Mongolia




                                 Geography


Location:
     Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Map references:
     Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
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 3,441 km
Coastline:
     0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
     none; landlocked
International disputes:
     none
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)
Environment:
current issues:
     limited 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
natural hazards:
     NA




international agreements:
     party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
     Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
     landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia


                                  People


Population:
     2,429,762 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.61% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     33.04 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     6.99 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     43.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     66.16 years
male:
     63.9 years
female:
     68.52 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     4.33 children born/woman (1994 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:
total population:
     NA%
male:
     NA%
female:
     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


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     none
conventional short form:
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
Executive branch:
chief of state:
     President Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 3 September 1990); election
     last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results -
     Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP and MSDP) elected directly with 57.8% of
     the vote; other candidate Lodongiyn TUDEV (MPRP)
head of government:
     Prime Minister Putsagiyn JASRAY (since 3 August 1992); Deputy Prime
     Ministers Lhamsuren ENEBISH and Choijilsurengiyn PUREVDORJ (since NA)
cabinet:
     Cabinet; appointed by the Great Hural
Legislative branch:
     unicameral




State Great Hural:
     elections first time held 28 June 1992 (next to be held NA); results -
     percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) MPRP 71, United Party
     4, MSDP 1
note:
     the People's Small Hural no longer exists
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
     courts, but to date rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts
Political parties and leaders:
     Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), Budragchagiin
     DASH-YONDON, secretary general; Mongolian Democratic Party (MDP),
     Erdenijiyn BAT-UUL, general coordinator; National Progress Party
     (NPP), S. BYAMBAA and Luusandambyn DASHNYAM, leaders; Social
     Democratic Party (SDP), BATBAYAR and Tsohiogyyn ADYASUREN, leaders;
     Mongolian Independence Party (MIP), D. ZORIGT, leader; United Party of
     Mongolia (made up of the MDP, SDP, and NPP); Mongolian National
     Democratic Party (MNDP), D. GANBOLD, chairman; Mongolian Social
     Democratic Party (MSDP), B. BATBAYAR, chairman; Mongolian Conservative
     Party, O. ZOYA; Mongolian Green Party (MGP), M. GANBAT
note:
     opposition parties were legalized in May 1990
Member of:
     AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF,
     INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM
     (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Luvsandorj DAWAGIV
chancery:
     2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
     (202) 333-7117
FAX:
     (202) 298-9227
consulate(s) general:
     New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy:
     address NA, Ulaanbaatar
mailing address:
     Ulaanbaatar, c/o American Embassy Beijing, Micro Region II, Big Ring
     Road; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone:
     [976] (1) 329095 through 329606
FAX:
     [976] (1) 320-776
Flag:
     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)






                                  Economy


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 - Mongolia has the highest number of livestock per person
     in the world. 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. Timber and fishing are also important sectors.
     The Mongolian leadership is trying to make 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.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     -1.3% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
     $1,200 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     325% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     15% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $NA
expenditures:
     $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
note:
     deficit of $67 million
Exports:
     $355 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
     copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar,
     other nonferrous metals
partners:
     former CMEA countries 62%, China 17%, EC 8% (1992)
Imports:
     $501 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
     machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
     goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
partners:
     USSR 75%, Austria 5%, China 5%
External debt:
     $16.8 billion (yearend 1990); 98.6% with USSR
Industrial production:
     growth rate -15% (1992 est.); accounts for about 42% of GDP




Electricity:
capacity:
     1,248,000 kW
production:
     3,740 kWh
consumption per capita:
     1,622 kWh (1992)
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
Economic aid:
     NA
Currency:
     1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos
Exchange rates:
     tughriks (Tug) per US$1 - 150 (1 January 1993), 40 (1992), 7.1 (1991),
     5.63 (1990), 3.00 (1989)
note:
     the exchange rate 40 tughriks = 1US$ was introduced June 1991 and was
     in force to the end of 1992
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Railroads:
     1,750 km 1.524-meter broad 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; landlocked
Airports:
total:
     81
usable:
     31
with permanent-surface runways:
     11
with runways over 3,659 m:
     fewer than 5
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     fewer than 20




with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     12
Telecommunications:
     63,000 telephones (1989); broadcast stations - 12 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (with
     18 provincial repeaters); repeat of Russian TV; 120,000 TVs; 220,000
     radios; at least 1 earth station


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and
     Frontier Guards), Air Force
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 587,113; fit for military service 382,633; reach
     military age (18) annually 25,261 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $22.8 million of GDP, 1% of GDP (1992)