Mongolia

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Introduction - Mongolia:
Country	Mongolia


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 Peoples 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.


Location - Mongolia:
Location	Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates	46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references	Asia

Area	total: 1,564,116 sq km

Area comparative	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 518 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 (2003)

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

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

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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography note	landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People - Mongolia:
Population	2,951,786 (July 2007 est.)

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/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate	6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate	total: 42.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.27 deaths/1,000 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.)

Hiv aids adult prevalence rate	less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Hiv aids people living with hiv aids	less than 500 (2003 est)

Hiv aids deaths	less than 200 (2003 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)

Government - Mongolia:
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 Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 25 January 2006); 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	unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms 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 peoples 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	Citizens Will Republican Party or CWRP [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN] (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP); Democratic Party or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Peoples Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Miegombyn ENKHBOLD]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; Peoples Party or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI] note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party; MDCs leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders	NA

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 chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227

Diplomatic representation from the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776

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 - Mongolia:
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 Mongolias 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. Mongolias 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 Mongolias 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 formers 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.

Gdp purchasing power parity	$5.852 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp official exchange rate	$1.54 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp real growth rate	7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.)

Gdp per capita ppp	$2,100 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector	agriculture: 21.7% industry: 27.9% services: 50.4% (2005)

Labor force	1.577 million (2005)

Labor force by occupation	agriculture: 39.9% industry: 31.4% 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%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Distribution of family income gini index	44 (1998)

Inflation rate consumer prices	9.5% (2005 est.)

Budget	revenues: $695.3 million expenditures: $634.5 million (2005 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	3.43 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity consumption	2.94 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity exports	15.95 million kWh (2006)

Electricity imports	125 million kWh (2006)

Oil production	821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil consumption	11,220 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil exports	821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil imports	12,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil proved reserves	0 bbl

Natural gas production	0 cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas consumption	NA cu m

Natural gas exports	0 cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas imports	NA

Exports	$1.064 billion f.o.b. (2005)

Exports commodities	copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports partners	China 68.4%, Canada 11.2%, US 7%, South Korea 5.1% (2006)

Imports	$1.184 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports commodities	machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports partners	Russia 30.1%, China 29.8%, Japan 12% (2006)

Debt external	$1.38 billion (2005)

Economic aid recipient	$203.35 million (2005)

Currency code	togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Exchange rates	togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,179.6 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002)

Communications - Mongolia:
Fiscal year	calendar year

Telephones main lines in use	156,000 (2005)

Telephones 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

Radio broadcast stations	AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 National radio broadcaster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006)

Television broadcast stations	456 (including provincial and low-power repeaters) (2006)

Internet country code	.mn

Internet hosts	272 (2006)

Internet users	268,300 (2005)

Transportation - Mongolia:
Airports	44 (2006)

Airports with paved runways	total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports with unpaved runways	total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports	2 (2006)

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	580 km 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: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 319,053 GRT/479,190 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 49, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 49 (China 4, Japan 1, North Korea 3, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Russia 13, Singapore 10, Syria 1, Thailand 1, UAE 5, Ukraine 1, Vietnam 8) (2006)

Military - Mongolia:
Military branches	Mongolian Peoples Army (MPA), Mongolian Peoples Air Force (MPAF); there is no navy (2005)

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 18-49: 736,182 females age 18-49: 734,679 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service	males age 18-49: 570,435 females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually	males age 18-49: 34,674 females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures percent of gdp	1.4% (2006)