Mongolia

Mongolia 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Northern Asia, north of China

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 8,114 km, China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime Claims

None; landlocked

International Disputes

None

Climate

Desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain

Vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil 4,374 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

770 sq km (1989)

Environment

Note: Landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

PEOPLE

Population

2,496,617 (July 1996 est.)
2,493,615 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

38% (male 486,321; female 471,931) (July 1996 est.)
40% (male 511,464; female 495,919) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

58% (male 722,485; female 723,065) (July 1996 est.)
56% (male 693,776; female 693,037) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 39,704; female 53,111) (July 1996 est.) 4% (male 44,428; female 54,991) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.69% (1996 est.)
2.58% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

25.55 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
32.65 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
6.82 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 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
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

69.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
41.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

3.04 children born/woman (1996 est.)
4.26 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Note: Previously limited religious activity because of Communist regime

Languages

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1988 est.)

Labor Force

1.115 million (mid-1993 est.)

By occupation:

Note: Over half the adult population is in the labor force, including a large percentage of women; shortage of skilled labor

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

MG

Type

Republic

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)

National Holiday

National Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution

Adopted 13 January 1992

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

State Great Hural

Elections held for the first time 28 June 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) MPRP 71, United Party of Mongolia 4, MSDP 1

Note: The People's Small Hural no longer exists

Judicial Branch

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 of the Great Hural

Political Parties and Leaders

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), Budragchagiin DASH-YONDON, secretary general; Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP), D. GANBOLD, chairman; Mongolian Social Democratic Party (MSDP), B. BATBAYAR, chairman; United Party of Mongolia, leader NA

Note: Opposition parties were legalized in May 1990

Member of

AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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 (applicant)

National Anthem

Flag

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

Overview

Mongolia's severe climate, scattered population, and wide expanses of unproductive land 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. Timber and fishing are also important sectors. The Mongolian leadership has been gradually making the transition from Soviet-style central planning to a market economy through privatization and price reform and 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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.9 billion (1995 est.); $4.4 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

6% (1995 est.)
2.5% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$1,970 (1995 est.)
$1,800 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

53% (1995 est.)
70% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

15% (1991 est.)

Budget

Exports

$400 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$360 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$223 million (f.o.b., 1994)
$361 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$473.7 million (1994)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -15% (1992 est.); accounts for 35% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for about 28% of GDP and provides livelihood for about 50% of the population; livestock raising predominates (primarily sheep and goats, but also cattle, camels, and horses); crops - wheat, barley, potatoes, forage

Economic Aid

NA

Currency

1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Exchange Rates

Tughriks (Tug) per US$1 - 465.39 (October 1995), 415.34 (January 1995), 412.72 (1994), 42.56 (1992), 9.52 (1991), 5.63 (1990)

Note: The exchange rate 40 tughriks = 1US$ was introduced in June 1991 and was in force to the end of 1992; since 27 May 1993 the exchange rate is the midpoint of the average buying and selling rates that are freely determined on the basis of market transactions between commercial banks and the nonbank public

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

397 km of principal routes (1988)

Ports

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

89,000 telephones (1995 est.)

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and Frontier Guards), Air Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 638,560; males fit for military service 417,620; males reach military age (18) annually 27,386 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $22.8 million, 1% of GDP (1992)

History
World Atlas