Mongolia

republicIndependence 13 March 1921 (from China)

Mongolia as the 1998 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

2.58 million July 1998 est. · 2.19m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.54% 1998 est. · 2.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

61.46 years 1998 est. · 65.77 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.75 children per woman 1998 est. · 4.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

66.34 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,200 1997 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.3% 1997 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, Hazardous Wastes, 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

2,578,530

(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 1.54% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth

23.56Death

8.19Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)61.46

59.4 · 63.61

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1988 est.)82.9%

88.6% · 77.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 37% (male 483,795; female 468,700)
15-64 years:: 59% (male 764,665; female 764,825)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 41,488; female 55,057) (July 1998 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 (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

66.34 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 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; President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997); Prime Minister Tsahiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 23 April 1998)

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 Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government:: Prime Minister Tsahiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 23 April 1998)
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 18 May 1997 (next to be held summer 2001);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
election results:: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president;
percent of vote-Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV (MUTP) 6.6%;
following a vote of no-confidence against former Prime Minister Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN, Tsahiagiyn ELBEGDORJ was elected prime minister on 23 April 1998 by a vote in the State Great Hural of 61 to 6 (nine members abstained)

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. ENKHBAYAR, general secretary;
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN, general secretary (includes Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP, T. ELBEGDORJ, chairman; Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ, chairman; Green Party, NYAM; and Mongolian Democratic Party of Believers or MDPB, leader NA);
Mongolian Conservative Party (MCP), JARGALSAIHAN;
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, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, NAM (observer), 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 Alphonse F. LA PORTA
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

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

28 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

-$5.6billion

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

-$2,200

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

3.3%

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 4.5% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

17.5%

(1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 34%industry 32%services 34% (1995 est.)

Fixed lines

89,000

(1995 est.)

Economy-overview

The 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, but disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production.

The Mongolian leadership has been soliciting support from foreign donors, who pledged some $250 million in aid in October 1997. Economic growth picked up in 1997 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere.

Labor force

total:: 1.115 million (mid-1993 est.)
by occupation:: primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate

15% (1997 est.)

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $NA

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

901,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production

3.15 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,303 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:: $418 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
partners:: Russia 21%, China 18% (1996)

Imports

total value:: $443.4 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
partners:: Russia 34%, China 15% (1996)

Debt-external

$500 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA $250 million (1998 est.)

Currency

1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Exchange rates

tughriks (Tug) per US$1-812.09 (December 1997), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61 (1995), 412.72 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth station-1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

220,000

Television broadcast stations

1 (provincial repeaters 18)

Televisions

120,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

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

Networkskm

Highways

46,470Railways

1,928Waterways

397 (1988)

Highways: paved: 3,730 km · unpaved: 42,740 km (1997 est.) note: much of the unpaved rural road system consists of rough cross-country tracks · Railways: broad gauge: 1,928 km 1.524-m gauge (1994)