Ethnic divisions: Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, Chinese 2%, Russian 2%,
other 2%
Religion: predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim (about 4%),
limited religious activity because of Communist regime
Language: Khalkha Mongol used by over 90% of population; minor
languages include Turkic, Russian, and Chinese
Literacy: 90% (male NA%, female NA%) (1989 est.)
Labor force: NA, but primarily herding/agricultural; over half the
adult population is in the labor force, including a large percentage
of women; shortage of skilled labor
Organized labor: 425,000 members of the Central Council of
Mongolian Trade Unions (CCMTU) controlled by the government (1984)
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Mongolian People's Republic; abbreviated MPR
Type: in transition from Communist state to republic
Independence: 13 March 1921 (from China; formerly Outer Mongolia)
Constitution: 6 July 1960
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
National holiday: People's Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)
Executive branch: chairman and deputy chairman of the Presidium of
the People's Great Hural, premier, deputy premiers, Cabinet
Legislative branch: People's Great Hural, People's Small Hural
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (since 3
September 1990); Vice President Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (since
7 September 1990);
Head of Government--Premier Dashiyn BYAMBASUREN (since 11
September 1990);
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party--Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP),
Budragchagiin DASH-YONDON, general secretary;
opposition--Social Democratic Party (SDP), Batbayar;
Mongolian Democratic Association, Sanjasuren DZORIG, chief coordinator;
Mongolian Party of National Progress, Ganbold;
other--Mongolian Democratic Party (MDP), Batuul;
Free Labor Party, Maam;
note--opposition parties were legalized in May 1990
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 3 September 1990 (next to be held July 1994);
results--Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT elected by the People's Great Hural;
People's Great Hural--last held on 29 July 1990 (next to be held
July 1994);
results--MPRP 84.6, MDP 3.8%, PNP 1.4%, SDP 1%, independents 9.2%;
seats--(430 total) MPRP 343;
People's Small Hural--last held on 29 July 1990 (next to be
held July 1994);
results--MPRP 62.3%, MDP 24.5%, SDP 7.5%, PNP 5.7%;
seats--(50 total) MPRP 33
Communists: MPRP membership 90,000 (1990 est.)
Member of: AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO, IIB, ILO, IMF,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
US--Ambassador Joseph E. LAKE; Deputy Chief of Mission
Michael J. SENKO; Embassy at Ulaanbaatar, c/o American Embassy
Beijing; Tel. 29095 and 29639
Flag: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and
red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is a five-pointed star
above the national emblem (soyombo--a columnar arrangement of
abstract and geometric representations for fire, sun, moon, earth, water,
and the yin-yang symbol)
ECONOMY
Overview: 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 recent years extensive
mineral resources have been developed with Soviet support. The mining and
processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold
account for a large part of industrial production. In early 1991 the
Mongolian leadership was struggling with severe economic dislocations,
mainly attributable to chaotic economic conditions in the USSR, by
far Mongolia's leading trade and development partner. For example,
the government doubled most prices in January 1991, and industrial
production dropped 10% in the first quarter of 1991. Moscow almost
certainly will be cutting aid in 1991.
GDP: $2.2 billion, per capita $1,000 (1990 est.); real
growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80%
with USSR)
Imports: $1.14 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--machinery and equipment, fuels, food products,
industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea;
partners--nearly all trade with Communist countries (about 80% with
USSR)
External debt: $16.8 billion (yearend 1990); 98.6% with USSR
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 657,000 kW capacity; 2,950 million kWh produced,
1,380 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: copper, processing of animal products, building
materials, food and beverage, mining (particularly coal)
Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP and provides livelihood
for about 50% of the population; livestock raising predominates (sheep,
goats, horses); crops--wheat, barley, potatoes, forage
Economic aid: about $300 million in trade credits and $34 million
in grant aid from USSR and other CEMA countries, plus $7.4 million
from UNDP (1990)
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 1,750 km 1.524-meter broad gauge (1988)
Highways: 46,700 km total; 1,000 km hard surface; 45,700 km other
surfaces (1988)
Inland waterways: 397 km of principal routes (1988)
Civil air: 25 major transport aircraft
Airports: 81 total, 31 usable; 11 with permanent-surface
runways; fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m; fewer than 20 with
runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations--12 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (with 18 provincial
relays); relay of Soviet TV; 120,000 TVs; 186,000 radios;
at least 1 earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Mongolian People's Army (includes Border Guards),
Air Force
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 535,376; 349,548 fit for
military service; 25,275 reach military age (18) annually
