Mongolia

Mongolia

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Mongol Uls/State of Mongolia Area 1,565,000 sq km/604,246 sq mi Capital Ulaanbaatar Language Khalkha Mongolian (official), Kazakh (in the province of Bagan-Ölgiy), Chinese, Russian, Turkic languages Religion there is no state religion, but traditional lamaism (Mahayana Buddhism) is gaining new strength; the Sunni Muslim Kazakhs of Western Mongolia have also begun the renewal of their religious life, and Christian missionary activity has increased Time difference GMT +8 Major holidays 1–2 January, 8 March, 1 May, 1 June, 10 July (3 days), 7 November; variable: Tsagaan (Lunar New Year, January/February, 2 days)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Darhan, Choybalsan, Erdenet Physical features high plateau with desert and steppe (grasslands); Altai Mountains in southwest; salt lakes; part of Gobi desert in southeast; contains both the world's southernmost permafrost and northernmost desert Airports one international airport, and six domestic airports; total passengers carried: 254,200 (2004 est) Railways total length: 2,083 km/1,294 mi; total passenger journeys: 4.3 million (2004) Roads total road network: 49,250 km/30,604 mi, of which 3.5% paved (2002 est); passenger cars: 41 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Nambaryn Enkhbayar from 2005 Head of government Miyeegombo Enkhbold from 2006 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 21 provinces and one municipality (Ulaanbaatar) Political parties Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), reform-socialist (ex-communist); Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP), traditionalist, promarket economy; Union Coalition (UC, comprising the MNPD and the Social Democratic Party (SDP)), democratic, promarket economy Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 8,600; plus 137,000 reservists and paramilitary forces of 7,200 (2006 est) Conscription military service is compulsory for 12 months Defence spend (% GDP) 1.4 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 9 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 4.3 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency tugrik GDP (US$) 1.9 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 6.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 1.8 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 2,190 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 5% (2006 est) Unemployment 3.5% (2003) Labour force 40.2% agriculture, 16.1% industry, 43.7% services (2004) Foreign debt (US$) 1.4 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Russia, China, USA, Japan, UK, South Korea, Germany, Singapore Resources copper, nickel, zinc, molybdenum, phosphorites, tungsten, tin, fluorospar, gold, lead; reserves of petroleum discovered in 1994 Industries mostly small-scale; food products, copper and molybdenum concentrates, cement, lime, wood and metal-worked products, beverages, leather articles Exports minerals and metals (primarily copper concentrate), textiles, cashmere and cashmere products. Principal market: China 46.8% (2005) Imports mineral fuels and products, engineering goods, vehicles, industrial consumer goods, foodstuffs. Principal source: Russia 33.5% (2005) Arable land 0.8% (2006 est) Agricultural products wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, vegetables; animal herding (particularly cattle rearing) is country's main economic activity (there were 28.6 million cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and camels in 1995)


POPULATION

Population 2,678,800 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.2% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 2 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 57 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 30%, 15–59 64%, 60+ 6% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 91% Mongol, 6% Kazakh; very small groups of Russian (2,000) and Chinese (1,500) Life expectancy 64 (men); 68 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 52 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 8 Literacy rate 98% (men); 98% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 26.7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 11.5 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) <0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 87 (urban); 30 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 5.9 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 21.1 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 50 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 81 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 12.8 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 10.1 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

AD 1206 Nomadic Mongol tribes united by Genghis Khan to form nucleus of vast Mongol Empire which, stretching across central Asia, reached its zenith under Genghis Khan's grandson, Kublai Khan. late 17th century Conquered by China to become province of Outer Mongolia. 1911 Independence proclaimed by Mongolian nationalists after Chinese ‘republican revolution’; tsarist Russia helped Mongolia to secure autonomy, under a traditionalist Buddhist monarchy in the form of a reincarnated lama. 1915 Chinese sovereignty reasserted. 1921 Chinese rule overthrown with Soviet help. 1924 People's Republic proclaimed on death of king, when the monarchy was abolished; defeudalization programme launched, entailing collectivization of agriculture and suppression of lama Buddhism. 1932 Armed antigovernment uprising suppressed with Soviet assistance; 100,000 killed in political purges. 1946 China recognized Mongolia's independence. 1952 Death of Marshal Horloogiyn Choybalsan, the dominant force in the ruling communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) since 1939. 1958 Yumjaagiyn Tsedenbal became the dominant figure in MPRP and country. 1962 Joined Comecon. 1966 20-year friendship, cooperation, and mutual-assistance pact signed with Soviet Union (USSR). Relations with China deteriorated. 1987 There was a reduction in the number of Soviet troops; Mongolia's external contacts broadened. The tolerance of traditional social customs encouraged a nationalist revival. 1989 Further Soviet troop reductions. 1990 Protest and democratization campaign launched, influenced by events in Eastern Europe. Ex-communist MPRP elected in first free multiparty elections; Punsalmaagiyn Ochirbat became president. Mongolian script readopted. 1991 Privatization programme launched. GDP declined by 10%. 1992 MPRP returned to power in assembly elections held under new, noncommunist constitution. Economic situation worsened; GDP again declined by 10%. 1993 Ochirbat won first direct presidential elections. 1996 Economy showed signs of revival. Union Coalition won assembly elections, defeating MPRP and ending 75 years of communist rule. Defence cooperation agreement signed with USA. 1997 Ex-communist Natsagiyn Bagabandi elected MPRP chairman; then became president. Economic shock therapy programme, supervised by IMF and World Bank, created unemployment and made government unpopular. All taxes and tariffs on trade abolished. 1998 National Democratic Party (DU) government toppled after losing no-confidence vote. Attempts to form new DU-led government, led by Rinchinnyamiyn Amarjargal, failed, and Janlaviyn Narantsatsralt of the MNDP became prime minister. 1999 Rinchinnyamiyn Marajargal became prime minister. 2000 Mongolia's former communists, the MPRP, branding themselves centre-left party, won landslide victory in parliamentary elections, led by Nambariin Enkhbayar. 2001 President Bagabandi re-elected. Almost $40 million in low-interest loans approved by IMF, to help tackle poverty and boost economic growth. Herders suffered worst winter conditions in more than 50 years. 2002 Visit by Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, denounced by China. China warned Mongolian leaders not to meet with him. 2003 200 soldiers to be sent to Iraq to contribute to peacekeeping operations. 2004 Russia wrote off most of Mongolia's $300 million debts. Opposition did well in parliamentary elections; contested results led to political deadlock. Power-sharing deal resulted in appointment of Tsakhiagiin Albegdorj as prime minister. 2005 Demonstrations in capital called for government to resign; demands for end to poverty and official corruption. MPRP candidate Nambaryn Enkhbayar elected president. President Bush became first serving US leader to visit the country. 2006 Coalition government fell after MPRP pulled out, dissatisfied with pace of economic growth. MPRP's Miyeegombo Enkhbold became prime minister.


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