The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia declared its independence from the Manchu-led Qing Empire in 1911 and achieved limited autonomy until 1919, when it again came under Chinese control. The Mongolian Revolution of 1921 ended Chinese dominance, and a communist regime, the Mongolian People’s Republic, took power in 1924.

The modern country of Mongolia, however, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; today, more ethnic Mongolians live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. Since the country's peaceful democratic revolution in 1990, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) - which took the name Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) in 2010 - has competed for political power with the Democratic Party (DP) and several other smaller parties, including a new party formed by former President ENKHBAYAR, which confusingly adopted for itself the MPRP name. In the country's most recent parliamentary elections in June 2016, Mongolians handed the MPP overwhelming control of Parliament, largely pushing out the DP, which had overseen a sharp decline in Mongolia’s economy during its control of Parliament in the preceding years. President ELBEGDORJ, a DP member, will finish his second term as president in 2017, and is not eligible to run for re-election.

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

46 00 N, 105 00 E

Asia

slightly smaller than Alaska; more than twice the size of Texas

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Khuiten Peak) 4,374 m

oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

arable land 0.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 72.6%

840 sq km (2012)

sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities

dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment

landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

3,068,243

Khalkh 81.9%, Kazak 3.8%, Dorvod 2.7%, Bayad 2.1%, Buryat-Bouriates 1.7%, Zakhchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1%, Uriankhai 1%, other 4.6% (2010 est.)

Mongolian 90% (official) (Khalkha dialect is predominant), Turkic, Russian (1999)

Buddhist 53%, Muslim 3%, Shamanist 2.9%, Christian 2.2%, other 0.4%, none 38.6% (2010 est.)

1.18% (2017 est.)

18.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities

ULAANBAATAR (capital) 1.377 million (2015)

20.5 years

44 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.09 children born/woman (2017 est.)

54.6% (2013)

4.7% of GDP (2014)

2.88 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

6.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)

urban: 66.4% of population

rural: 59.2% of population

total: 64.4% of population

urban: 33.6% of population

rural: 40.8% of population

total: 35.6% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 66.4% of population

rural: 42.6% of population

total: 59.7% of population

urban: 33.6% of population

rural: 57.4% of population

total: 40.3% of population (2015 est.)

<.1% (2016 est.)

<500 (2016 est.)

<100 (2016 est.)

20.6% (2016)

1.6% (2013)

4.6% of GDP (2011)

semi-presidential republic

21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan), Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

29 December 1911 (independence declared from China; in actuality, autonomy attained); 11 July 1921 (from China)

Naadam (games) holiday (commemorates independence from China in the 1921 Revolution), 11-15 July; Constitution Day (marks the date that the Mongolian People's Republic was created under a new constitution), 26 November (1924)

civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic legal systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Sanjaasuren OYUN and Tserendorj GANKHUYAG]

Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzundui ERDENE]

Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN]

Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Miyegombo ENKHBOLD]

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambar ENKHBAYAR]

human rights groups; women's rights groups; disability rights groups

ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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); blue represents the sky, red symbolizes progress and prosperity

soyombo emblem; national colors: red, blue, yellow

Foreign direct investment in Mongolia's extractive industries – which are based on extensive deposits of copper, gold, coal, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten - has transformed Mongolia's landlocked economy from its traditional dependence on herding and agriculture. Exports now account for more than 40% of GDP. Mongolia depends on China for more than 60% of its external trade - China receives some 90% of Mongolia's exports and supplies Mongolia with more than one-third of its imports. Mongolia also relies on Russia for 90% of its energy supplies, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad, particularly in South Korea, are significant.

Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession, because of political inaction, and natural disasters, as well as strong economic growth, because of market reforms and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. The country opened a fledgling stock exchange in 1991. Mongolia joined the WTO in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes.

Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices globally and new gold production. By late 2008, Mongolia was hit by the global financial crisis and Mongolia's real economy contracted 1.3% in 2009. In early 2009, the IMF reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia and it emerged from the crisis with a stronger banking sector and better fiscal management. In October 2009, Mongolia passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine, among the world's largest untapped copper-gold deposits. However, a dispute with foreign investors developing OT called into question the attractiveness of Mongolia as a destination for foreign investment. This caused a severe drop in FDI, and a slowing economy, leading to the dismissal of Prime Minister ALTANKHUYAG in November 2014. The economy had grown more than 10% per year between 2011 and 2013 - largely on the strength of commodity exports and high government spending - before slowing to 7.8% in 2014, 2.3% in 2015, and 1% in 2016.

The May 2015 agreement with Rio Tinto to restart the OT mine and the subsequent $4.4 billion finance package signing in December 2015 stemmed the loss of investor confidence. The current government has made restoring investor trust and reviving the economy its top priority, but has failed to invigorate the economy in the face of the large dropoff in foreign direct investment, mounting external debt, and a sizeable budget deficit. However, Mongolia reached staff-level agreement with the IMF in February 2017 on an Extended Fund Facility program, and once approved by the IMF Board, the program is expected to improve Mongolia’s long-term fiscal and economic stability.

$36.99 billion (2016 est.)

$36.17 billion (2015 est.)

$34.96 billion (2014 est.)

$11.03 billion (2016 est.)

1% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

7.9% (2014 est.)

$12,300 (2016 est.)

$12,300 (2015 est.)

$12,200 (2014 est.)

25.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

21.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

23.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

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

construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing

-1.2% (2016 est.)

1.24 million (2016 est.)

7.9% (2016 est.)

8.3% (2015 est.)

21.6% (2014 est.)

36.5 (2008)

32.8 (2002)

25.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

-15.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

90% of GDP (2016 est.)

77.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

0.6% (2016 est.)

5.8% (2015 est.)

12% (14 January 2016 )

13% (15 January 2015)

19.74% (31 December 2016 est.)

19.56% (31 December 2015 est.)

$839.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$844.4 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$4.851 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$5.035 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$7.326 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$8.048 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$632.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$766.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.095 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$-700 million (2016 est.)

$-948.5 million (2015 est.)

$4.804 billion (2016 est.)

$4.447 billion (2015 est.)

copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals, coal, crude oil

China 84.1%, UK 6.8% (2016)

$3.466 billion (2016 est.)

$3.884 billion (2015 est.)

machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, cigarettes and tobacco, appliances, soap and detergent

China 33.2%, Russia 25.6%, South Korea 8.6%, Japan 7% (2016)

$19.79 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$21.54 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$16.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$20.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$455.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$439.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)

togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar -

2,140.3 (2016 est.)

1,970.3 (2015 est.)

1,970.3 (2014 est.)

1,817.9 (2013 est.)

1,357.6 (2012 est.)

5.192 billion kWh (2015 est.)

5.785 billion kWh (2015 est.)

51 million kWh (2015 est.)

1.427 billion kWh (2015 est.)

1.106 million kW (2015 est.)

94.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

5.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

23,430 bbl/day (2016 est.)

14,360 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

26,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

24,380 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)

14 million Mt (2013 est.)

following a law passed in 2005, Mongolia's state-run radio and TV provider converted to a public service provider; also available are 69 radio and 131 TV stations, including multi-channel satellite and cable TV providers; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2017)

.mn

JU (2016)

44 (2013)

1 (2013)

580 km (the only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol) (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers ice free from May to September) (2010)

0.92% of GDP (2016)

0.87% of GDP (2015)

0.86% of GDP (2014)

0.82% of GDP (2013)

0.92% of GDP (2012)

Mongolian Armed Forces (Mongol ulsyn zevsegt huchin): Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air Force (2016)

18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service obligation in land or air forces or police for males only; after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for 2 or 4 years; citizens can also voluntarily join the armed forces (2015)

none