPRP 25, MCP 1

Supreme Court, serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts, but to date rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts, judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the Great Hural

Political parties and leaders

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), N. ENHBAYAR, general secretary;
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN, general secretary (includes Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP, M. ENHSAIHAN, chairman; Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJI, chairman; Green Party, leader NA; and Mongolian Democratic Party of Believers or MDPB, leader NA);
Mongolian Conservative Party (MCP), leader NA;
Democratic Power Coalition, D. BYAMBASUREN, chairman (includes Mongolian Democratic Renaissance Party or MDRP, BYAMBASUREN, chairman, and Mongolian People's Party or MPP, leader NA);
Mongolian National Solidarity Party (MNSP), leader NA;
Bourgeois Party/Capitalist Party, VARGALSAIHAN, chairman;
United Heritage Party (UHP), B. JAMTSAI (includes United Party of Herdsman and Farmers, leader NA; Independence Party, leader NA; Traditional United Conservative Party, leader NA; and Mongolian United Private Property Owners Party, leader NA);
Workers' Party, leader NA

International organization participation

AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Llewellyn HEDGBETH
embassy:: inner north side of the Big Ring, just west of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar
mailing address:: c/o American Embassy Beijing, Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone :: [976] (1) 329095, 329606

FAX

[976] (1) 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)

Economy

The new government has embraced free-market | economics, freezing spending, easing price controls, liberalizing | domestic and international trade.

22 fields

Real growth rate

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 6% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

53%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1995 est.)

Labor force

1.115million

(mid-1993 est.)by occupation : primarily herding/agricultural

GDP - composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 28%industry 35%services 37% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.5 billionExpenditures

$1.3 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

The new government has embraced free-market economics, freezing spending, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade. Mongolia's severe climate, scattered population, and wide expanses of unproductive land, however, have constrained economic development.

Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and the breeding of livestock. In past years extensive mineral resources had been developed with Soviet support; total Soviet assistance at its height amounted to 30% of GDP. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production.

The dramatic drop in the price of copper which accounts for half of the country's export earnings, has held back economic growth. The Mongolian leadership also has been soliciting support from international financial agencies and foreign investors. The economy, however, has still not recovered from the loss of Soviet aid. The country continues to suffer substantial economic hardships, with one-fourth of the population below the poverty line.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,060 (1996 est.)

Industries

copper, construction materials, mining (particularly coal); food and beverage, processing of animal products

Electricity - capacity

900,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

3.07 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,215 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports

total value:: $400 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities :: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
partners:: former CMEA countries 30%, China 15%, EU 9% (1995)

Imports

total value:: $473 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities :: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
partners:: former CMEA countries 56%, China 9%, EU 8% (1995)