2000 Edition

Background

Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a national election and has attempted to establish a number of reforms to modernize the economy. However, many former communists retain key posts and implementation has been difficult.

Area

land

1.565 million sq km

total

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

highest point

Tavan Bogd Uul 4,374 m

lowest point

Hoh Nuur 518 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 in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities have also 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, 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

border countries

China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km

total

8,114 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forests and woodland

9%

other

10% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

80%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 461,719; female 447,426) 15-64 years: 62% (male 816,851; female 816,651) 65 years and over: 4% (male 46,682; female 61,623) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

21.53 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, other 6%

Infant mortality rate

41.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.64 years (2000 est.)

male

64.98 years

total population

67.25 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

77.2% (1988 est.)

male

88.6%

total population

82.9%

Nationality

adjective

Mongolian

noun

Mongolian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

2,650,952 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.54% (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.4 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

former

Outer Mongolia

local long form

none

local short form

Mongol Uls

Data code

MG

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

telephone

(1) 329095

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR

telephone

(202) 333-7117

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president

chief of state

President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)

election results

Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV 6.6%; Rinchinnyamin AMARJARGAL elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 50 to 2

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 last held 30 August 1999 (next to be held NA)

head of government

Prime Minister Rinchinnyamin AMARJARGAL (since 30 August 1999)

FAX

(202) 298-9227

(1) 320776

consulate(s) general

New York

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, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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

Legal system

blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary and presidential system; constitution ambiguous on 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)

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

elections

last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)

National holiday

National Day, 11 July (1921)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Union Coalition or DUC (includes the MNDP and the MSDP); Independence Party ; Mongolian Conservative Party or MCP ; Mongolian Democratic New Socialist Party or MDNSP ; Mongolian Democratic Renaissance Party or MDRP [BYAMBASUREN, chairman]; Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [R. AMARJARGAL, chairman; B. DELGERMAA, general secretary]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [N. ENKHBAYAR, chairman; L. ENEBISH, general secretary]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]; Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ, chairman; N. ALTANKHUYAG, general secretary]; Mongolian United Heritage Party or UHP (includes the United Party of Herdsman and Farmers, Independence Party, Traditional United Conservative Party, and Mongolian United Private Property Owners Party); Mongolian United Private Property Owners Party ); United Party of Herdsman and Farmers ; Traditional United Conservative Party ; Workers' Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Budget

expenditures

$366 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

revenues

$260 million

Currency

1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Debt - external

$715 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$250 million (1998 est.)

Economy - overview

Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also 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 1990-91, at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, which was prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) government has embraced free-market economics, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade, and attempting to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs have been undertaken, as well as fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform has been held back by the ex-communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DUC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. Public revenues and exports collapsed in 1998 and 1999 due to the repercussions of the Asian financial crisis. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999.

Electricity - consumption

2.816 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

342 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

2.66 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

tughriks (Tug) per US$1 - 1,070.39 (December 1999), 1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61 (1995)

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 - $6.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

33%

industry

24%

services

43% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,320 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (1999 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

3.2% (1998)

Industries

construction materials, mining (particularly coal and copper); food and beverages, processing of animal products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.5% (1998)

Labor force

1.256 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

primarily herding/agricultural

Population below poverty line

40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.5% (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 2, shortwave 13 (1998)

Radios

360,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Telephones - main lines in use

93,800 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 18 provincial repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

118,000 (1997)

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

note

much of the unpaved rural road system consists of rough cross-country tracks

paved

1,674 km

total

49,250 km

unpaved

47,576 km (1998 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

broad gauge

1,928 km 1.524-m gauge (1994)

total

1,928 km

Waterways

400 km of principal routes (1999)

Military branches

Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and Border Guards), Air Force, Civil Defense troops

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$20 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (FY97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 727,844 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 473,326 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

29,364 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

MONTSERRAT