Mongolia Population: 3,133,318
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| Background | |
| The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. 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 in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing and a Communist regime was installed in 1924. The modern country of Mongolia, however, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; more ethnic Mongolians live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. 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. The MPRP won an overwhelming majority in the 2000 parliamentary election, but the party lost seats in the 2004 election and shared power with democratic coalition parties from 2004-08. The MPRP regained a solid majority in the 2008 parliamentary elections but nevertheless formed a coalition government with the Democratic Party. In 2010 the MPRP voted to retake the name of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), a name it used in the early 1920s. The prime minister and most cabinet members are MPP members. |
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| Geography | |
| Landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia | |
| Location: | Northern Asia, between China and Russia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 46 00 N, 105 00 E |
| Area: | total: 1,564,116 sq km land: 1,553,556 sq km water: 10,560 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Alaska |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| 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 560 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 |
| Land use: | arable land: 0.76% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.24% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 840 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions |
| Current Environment Issues: | limited natural freshwater 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 |
| International Environment 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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| People | |
| Population: | 3,133,318 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 437,241/female 419,693) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,074,949/female 1,076,455) 65 years and over: 4% (male 54,415/female 70,565) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 26.2 years male: 25.8 years female: 26.6 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.489% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 20.93 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 37.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 40.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 68.31 years male: 65.85 years female: 70.89 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.21 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | fewer than 500 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian |
| Ethnic groups: | Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000) |
| Religions: | Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004) |
| Languages: | Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000 census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia |
| Government type: | parliamentary |
| Capital: | name: Ulaanbaatar geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan), Govi-Altay, Govisumber, 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: | 13 January 1992 |
| Legal system: | civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic legal systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ (since 18 June 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Sukhbaatar BATBOLD (since 29 October 2009); First Deputy Prime Minister (Norov ALTANKHUYAG (since 20 September 2008); 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) (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 on 24 May 2009 (next to be held by May 2013); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural election results: in elections in May 2009, Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ elected president; percent of vote - Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ 51.2%, Nambar ENKHBAYAR 47.4%, others 1.3% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held on 29 June 2008 (next to be held in June 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPP 46, DP 27, others 3 |
| 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: | Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Dangaasuren EHKHBAT]; Democratic Party or DP [Norov ALTANHUYAG]; Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Sukhbaatar BATBOLD]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | other: human rights groups; women's groups |
| International organization participation: | ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Khasbazar BEKHBAT 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 Jonathan ADDLETON embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar, 14171 Mongolia 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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| Economy | |
| Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture - Mongolia's extensive mineral deposits, however, have attracted foreign investors. The country holds copper, gold, coal, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten deposits, which account for a large part of foreign direct investment and government revenues. 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 averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. In 2008 Mongolia experienced a soaring inflation rate with year-to-year inflation reaching nearly 30% - the highest inflation rate in over a decade. By late 2008, as the country began to feel the effects of the global financial crisis, falling commodity prices helped lower inflation, but also reduced government revenues and forced cuts in spending. In early 2009, the International Monetary Fund reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia and the country has started to move out of the crisis. Although the banking sector remains unstable, the government is now enforcing stricter supervision regulations. In October 2009, the government passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi mine, considered to be one of the world's largest untapped copper deposits. The economy grew 6.1% in 2010, largely on the strength of exports to nearby countries, and international reserves reached $1.6 billion in September, an all time high for Mongolia. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. Mongolia purchases 95% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Trade with China represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China receives more than three-fourths of Mongolia's exports. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad are sizable, but have fallen due to the economic crisis; money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.02 billion (2010 est.) $10.38 billion (2009 est.) $10.51 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $6.125 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 6.1% (2010 est.) -1.3% (2009 est.) 8.9% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,600 (2010 est.) $3,400 (2009 est.) $3,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 19.7% industry: 35.1% services: 45.2% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.068 million (2008) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 34% industry: 5% services: 61% (2008) |
| Unemployment rate: | 11.5% (2009) 2.8% (2008) |
| Population below poverty line: | 36.1% (2004) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 28.4% (2008) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 36.5 (2008) 32.8 (2002) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.2% (2010 est.) 6.3% (2009 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $2.064 billion expenditures: $2.026 billion (2010 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses |
| 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 |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 3% (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 3.896 billion kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 3.023 billion kWh (2010) |
| Electricity - exports: | 20.7 million kWh (2010) |
| Electricity - imports: | 214.1 million kWh (2010) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 17,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 5,834 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 15,730 bbl/day (2010) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | NA bbl (1 January 2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 11,790 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$378.8 million (2010 est.) -$341.8 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $2.899 billion (2010) $1.885 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals, coal |
| Exports - partners: | China 84.8%, Canada 3.6%, Russia 2.7% (2010 est.) |
| Imports: | $3.3 billion (2010) $2.074 billion (2009 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea |
| Imports - partners: | Russia 33.2%, China 30.5%, Japan 6%, South Korea 5.5% (2010 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.288 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.327 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.86 billion (2009) $1.6 billion (2008) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.093 billion (31 December 2010) $430.2 million (31 December 2009) $407 million (31 December 2008) |
| Exchange rates: | togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 1,357.5 (2010) 1,442.8 (2009) 1,170 (2007) 1,165 (2006) |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 188,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 2.249 million (2009) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas; a fiber-optic network has been installed that is improving broadband and communication services between major urban centers with multiple companies providing inter-city fiber-optic cable services domestic: very low fixed-line teledensity; there are multiple mobile- cellular providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly; international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .mn |
| Internet hosts: | 7,942 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 330,000 (2008) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 46 (2010) country comparison to the world: 95 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 32 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2010) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 1,908 km broad gauge: 1,908 km 1.520-m gauge note: the railway is 50 percent owned by the Russian State Railway (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 49,249 km paved: 3,015 km unpaved: 46,234 km (2010) |
| Waterways: | 580 km (the 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, they are open from May to September) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 58 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 29, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 44 (Indonesia 2, North Korea 1, Russia 4, Singapore 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, Vietnam 34) (2010) |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air Force; there is no navy (2010) |
| 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 16-49: 898,546 females age 16-49: 891,192 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 726,199 females age 16-49: 756,628 (2010 est.) |
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