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Location: Northern Asia, north of China
Map references: Asia
Area:
total area: 1.565 million sq km
land area: 1.565 million sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total 8,114 km, China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast
Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 79%
forest and woodland: 10%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: 770 sq km (1989)
Population: 2,493,615 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (female 495,919; male 511,464)
15-64 years: 56% (female 693,037; male 693,776)
65 years and over: 4% (female 54,991; male 44,428) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.58% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 32.65 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 41.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.54 years
male: 64.28 years
female: 68.92 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian
Ethnic divisions: Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, Chinese 2%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Religions: predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4%
note: previously limited religious activity because of Communist regime
Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: NA
by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural
note: over half the adult population is in the labor force, including a large
percentage of women; shortage of skilled labor
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local long form: none
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
Digraph: MG
Type: republic
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
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
Independence: 13 March 1921 (from China)
National holiday: National Day, 11 July (1921)
Constitution: adopted 13 January 1992
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Overview: Mongolia's severe climate, scattered population, and wide expanses of unproductive land 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 andprocessing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Timber and fishing are also important sectors. The Mongolian leadership has been gradually making the transition from Soviet-style central planning to a market economy through privatization and price reform, and is soliciting support from international financial agencies and foreign investors. The economy, however, has still not recovered from the loss of Soviet aid, and the country continues to suffer substantial economic hardships, with one-fourth of the population below the poverty line.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $1,800 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 70% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
note: deficit of $67 million
Exports: $360 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar,
other nonferrous metals
partners: former CMEA countries 62%, China 17%, EC 8% (1992)
Imports: $361 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
goods, chemicals, buildingmaterials, sugar, tea
partners: USSR 75%, Austria 5%, China 5% (1991)
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate -15% (1992 est.); accounts for about 42% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 900,000 kW
production: 3.1 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,267 kWh (1993)
Industries: copper, processing of animal products, building materials, food and beverage, mining (particularly coal)
Agriculture: accounts for about 35% of GDP and provides livelihood for about 50% of the population; livestock raising predominates (primarily sheep and goats, but also cattle, camels, and horses); crops - wheat, barley, potatoes, forage
Currency: 1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos
Fiscal year: calendar year
Railroads:
total: 1,750 km
broad gauge: 1,750 km 1.524-m gauge (1988)
Highways:
total: 46,700 km
paved: 1,000 km
unpaved: 45,700 km (1988)
Inland waterways: 397 km of principal routes (1988)
Ports: none
Airports:
total: 34
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
with paved runways under 914 m: 1
with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 3
with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 10
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 5