Mongolia

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

89,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (provincial repeaters 18)

Televisions

120,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures : $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Debt - external

$500 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA; US, $9.5 million (1995 est.)

Economy - overview

The new 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. The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. The dramatic drop in the price of copper which accounts for half of the country's export earnings, has held back economic growth. The Mongolian leadership also has been soliciting support from international financial agencies and foreign investors. The economy, however, has still not recovered from the loss of Soviet aid. The country continues to suffer substantial economic hardships, with one-fourth of the population below the poverty line.

Electricity - capacity

900,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,215 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

3.07 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

tughriks (Tug) per US$1 - 709.54 (January 1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61 (1995), 412.72 (1994), 42.56 (1992)

Exports

total value: $400 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities : copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals partners: former CMEA countries 30%, China 15%, EU 9% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 28% industry: 35% services: 37% (1993 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,060 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $473 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities : machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea partners: former CMEA countries 56%, China 9%, EU 8% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

53% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 1.115 million (mid-1993 est.) by occupation : primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate

6% (1995 est.)

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

Environment - international agreements

party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection 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

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Llewellyn HEDGBETH 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; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone : [976] (1) 329095, 329606

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

Executive branch

chief of state : President Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 3 September 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN (since 18 July 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held 19 May 1997); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural election results: Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) reelected president; percent of vote - Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT 57.8%, Lodongiyn TUDEV (MPRP) NA%; Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN elected prime minister; percent of State Great Hural vote - NA

FAX

[1] (202) 298-9227 consulate(s) general: New York

FAX

[976] (1) 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)

Government type

republic

Independence

13 March 1921 (from China)

International organization participation

AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, 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 Great Hural

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 capital

Ulaanbaatar

National holiday

National Day, 11 July (1921)

Political parties and leaders

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), N. ENHBAYAR, general secretary; Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), Mendsaihan ENHSAIHAN, general secretary (includes Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP, M. ENHSAIHAN, chairman; Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJI, chairman; Green Party, leader NA; and Mongolian Democratic Party of Believers or MDPB, leader NA); Mongolian Conservative Party (MCP), leader NA; Democratic Power Coalition, D. BYAMBASUREN, chairman (includes Mongolian Democratic Renaissance Party or MDRP, BYAMBASUREN, chairman, and Mongolian People's Party or MPP, leader NA); Mongolian National Solidarity Party (MNSP), leader NA; Bourgeois Party/Capitalist Party, VARGALSAIHAN, chairman; United Heritage Party (UHP), B. JAMTSAI (includes United Party of Herdsman and Farmers, leader NA; Independence Party, leader NA; Traditional United Conservative Party, leader NA; and Mongolian United Private Property Owners Party, leader NA); Workers' Party, leader NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and Frontier Guards), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$22.8 million (1992)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (1992)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 659,173 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 430,482 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 27,723 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 485,760; female 471,005) 15-64 years: 58% (male 743,194; female 743,529) 65 years and over : 4% (male 40,621; female 54,102) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

24.57 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

68 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 61.1 years male: 59.1 years female : 63.2 years (1997 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 (1997 est.)

Population

2,538,211 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.62% (1997 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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none MONTSERRAT (dependent territory of the UK)

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 : 49,200 km paved: 1,120 km unpaved: 48,080 km (1995 est.) note: much of the unpaved rural road system consists of rough cross-country tracks

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 1,928 km broad gauge: 1,928 km 1.524-m gauge (1994)

Waterways

397 km of principal routes (1988)