1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 1.565 million sq km land: 1.565 million sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Alaska
Climate
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Tavan Bogd Uul 4,374 m
Environment--current issues
limited natural fresh water resources; policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal and the concentration of factories in Ulaanbaatar have severely polluted the air; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification; mining activities have also had a deleterious effect on the environment
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
46 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography--note
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
Irrigated land
800 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 8,114 km border countries: China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 80% forests and woodland: 9% other: 10% (1993 est.)
Location
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Map references
Asia
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
dust storms can occur in the spring; grassland fires
Natural resources
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold
Terrain
vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 36% (male 480,087; female 464,609) 15-64 years: 60% (male 787,222; female 787,405) 65 years and over: 4% (male 42,219; female 55,837) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
22.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, Chinese 2%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate
64.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 61.81 years male: 59.71 years female: 64.02 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 88.6% female: 77.2% (1988 est.)
Nationality
noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
2,617,379 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.45% (1999 est.)
Religions
predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4% note: previously limited religious activity because of communist regime
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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.6 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Ulaanbaatar
Constitution
12 February 1992
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia
Data code
MG
Executive branch
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT (since 9 December 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 18 May 1997 (next to be held summer 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president; percent of vote--Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV (MUTP) 6.6%; following five months of political deadlock which left Mongolia without a working government, Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT was elected prime minister on 9 December 1998 by a vote in the State Great Hural of 36 to 21, with nine abstentions and 10 absentees
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)
Government type
republic
Independence
13 March 1921 (from China)
International organization participation
AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse F. LA PORTA embassy: inner north side of the Big Ring, just west of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: c/o American Embassy Beijing, Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
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 by the State Great Hural Political parties and leaders: Mongolian People's Revolutionary chairman], Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP
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
Legislative branch
unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--DUC 66%, MPRP 33%, MCP 1%; seats by party--DUC 50 (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3), MPRP 25, MCP 1
National holiday
National Day, 11 July (1921)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses
Budget
revenues: $260 million (1998) expenditures: $330 million (1998)
Currency
1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos
Debt--external
$500 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$250 million (1998 est.)
Economy--overview
The government has embraced free-market economics, freezing spending, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade. Mongolia's severe climate, scattered population, and wide expanses of unproductive land, however, 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, but disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. The Mongolian leadership has been soliciting support from foreign donors and economic growth picked up in 1997 and 1998 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997.
Electricity--consumption
2.681 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
381 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
2.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
tughriks (Tug) per US$1--902 (January 1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61 (1995), 412.72 (1994)
Exports
$316.8 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports--partners
China 30.1%, Switzerland 21.5%, Russia 12.1%, South Korea 9.7%, US 8.1% (1998)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$5.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 31% industry: 35% services: 34% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,250 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
3.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)
Imports
$472.4 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports--partners
Russia 30.6%, China 13.3%, Japan 11.7%, South Korea 7.5%, US 6.9% (1998)
Industrial production growth rate
4.5% (1997 est.)
Industries
copper, construction materials, mining (particularly coal); food and beverage, processing of animal products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6% (1998)
Labor force
1.115 million (mid-1993 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
primarily herding/agricultural
Population below poverty line
36.3% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.5% (1998)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios
220,000
Telephone system
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Telephones
93,600 (1998)
Television broadcast stations
1 (in addition, there are 18 provincial repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
120,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
34 (1994 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
Highways
total: 46,470 km paved: 3,730 km unpaved: 42,740 km (1997 est.) note: much of the unpaved rural road system consists of rough cross-country tracks
Railways
total: 1,928 km broad gauge: 1,928 km 1.524-m gauge (1994)
Waterways
397 km of principal routes (1988) Ports and harbors: none
Military and Security
Military branches
Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and Frontier Guards), Air Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$20.3 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2% (1997)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 702,141 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 457,270 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 28,613 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none