Mongolia

Airports

80 total, 30 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m; fewer than 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air

22 major transport aircraft

Highways

46,700 km total; 1,000 km hard surface; 45,700 km other surfaces (1986)

Inland waterways

397 km of principal routes (1986)

Railroads

1,750 km 1.524-meter broad gauge (1986)

Telecommunications

stations--13 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (with 18 provincial relays); relay of Soviet TV; 60,000 TV sets; 186,000 radio receivers; at least 1 satellite earth station

Branches

Mongolian People's Army, Air Force (negligible)

Defense expenditures

NA

Military manpower

males 15-49, 518,482; 338,652 fit for military service; 24,783 reach military age (18) annually

Agriculture

accounts for 90% of exports and provides livelihood for about 50% of the population; livestock raising predominates (sheep, goats, horses); crops--wheat, barley, potatoes, forage

Aid

about $500-$700 million annually from USSR

Budget

revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.9 billion (1987 est.)

Currency

tughrik (plural--tughriks); 1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Electricity

657,000 kW capacity; 29,500 million kWh produced, 1,340 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

tughriks (Tug) per US$1--3.355 (1986-1988), 3.600 (1985)

Exports

$388 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities--livestock, animal products, wool, hides, fluorspar, nonferrous metals, minerals; partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80% with USSR)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

$1.7 billion, per capita $880 (1985 est.); average real growth rate 3.6% (1976-85 est.)

Imports

$1.0 billion (c.i.f., 1985); commodities--machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea; partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80% with USSR)

Industrial production

growth rate 10.9% (1985)

Industries

processing of animal products, building materials, food and beverage, mining (particularly coal)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Overview

Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and the breeding of livestock--Mongolia has the highest number of livestock per person in the world. In recent years extensive mineral resources have been developed with Soviet support. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Climate

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Coastline

none--landlocked

Comparative area

slightly larger than Alaska

Environment

harsh and rugged

Land boundaries

8,114 km total; China 4,673 km, USSR 3,441 km

Land use

1% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 79% meadows and pastures; 10% forest and woodland; 10% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Maritime claims

none--landlocked

Natural resources

coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold

Note

landlocked; strategic location between China and Soviet Union

Terrain

vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast

Total area

1,565,000 km2; land area: 1,565,000 km2

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

Communists

MPRP membership 88,150 (1986 est.)

Constitution

6 July 1960

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Gendengiin NYAMDOO; US--Ambassador Richard L. WILLIAMS

Executive branch

chairman and deputy chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural, Presidium of the People's Great Hural, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is a five-pointed star above the national emblem (soyombo--a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representations for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Independence

13 March 1921 (from China; formerly Outer Mongolia)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 21 March 1990); Head of Government--Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sharabyn GUNGAADORJ (since 21 March 1990);

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 People's Great Hural

Long-form name

Mongolian People's Republic; abbreviated MPR

Member of

CEMA, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBEC, ILO, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday

People's Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), Gombojabin Ochirbat, General Secretary

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held July 1991); results--Punsalmaagiyn Ochirbat elected by the People's Great Hural; People's Great Hural--last held on 22 June 1986 (next to be held June 1990); results--MPRP was the only party; seats--(370 total) MPRP 370

Type

Communist state

Birth rate

35 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

90% Mongol, 4% Kazakh, 2% Chinese, 2% Russian, 2% other

Infant mortality rate

50 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

NA, but primarily agricultural; over half the adult population is in the labor force, including a large percentage of women; shortage of skilled labor

Language

Khalkha Mongol used by over 90% of population; minor languages include Turkic, Russian, and Chinese

Life expectancy at birth

62 years male, 67 years female (1990)

Literacy

80% (est.); 100% claimed (1985)

Nationality

noun--Mongolian(s); adjective--Mongolian

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

425,000 members of the Central Council of Mongolian Trade Unions (CCMTU) controlled by the government (1984)

Population

2,187,275 (July 1990), growth rate 2.7% (1990)

Religion

predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, about 4% Muslim, limited religious activity because of Communist regime

Total fertility rate

4.7 children born/woman (1990)