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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. Northern Asia, between China and Russia
46 00 N, 105 00 E
total: 1,564,116 sq km
total: 8,220 km 0 km (landlocked)
none (landlocked)
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron arable land: 0.76% 840 sq km (2003)
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which
is harsh winter conditions
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 landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
2,832,224 (July 2006 est.)
0-14 years: 27.9% (male 402,448/female 387,059) total: 24.6 years 1.46% (2006 est.)
21.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female total: 52.12 deaths/1,000 live births total population: 64.89 years 2.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
less than 500 (2003 est)
less than 200 (2003 est.)
noun: Mongolian(s) Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other
(including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000) Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
4% (2004) Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write conventional long form: none mixed parliamentary/presidential
Ulaanbaatar
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
(singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs 11 July 1921 (from China)
Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)
12 February 1992
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 18 years of age; universal
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms 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) 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 2000-2002 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 and 5.5% in 2005, 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 sizeable, 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.
$6.022 billion (2005 est.)
$1.393 billion (2005 est.)
5.5% according to official estimate (2005 est.)
$2,200 (2005 est.)
agriculture: 20.6% 1.488 million (2003)
herding/agriculture 42%, mining 4%, manufacturing 6%, trade 14%,
services 29%, public sector 5% (2003) 6.7% (2003) 36.1% (2004 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.1% 44 (1998) 9.5% (2005 est.)
revenues: $702 million wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle,
camels, horses 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 4.1% (2002 est.)
3.24 billion kWh (2005 est.)
3.37 billion kWh (2005 est.)
18 million kWh (2005 est.)
130 million kWh (2005 est.)
548.8 bbl/day (2005 est.)
11,220 bbl/day (2005 est.)
515 bbl/day (2005 est.)
11,210 bbl/day (2005 est.)
$852 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
fluorspar, other nonferrous metals China 47.8%, US 17.9%, UK 15.7% (2004)
$1.011 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)
machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial
consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea Russia 33.3%, China 23.6%, Japan 7.4%, South Korea 6%, US 4.6%
(2004) $1.36 billion (2004)
$215 million (2003)
togrog/tugrik (MNT)
calendar year
142,300 (2004)
404,400 (2004)
general assessment: network is improving with international
direct dialling available in many areas AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)
52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters)
(2004) .mn 192 (2005) 200,000 (2005)
48 (2005) total: 14 total: 34 2 (2005) total: 1,810 km total: 49,250 km 580 km total: 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 255,182 GRT/379,234 DWT
Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force (MPAF);
there is no navy (2005)
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