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. 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. Since then parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 105 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 1,564,116 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries
Total: 8,220 km
Border countries: (2) 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 518 m
Extremes 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 km² (2003)

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

Geography
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Population: 2,951,786 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 1.486% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 36.1% (2004)

Nationality
Noun: Mongolian
Adjective: Mongolian

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

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90% Turkic Russian (1999)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.7% (male 432,309/female 415,382)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 994,186/female 995,986)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 49,517/female 64,406) (2007 est.)

Median age
Total: 24.6 years
Male: 24.2 years
Female: 24.9 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.486% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 21.07 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

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
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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.041 male/female
15-64 years: 0.998 male/female
65 years and over: 0.769 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 42.65 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 45.86 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 39.27 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.99 years
Male: 64.61 years
Female: 69.48 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: less than 500 (2003 est)
Deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 98%
Female: 97.5% (2000 census)

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
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

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 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: 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 Sanjaa BAYAR (since 22 November 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN (since 28 January 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)
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 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 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.8%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.4%; seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - 2 seats disputed and unfilled; following June 2004 election MDC collapsed

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
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

International organization participation: ARF AsDB CP EBRD FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MONUC 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 Ravdan BOLD
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
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON
From the us embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar
From the us mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96,521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13
From the us telephone: [976] (11) 329-095
From the us fax: [976] (11) 320-776

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 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 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 was 10.6% in 2004 5.5% in 2005 and 7.5% in 2006 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced 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 but the former's actual size 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 are sizable and money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $5.852 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,100 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 21.7%
Industry: 27.9%
Services: 50.4% (2003 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.)

Labor force: 1.577 million (2005)
By occupation agriculture: 39.9%
By occupation industry: 31.4%
By occupation services: 28.7% (2005)

Unemployment rate: 3.3% (2005)

Population below poverty line: 36.1% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3%
Highest 10: 24.6% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 32.8 (2002)

Budget
Revenues: $695.3 million
Expenditures: $634.5 million (2005)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.5% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $45.62 million (2005)

Exports: $1.064 billion f.o.b. (2005)
Commodities: copper apparel livestock animal products cashmere wool hides fluorspar other nonferrous metals
Partners: China 71.8% Canada 11.7% US 7.3% (2006)

Imports: $1.184 billion c.i.f. (2005)
Commodities: machinery and equipment fuel cars food products industrial consumer goods chemicals building materials sugar tea
Partners: Russia 29.8% China 29.5% Japan 11.9% (2006)

Debt external: $1.38 billion (2005)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1179.6 (2006) 1205 (2005) 1185.3 (2004) 1146.5 (2003) 1110.3 (2002)

Electricity
Production: 3.43 billion kWh (2006)
Consumption: 2.94 billion kWh (2006)
Exports: 15.95 million kWh (2006)
Imports: 125 million kWh (2006)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: NA m³
Exports: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: NA

Telephones
Main lines in use: 156,000 (2005)
Mobile cellular: 557,200 (2005)

Telephone system
General assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas
Domestic: very low density of about 6 main lines per 100 persons (roughly 25 per 100 persons including cellular mobile phones); there are 3 wireless providers
International: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7

Internet
Country code: .mn
Hosts: 298 (2007)
Users: 268,300 (2005)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.4% (2006)

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)

Airports: 44 (2007)
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 31
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 23
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports: 1 (2007)

Railways
Total: 1,810 km
Broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 49,250 km
Paved: 1,724 km
Unpaved: 47,526 km (2002)

Waterways
Note: 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, are open from May to September (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 73 ships (1000 GRT or over) 448,252 GRT/668,689 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 52, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 5
Foreign owned: 62 (Bulgaria 2, China 3, Hong Kong 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Russia 17, Singapore 12, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 3, UAE 5, Vietnam 14) (2007)

Disputes international: none