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Background:
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The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
Genghis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. 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 came
under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with
Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924.
During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on
power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated
the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four
years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to
modernize the economy and to democratize the political system.
The former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled
additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In
2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature
- with 72 of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the
government. While it continues many of the reform policies,
the MPRP has focused on social welfare and public order
priorities.
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Location:
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Northern Asia,
between China and Russia |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total:
1.565 million sq km
water: 9,600 sq km
land: 1,555,400 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Alaska |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
8,162 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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desert;
continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) |
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Terrain:
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vast semidesert
and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and
southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil, coal,
copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc,
wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0.84%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.16% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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840 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust storms,
grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud,"
which is harsh winter conditions |
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Environment - current issues:
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limited natural
fresh water 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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked;
strategic location between China and Russia |
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Population:
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2,751,314 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
29.7% (male 415,735; female 400,560)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 916,445; female 918,235)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 43,205; female 57,134)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
23.9 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.3 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.43% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.44
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.1 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
55.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.97 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 64.17 years
male: 61.97 years
female: 66.48 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1%
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Mongol
(predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the
largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and
Russian) 3.4% (1998) |
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Religions:
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Tibetan
Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest),
Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998) |
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Languages:
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Khalkha Mongol
90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.2%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
local long form: none |
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Government type:
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parliamentary |
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Capital:
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Ulaanbaatar |
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Administrative divisions:
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21 provinces (aymguud,
singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot);
Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod,
Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy,
Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar,
Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs |
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Independence:
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11 July 1921
(from China) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921) |
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Constitution:
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12 February 1992 |
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Legal system:
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blend of Soviet,
German, and US systems of law that combines aspects of a
parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential
system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR
(since 26 July 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in
consultation with the president
elections: president nominated by parties in the State
Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held in May 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister
by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next
to be held in June 2004)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected
president; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP)
58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba
DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected
prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral State
Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held June
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - MPRP 72, other 4 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
(serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts
but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the
president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Citizens' Will
Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party or Civil Courage
Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [M.
ENKHSAIKHAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn
ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP
[B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B.
JARGALSAIHAN]
note: the MPRP is the ruling party |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021,
Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [976] (11) 329095
FAX: [976] (11) 320776 |
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Economy - overview:
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Economic activity
traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of
livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits;
copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for
a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at
its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in
1990-1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR.
Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to
undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Union
Coalition (DUC) government embraced free-market economics,
eased price controls, liberalized domestic and international
trade, and attempted to restructure the banking system and the
energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were
undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment
through international tender of the oil distribution company,
a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by
the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political
instability brought about through four successive governments
under the DUC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-1999 after
stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and
declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and
September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian
ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains
vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade
Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community
pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative Group
Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
government, elected in July 2000, was anxious to improve the
investment climate; it also had to deal with a heavy burden of
external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary
sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and
adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and
2001 restrained real GDP growth. Despite drought problems in
2002, GDP rose 4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in
2003. The first applications under the land privatization law
have been marked by a number of disputes over particular
sites. Russia claims Mongolia owes it $11 billion from the
Soviet period; any settlement could substantially increase
Mongolia's foreign debt burden. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $4.877 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $1,800 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
20.6%
industry: 21.4%
services: 58% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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33% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.5% (2002 est. |
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Labor force:
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1.4 million
(2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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herding/agriculture
46%, manufacturing 6%, trade 10.3%, public sector 4.7%,
other/unemployed 33% (2001) |
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Unemployment rate:
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4.6% (2001) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$387 million
expenditures: $428 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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construction
materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and
gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.1% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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2.225 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.194 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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25 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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196 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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8,750 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley,
potatoes, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses |
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Exports:
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$524 million
f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copper,
livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar,
other nonferrous metals |
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Exports - partners:
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China 41.4%, US
31.7%, Russia 9.2%, South Korea 4.2% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$691 million
c.i.f. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods,
chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea |
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 34.4%,
China 20.1%, South Korea 12.4%, Japan 6.2%, Germany 4.3%, Hong
Kong 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$885 million
(2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$211.3 million
(2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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togrog/tugrik (MNT) |
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Currency code:
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MNT |
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Exchange rates:
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togrogs/tugriks
per US dollar - 1,171 (2003), 1,110.31 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001),
1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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128,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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216,000 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for
each thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 976; satellite earth
station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 7, FM 9,
shortwave 4 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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9 (plus 18
provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004) |
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Internet country code:
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.mn |
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Internet hosts:
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127 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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50,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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1,815 km
broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
49,250 km
paved: 1,724 km
unpaved: 47,526 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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400 km (1999) |
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Ports and harbors:
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none |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 65
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 4, Cuba 1,
Hong Kong 2, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 1,
Malaysia 1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 5, Moldova 1, Panama 3,
Romania 1, Russia 14, Singapore 13, Syria 4, Thailand 1,
Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United States 3, Vietnam 4 (2003 est.)
by type: bulk 4, cargo 53, chemical tanker 1, container
2, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1,
specialized tanker 1 |
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Airports:
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36 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
over 3,047 m: 2 |
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Heliports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Mongolian
People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air Defense Forces),
Border Guards, Internal Security Forces, Construction Corps
Forces, Civil Defense Authority |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 818,977 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 530,594 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
33,718 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$23.1 million
(FY02) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.2% (FY02) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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