Mongolia

mixed parliamentary/presidentialIndependence 11 July 1921 (from China)

Mongolia as the 2005 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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

Area1,564,116 sq km

LocationNorthern Asia, between China and Russia

Populationas each edition published it

2.79 million July 2005 est. · 2.19m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.45% 2005 est. · 2.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

24.28 years 2005 est. · 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

64.52 years 2005 est. · 65.77 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.26 children per woman 2005 est. · 4.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

53.79 deaths per 1,000 live births 2005 est. · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,900 2004 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

10.6% 2004 est. · -15% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

Geography

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

18 fields

Land useshare of 1,564,116 sq km

arable land 0.77%permanent crops 0%other 99.23% (2001)irrigated 840 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

1,564,116sq km

slightly smaller than Alaska

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Land boundaries

8,220km

border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Location

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references

Asia

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, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Natural hazards

dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

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

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2005 est.)

44,413

65 and over3.7%

58,391

943,418

15-6467.7%

945,063

407,547

0-1428.7%

392,440

MaleFemale

Population

2,791,272

(July 2005 est.)growth rate: 1.45% (2005 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2005 est.)

Birth

21.52Death

7.03Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2005 est.)64.52

62.3 · 66.86Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)53.79

57.25 · 50.16

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2002)97.8%

98% · 97.5%Median age years (2005 est.)24.28

23.93 · 24.64

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(2000)

Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions(2004)

Buddhist Lamaist 50%none 40%Shamanist and Christian 6%Muslim 4% (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 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 (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 500 (2003 est)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Mongolian(s)
adjective:: Mongolian

Languages

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Government

Mixed parliamentary/presidential; President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005); Prime Minister Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August 2004)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

48.78%

MPRP 48.78%MDC 44.8%independents 3.5%Republican Party 1.5%others 1.42%last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)

Legislature, 74 seats, elected 27 June 2004one dot, one seat

MPRP 36MDC 34others 4

Percent of vote

MPRP 48.78%MDC 44.8%independents 3.5%Republican Party 1.5%others 1.42%

Country name

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

Government type

mixed parliamentary/presidential

Capital

Ulaanbaatar

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, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence

11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday

Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution

12 February 1992

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005)
head of government:: Prime Minister Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28 September 2004)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in consultation with the president
elections:: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
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 (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN (DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%;
Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

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 48.78%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%;
seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4;
note - following June 2004 election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

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)

Political parties and leaders

Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN];
Democratic Party or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ];
Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT];
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR];
Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
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 Pamela J. SLUTZ
embassy:: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address:: 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)

Economy

Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture.

35 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$5.332billion

(2004 est.)

Real growth rate

10.6%

according to official estimate (2004 est.)industrial production growth: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

11%

(2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.7%

(2003)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 20.6%industry 21.4%services 58% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

47.8%

China

23.6%

Russia

33.3%

17.9%

4.6%

15.7%

Japan

7.4%

South Korea

Exports $853 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $1 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)(2004)

Budget

Revenues

$582 millionExpenditures

$602 million (2004 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of NA

Electricity

Electricity production

2.692 billion (2004 est.)Electricity consumption

2.209 billion (2004 est.)Electricity exports

8.2 million (2004 est.)Electricity imports

130.5 million (2004 est.)

Economy - overview

Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia 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 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and natural disasters, as well as economic growth due to reform embracing free-market economics and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy.

Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000, 2001, and 2002 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 improved from 2002 at 4% to 2003 at 5%, due largely to high copper prices and new gold production, with the government claiming a 10.6% growth rate for 2004 that is unconfirmed.

Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily impacted 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 is Mongolia's chief export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy.

The World Bank and other international financial institutions estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the official economy. The actual size of this grey - largely cash - economy is difficult to calculate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector.

Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally constitute a sizeable portion. Money laundering is growing as an accompanying concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on very 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.

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Labor force

1.488 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

herding/agriculture 42%, mining 4%, manufacturing 6%, trade 14%, services 29%, public sector 5%, other 3.7% (2003)

Population below poverty line

36.1% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

44 (1998)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Industries

construction and construction materials;
mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold);
oil;
food and beverages;
processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing

Oil - production

542 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

497 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports

11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Exports

$853 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Imports

$1 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Debt - external

$1.191 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$215 million (2003)

Currency (code)

togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Exchange rates

togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.7 (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

404,400

(2004)

Internet users

1,000

(2004)

Fixed lines

142,300

(2004) · country code .mn

Telephone system

general assessment:: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas
domestic:: very low density of about 6.5 telephones for each thousand persons; two wireless providers cover all but two provinces
international:: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)

Internet users

220,000 (2004)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 15Unpaved 31

Networkskm

Highways

49,256Railways

1,810Waterways

580

Highways: paved: 8,874 km · unpaved: 40,376 km (2002) · Railways: broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004) · Waterways: note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004)

Railways

total:: 1,810 km
broad gauge:: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Highways

total:: 49,256 km
paved:: 8,874 km
unpaved:: 40,376 km (2002)

Waterways

580 km

note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orkhon 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:: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
by type:: bulk carrier 6, cargo 54, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned:: 38 (China 2, Lebanon 1, Philippines 1, Russia 10, Singapore 10, South Korea 1, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, UAE 4, Vietnam 6) (2005)