Map of Mongolia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 that lasted until January 2012. In 2010 the MPRP voted to retake the name of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) a name it used in the early 1920s.


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Location: Northern Asia between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 105 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 19
Comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries

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

Natural resources: oil coal copper molybdenum tungsten phosphates tin nickel zinc fluorspar gold silver iron

Land use

Irrigated land: 840 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 34.8 km³ (1999)

Natural hazards: dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; 'zud' which is harsh winter conditions

Geography
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia


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Population: 3,179,997 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 135
Growth rate: 1.469% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 83
Below poverty line: 39.2% (2010 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90% (official) Turkic Russian (1999)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.469% (2012 est.)
Rank: 83

Birth rate: 20.7 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 85

Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 161

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 96

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 65

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 155

Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 105

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.763 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 5.89 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 141
People living with hivaids: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 155
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 123

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.8% (2005)
Rank: 57

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.3% (2005)
Rank: 83

Education expenditures: 5.6% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 39

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: parliamentary

Capital

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

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; of which 48 members are directly elected from 26 electoral districts while 28 members are proportionally elected based on a party's share of the total votes; all serve four-year terms)

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); Constitutional Court (this independent court resolves disputes about potentially unconstitutional laws and acts of the president members of parliament and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Dangaasuren EHKHBAT]; Democratic Party or DP [Norov ALTANHUYAG]; Mongolian People's Party or MPP [O. ENKHTUVSHIN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambar ENKHBAYAR]

International organization participation: ADB ARF CD CICA CP EBRD EITI (compliant country) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MONUSCO NAM OPCW OSCE SCO (observer) UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNISFA UNMISS UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

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); blue represents the sky red symbolizes progress and prosperity

National symbols: soyombo emblem

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Mongolia's extensive mineral deposits and attendant growth in mining-sector activities have transformed Mongolia's economy which traditionally has been dependent on herding and agriculture. Mongolia's copper gold coal molybdenum fluorspar uranium tin and tungsten deposits among others have attracted foreign direct investment. 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. The country opened a fledgling stock exchange in 1991. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes. Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices globally and new gold production. By late 2008 Mongolia was hit hard by the global financial crisis. Slower global economic growth hurt the country's exports notably copper and slashed government revenues. As a result Mongolia's real economy contracted 1.3% in 2009. In early 2009 the International Monetary Fund reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia and the country has largely emerged from the crisis. The banking sector is recovering and the government has started to enact greater supervision regulations. In October 2009 Mongolia passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop the Oyu Tolgoi mine considered to be among the world's largest untapped copper deposits. Another similarly lengthy process is under review by the National Security Council for an investment agreement for the massive coal mine at Tavan Tolgoi. The economy grew by 6.4% in 2010 17.5% in 2011 and by more than 12% in 2012 largely on the strength of commodity exports to nearby countries and high government spending domestically. Mongolia's economy however faces near-term economic risks from the government's loose fiscal policies which are contributing to high inflation and uncertainties in foreign demand for Mongolian exports. Trade with China represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China receives more than 90% of Mongolia's exports. Mongolia purchases 95% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Due to severe winter weather in 2009-10 Mongolia lost 22% of its total livestock and meat prices doubled. Inflation remained higher than 10% for much of 2010-12 due in part to higher food prices. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad particularly in South Korea are significant.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 140

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 5

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 149

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: wheat barley vegetables forage crops; sheep goats cattle camels horses

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 23% (2011 est.)
Rank: 2

Labor force: 1.147 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 140

Unemployment rate: 13% (2010)
Rank: 104

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 39.2% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 32.8 (2002)
Rank: 80

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -5.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 160

Taxes and other revenues: 44.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 36

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 208

Central bank discount rate: 10.82% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 22

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.5% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 39

Stock of narrow money: $1.247 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 133

Stock of broad money: $3.725 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 130

Stock of domestic credit: $3.077 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 116

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 107

Current account balance: -$885.9 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 147

Exports: $2.909 billion (2010 est.)
Rank: 116
Commodities: copper apparel livestock animal products cashmere wool hides fluorspar other nonferrous metals coal crude oil
Partners: China 85.7% Canada 6.3% (2011)

Imports: $3.089 billion (2010 est.)
Rank: 121
Commodities: machinery and equipment fuel cars food products industrial consumer goods chemicals building materials cigarettes and tobacco appliances soap and detergent
Partners: China 43.4% Russia 23.3% South Korea 5.6% Japan 5.1% US 5% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.94 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 141

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $1.691 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $62 million (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 82

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 4.056 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 123
Consumption: 3.375 billion kWh (2010)
Consumption rank: 129
Exports: 22.2 million kWh (2010)
Exports rank: 83
Imports: 262.9 million kWh (2010)
Imports rank: 83
Installed generating capacity: 833,200 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 127
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 48
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 133
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 182
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 92

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 6,983 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 84
Crude oil exports: 5,260 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 60
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 91
Crude oil proven reserves: NA bbl

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 171
Products consumption: 21,610 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 127
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 197
Products imports: 15,730 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 116

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 161
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 168
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 111
Imports: 11,790 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 76
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 165

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 9.436 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 101

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 187,600 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 128
Mobile cellular: 2.942 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 129

Telephone system

Broadcast media: following a law passed in 2005 Mongolia's state-run radio and TV provider converted to a public service provider; also available are private radio and TV broadcasters as well as multi-channel satellite and cable TV providers; more than 100 radio stations including some 20 via repeaters for the public broadcaster; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mn
Hosts: 20,084 (2012)
Hosts rank: 118
Users: 330,000 (2008)
Users rank: 125

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.4% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 101

Military and security forces

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)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 44 (2012)
Rank: 97

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines

Railways
Rank: 73

Roadways
Rank: 80

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)
Rank: 82

Merchant marine
Rank: 68

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs