Map of Mongolia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 1,564,116 km²
Land: 1,553,556 km²
Water: 10,560 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska; more than twice the size of Texas
Country comparison total: 8,082 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) China 4,630 km; Russia 3,452 km

Land boundaries
Total: 8,082 km
Border countries: (2) China 4,630 km; Russia 3,452 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
Highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Khuiten Peak) 4,374 m
Lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m
Mean elevation: 1,528 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 73% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 72.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 20% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 602 km² (2020)

Major rivers
By length in km: Amur (shared with China [s] and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 170 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 250 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 34.8 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Distribution: sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities
Total: 3,281,676
Male: 1,595,596
Female: 1,686,080 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.78% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 27.8% (2020 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Mongolian(s)
Adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Khalkh 83.8%, Kazak 3.8%, Durvud 2.6%, Bayad 2%, Buriad 1.4%, Zakhchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1.1%, other 4.1% (2020 est.)

Languages: Mongolian 90% (official, Khalkha dialect is predominant), Turkic, Russian (1999)
Major-language samples: Дэлхийн баримтат ном, үндсэн мэдээллийн зайлшгүй эх сурвалж. (Mongolian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Buddhist 51.7%, Muslim 3.2%, Shamanist 2.5%, Christian 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 40.6% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.7% (male 429,867/female 412,943)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,087,487/female 1,156,547)
65 years and over: 5.9% (2024 est.) (male 78,242/female 116,590)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 58.4
Youth dependency ratio: 51.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 7
Potential support ratio: 14.3 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 30.1 years
Female: 32.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.78% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities

Urbanization
Urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.673 million ULAANBAATAR (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws leads to air pollution in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation and overgrazing increase soil erosion from wind and rain; water pollution; desertification and mining activities have a deleterious effect on the environment
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 41.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 25.37 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 13.72 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.5 years (2008 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-24

Maternal mortality ratio: 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 16.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 67.8 years
Female: 76.3 years

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 48.1% (2018)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 98.4% of population
Unimproved rural: 35.8% of population
Unimproved total: 12.4% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 1.6% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 8 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 97.4% of population
Improved rural: 69.9% of population
Improved total: 88.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 30.1% of population
Unimproved total: 11.2% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 29.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 51.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 7.1% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.8% (2018)

Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.2%
Male: 99.1%
Female: 99.2% (2020)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 16 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 10.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 12.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Mongolia
Local long form: none
Local short form: Mongol Uls
Former: Outer Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic
Etymology: the name means 'Land of the Mongols' in Latin; the Mongolian name Mongol Uls translates as 'Mongol State'

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Ulaanbaatar
Geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E
Time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September
Note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC)
Etymology: the name means 'red hero' in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin SUKHBAATAR, leader of the partisan army that with Soviet Red Army help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s

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: 29 December 1911 (independence declared from China; in actuality, autonomy attained); 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: Naadam (games) holiday (commemorates independence from China in the 1921 Revolution), 11-15 July; Constitution Day (marks the date that the Mongolian People's Republic was created under a new constitution), 26 November (1924)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest adopted 13 January 1992, effective 12 February 1992
Amendments: proposed by the State Great Hural, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition submitted to the State Great Hural by the Constitutional Court; conducting referenda on proposed amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the State Great Hural; passage of amendments by the State Great Hural requires at least three-quarters majority vote; passage by referendum requires majority participation of qualified voters and a majority of votes; amended 1999, 2000, 2019, 2023
Note: an amendment passed in a referendum held in May 2023 increased the seats in the State Great Hural from 76 to 126

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai OYUN-ERDENE (since 27 January 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet directly appointed by the prime minister following a constitutional amendment ratified in November 2019; prior to the amendment, the Cabinet was nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)
Elections/appointments: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple majority popular vote for one 6-year term; election last held on 9 June 2021 (next to be held in 2,027); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
Election results: 2021: Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH elected president in first round; percent of vote - Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (MPP) 68%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (RPEC) 20.1%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (DP) 6%; 2017: Khaltmaa BATTULGA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA (DP) 38.1%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD (MPP) 30.3%, Sainkhuu GANBAATAR (MPRP) 30.2%, invalid 1.4%; percent of vote in second round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA 55.2%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD 44.8%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral State Great Hural or Ulsyn Ikh Khural (126 seats; 78 members directly elected in a selected constituency by simple majority vote and 48 members directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 28 June 2024 (next to be held June 2,028)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - MPP 35.0%, DP 30.1%, HUN Party 10.4%, National Coalition 5.2%, CWGP 5%, other 14.3%; seats by party - MPP 68, DP 42, HUN Party 8, National Coalition 4, CWGP 4; composition - N/A

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the Chief Justice and 24 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tsets (consists of the chairman and 8 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and judges appointed by the president upon recommendation by the General Council of Courts - a 14-member body of judges and judicial officials - to the State Great Hural; appointment is for life; chairman of the Constitutional Court elected from among its members; members appointed from nominations by the State Great Hural - 3 each by the president, the State Great Hural, and the Supreme Court; appointment is 6 years; chairmanship limited to a single renewable 3-year term
Subordinate courts: aimag (provincial) and capital city appellate courts; soum, inter-soum, and district courts; Administrative Cases Courts

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP, Mongolian People's Party or MPP , National Coalition (consists of Mongolian Green Party or MGP and the Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP), National Labor Party or HUN , Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP

International organization participation: ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador BATBAYAR Ulziidelger (since 1 December 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-7,117
In the us fax: [1] (202) 298-9,227
In the us email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mn; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard L. BUANGAN (since November 2022)
From the us embassy: Denver Street #3, 11th Micro-District, Ulaanbaatar 14,190
From the us mailing address: 4,410 Ulaanbaatar Place, Washington DC 20,521-4,410
From the us telephone: [976] 7,007-6,001
From the us fax: [976] 7,007-6,174
From the us email address and website: UlaanbaatarACS@state.gov; [link]

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 colors: red, blue, yellow

National anthem
Name: 'Mongol ulsyn toriin duulal' (National Anthem of Mongolia)
Lyrics/music: Tsendiin DAMDINSUREN/Bilegiin DAMDINSUREN and Luvsanjamts MURJORJ
Note: music adopted 1950, lyrics adopted 2006; lyrics altered on numerous occasions

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 6 (4 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: lower middle-income East Asian economy; large human capital improvements over last 3 decades; agricultural and natural resource rich; export and consumption-led growth; high inflation due to supply bottlenecks and increased food and energy prices; currency depreciation

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $56.264 billion (2023 est.); $52.572 billion (2022 est.); $50.053 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 7.02% (2023 est.); 5.03% (2022 est.); 1.64% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $16,300 (2023 est.); $15,500 (2022 est.); $15,000 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 47.8% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 13.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 78% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -69.2% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.2% (2023 est.)
Industry: 40% (2023 est.)
Services: 40.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, wheat, potatoes, lamb/mutton, goat milk, beef, goat meat, bison milk, sheep milk, horse meat (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 12.57% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.403 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.13% (2023 est.); 6.21% (2022 est.); 7.75% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 10.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 12.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 27.8% (2020 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.721 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $4.845 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 16.91% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 67.57% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 8.62% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 10.35% (2023 est.); 15.15% (2022 est.); 7.35% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $121.266 million (2023 est.); -$2.303 billion (2022 est.); -$2.108 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $15.501 billion (2023 est.); $10.989 billion (2022 est.); $8.95 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 78%, Switzerland 15%, Singapore 3%, South Korea 2%, Russia 1% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: coal, copper ore, gold, animal hair, iron ore (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $13.545 billion (2023 est.); $12.112 billion (2022 est.); $9.256 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 36%, Russia 29%, Japan 7%, South Korea 5%, US 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, trucks, trailers, raw iron bars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.782 billion (2023 est.); $3.398 billion (2022 est.); $4.38 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $9.085 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 1.61 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 8.602 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 24 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.861 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.036 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 88.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 28.276 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 6.393 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 19.47 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.52 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 36,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 15.918 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 10.63 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 5.289 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 57.093 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 475,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.836 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 142 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF): Ground Force, Air Force, Cyber Security Forces, Special Forces, Construction-Engineering Forces (2024)
Note: the National Police Agency and the General Authority for Border Protection, which operate under the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, are primarily responsible for internal security; they are assisted by the General Intelligence Agency under the prime minister; the MAF assists the internal security forces in providing domestic emergency assistance and disaster relief

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (can enter military schools at age 17); 12-month conscript service obligation for men can be extended 3 months under special circumstances; conscription service can be exchanged for a 24‐month stint in the civil service or a cash payment determined by the Mongolian Government; after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for 2 or 4 years; volunteer military service for men and women is 24 months, which can be extended for another two years up to the age of 31 (2024)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 670,360 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7.82 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: JU

Airports: 35 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 113,200 km
Paved: 10,600 km
Unpaved: 102,600 km (2017)

Waterways: 580 km (2010) (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 ice-free from May to September)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 17 (2022)

Illicit drugs: NA