East and Southeast Asia
Page last updated: April 24, 2024
The peoples of Mongolia have a long history under a number of nomadic empires dating back to the period of the Xiongnu in the 4th century B.C. The name Mongol goes back to at least the 11th century A.D. The most famous Mongol, TEMÜÜJIN (aka Genghis Khan) emerged as the ruler of all Mongols in the early 1200s. By the time of his death in 1227, he had created through conquest a Mongol Empire that extended across much of Eurasia. His descendants, including ÖGÖDEI and KHUBILAI (aka Kublai Khan), continued military campaigns of conquest, taking control of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of China where KHUBILAI established the Yuan Dynasty in the 1270s. The Mongols attempted to invade Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in the 14th century. In the 17th century, Mongolia fell under the rule of the Manchus of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Following the collapse of the Manchus in 1911, Mongolia declared its independence, achieving it with help from the Soviet Union in 1921. Mongolia became a socialist state (the Mongolian People’s Republic) in 1924. Following independence and until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the country was a Soviet satellite state, and heavily reliant on economic, military, and political assistance from Moscow. The period also was marked by purges, political repression, economic stagnation, and tensions with China.
Mongolia peacefully transitioned to an independent democracy in 1990. In 1992, it adopted a new constitution and established a free market economy. Since the country's transition, it has conducted a series of successful presidential and legislative elections. Throughout the period, 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. In the 2016 parliamentary elections, the MPP won overwhelming control of the Parliament over the DP, which had overseen a sharp decline in Mongolia’s economy during its control of the Parliament in the preceding years. Mongolians elected a DP member, Khaltmaa BATTULGA, as president in 2017. The June 2020 parliamentary elections left the MPP with continued dominant control of the parliament. Mongolians elected former prime minister and MPP member Ukhnaa KHURELSUKH as president in 2021.
Mongolia maintains close cultural, political, and military ties with Russia while China is its largest economic partner. Mongolia’s foreign relations are focused on preserving its autonomy by balancing relations with China and Russia, as well as its other major partners, Japan, South Korea, and the US.
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
46°00' N, 105°00' E
Asia
Total: 1,564,116 km²
Land: 1,553,556 km²
Water: 10,560 km²
Slightly smaller than Alaska; more than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map:
Total: 8,082 km
Border countries (2): China 4,630 km; Russia 3,452 km
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
Lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m
Mean elevation: 1,528 m
Oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Agricultural land: 73% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 72.6% (2018 est.)
Forest: 7% (2018 est.)
Other: 20% (2018 est.)
602 km² (2020)
Fresh water lake(s): Hovsgol Nuur - 2,620 km²; Har Us Nuur - 1,760 km²;
Salt water lake(s): Uvs Nuur - 3,350 km²; Hyargas Nuur - 1,360 km²
Amur (shared with China [s] and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km
Note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
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
Landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
3,255,468 (2023 est.)
Note: Mongolia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world (2 people per km²); twice as many ethnic Mongols (some 6 million) live in Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol) in neighboring China
Noun: Mongolian(s)
Adjective: Mongolian
Khalkh 83.8%, Kazak 3.8%, Durvud 2.6%, Bayad 2%, Buriad 1.4%, Zakhchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1.1%, other 4.1% (2020 est.)
Mongolian 90% (official) (Khalkha dialect is predominant), Turkic, Russian (1999)
Major-language sample(s):
Дэлхийн баримтат ном, үндсэн мэдээллийн зайлшгүй эх сурвалж. (Mongolian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Buddhist 51.7%, Muslim 3.2%, Shamanist 2.5%, Christian 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 40.6% (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 26.16% (male 434,400/female 417,335)
15-64 years: 68.24% (male 1,076,692/female 1,144,759)
65 years and over: 5.6% (2023 est.) (male 73,245/female 109,037)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 58.4
Youth dependency ratio: 51.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 7
Potential support ratio: 14.3 (2021 est.)
Total: 31.2 years (2023 est.)
Male: 29.9 years
Female: 32.2 years
0.83% (2023 est.)
15.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities
Urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
1.673 million ULAANBAATAR (capital) (2023)
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
20.5 years (2008 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-24
39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 19.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 71.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 67.5 years
Female: 76 years
1.89 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.92 (2023 est.)
48.1% (2018)
Improved: urban: 98.4% of population
Rural: 64.2% of population
Total: 87.6% of population
Unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population
Rural: 35.8% of population
Total: 12.4% of population (2020 est.)
4.9% of GDP (2020)
3.85 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
8 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Improved: urban: 97.4% of population
Rural: 69.9% of population
Total: 88.8% of population
Unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population
Rural: 30.1% of population
Total: 11.2% of population (2020 est.)
20.6% (2016)
Total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 29.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 51.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 7.1% (2020 est.)
1.8% (2018)
58.9% (2023 est.)
Women married by age 15: 0.9%
Women married by age 18: 12%
Men married by age 18: 2.1% (2018 est.)
4.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.2%
Male: 99.1%
Female: 99.2% (2020)
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 16 years (2019)
Limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws leads to air pollution in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation and overgrazing increase soil erosion from wind and rain; water pollution; desertification and mining activities have a deleterious effect on the environment
Party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Agricultural land: 73% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 72.6% (2018 est.)
Forest: 7% (2018 est.)
Other: 20% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
8.62% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 41.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 25.37 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 13.72 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.9 million tons (2016 est.)
Fresh water lake(s): Hovsgol Nuur - 2,620 km²; Har Us Nuur - 1,760 km²;
Salt water lake(s): Uvs Nuur - 3,350 km²; Hyargas Nuur - 1,360 km²
Amur (shared with China [s] and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km
Note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 170 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 250 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
34.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Mongolia
Local long form: none
Local short form: Mongol Uls
Former: Outer Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic
Etymology: the name means "Land of the Mongols" in Latin; the Mongolian name Mongol Uls translates as "Mongol State"
Semi-presidential republic
Name: Ulaanbaatar
Geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E
Time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September
Time zone note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC)
Etymology: the name means "red hero" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin SUKHBAATAR, leader of the partisan army that with Soviet Red Army help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s
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)
History: several previous; latest adopted 13 January 1992, effective 12 February 1992
Amendments: proposed by the State Great Hural, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition submitted to the State Great Hural by the Constitutional Court; conducting referenda on proposed amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the State Great Hural; passage of amendments by the State Great Hural requires at least three-quarters majority vote; passage by referendum requires majority participation of qualified voters and a majority of votes; amended 1999, 2000, 2019, 2023; note - an amendment passed in a referendum held in May 2023 increased the seats in the State Great Hural from 76 to 126
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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai OYUN-ERDENE (since 27 January 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Sainbuyen AMARSAIKHAN (since 8 September 2022) and Chimed KHURELBAATAR (since 5 January 2023)
Cabinet: directly appointed by the prime minister following a constitutional amendment ratified in November 2019; prior to the amendment, the cabinet was nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)
Elections/appointments: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple majority popular vote for one 6-year term; election last held on 9 June 2021 (next to be held in 2027); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
Election results: 2021: Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH elected president in first round; percent of vote - Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (MPP) 68%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (RPEC) 20.1%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (DP) 6%
Description: unicameral State Great Hural or Ulsyn Ikh Khural (126 seats; 78 members directly elected in a selected constituency by simple majority vote and 48 members directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - a constitutional referendum passed in May 2023 increased the number of seats from 76 to 126
Elections: last held on 24 June 2020 (next to be held 30 June 2024)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MPP 44.9%, DP 24.5%, Our Coalition 8.1%, independent 8.7%, Right Person Electorate Coalition 5.2%, other 8.5%; seats by party - MPP 62, DP 11, Our Coalition 1, Right Person Electorate Coalition 1, independent 1; composition as of March 2024 - 59 men, 13 women; percentage women 18.1%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Chief Justice and 24 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tsets (consists of the chairman and 8 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and judges appointed by the president upon recommendation by the General Council of Courts - a 14-member body of judges and judicial officials - to the State Great Hural; appointment is for life; chairman of the Constitutional Court elected from among its members; members appointed from nominations by the State Great Hural - 3 each by the president, the State Great Hural, and the Supreme Court; appointment is 6 years; chairmanship limited to a single renewable 3-year term
Subordinate courts: aimag (provincial) and capital city appellate courts; soum, inter-soum, and district courts; Administrative Cases Courts
Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzunduin ERDENE]
Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH]
Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Tserendorj GANKHUYAG]
Justice Party [Batbayar NASANBILEG]
Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Bayanjargal TSOGTGEREL]
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]
Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [Adiya GANBAATAR]
Mongolian Traditionally United Party or MTUP [Batdelgeriin BATBOLD]
National Labor Party or HUN [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]
Coalitions:
Our Coalition (MPRP, CWGP, and MTUP)
Right Person Electorate Coalition or RPEC (HUN, MSDP, Justice Party) [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]
Note: 36 total parties registered for the 2020 legislative elections to the State Great Hural
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
Name: "Mongol ulsyn toriin duulal" (National Anthem of Mongolia)
Lyrics/music: Tsendiin DAMDINSUREN/Bilegiin DAMDINSUREN and Luvsanjamts MURJORJ
Note: music adopted 1950, lyrics adopted 2006; lyrics altered on numerous occasions
Total World Heritage Sites: 6 (4 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales: Uvs Nuur Basin (n); Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape (c); Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai (c); Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and surrounding sacred landscape (c); Landscapes of Dauria (n); Deer Stone Monuments and Related Bronze Age Sites (c)
Lower middle-income East Asian economy; large human capital improvements over last 3 decades; agricultural and natural resource rich; export and consumption-led growth; high inflation due to supply bottlenecks and increased food and energy prices; currency depreciation
$41.029 billion (2022 est.)
$39.063 billion (2021 est.)
$38.434 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
5.03% (2022 est.)
1.64% (2021 est.)
-4.56% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$12,100 (2022 est.)
$11,700 (2021 est.)
$11,700 (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
$17.146 billion (2022 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
15.15% (2022 est.)
7.35% (2021 est.)
3.8% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Fitch rating: B (2018)
Moody's rating: B3 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: B (2018)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 12.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 38.2% (2017 est.)
Services: 49.7% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 179; industry 38; agriculture 76
Household consumption: 49.2% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 12.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 12.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 59.5% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -57.1% (2017 est.)
Milk, wheat, goat milk, potatoes, mutton, sheep milk, beef, goat meat, horse meat, carrots/turnips
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
-4.52% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
1.389 million (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
6.21% (2022 est.)
7.75% (2021 est.)
6.59% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 21% (2021 est.)
Male: 20.1%
Female: 22.4%
27.8% (2020 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
32.7 (2018 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Lowest 10%: 3.3%
Highest 10%: 25.7% (2018 est.)
Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
2.33% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.08% of GDP (2021 est.)
4.12% of GDP (2020 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $3.699 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $4.979 billion (2020 est.)
-6.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
67.57% of GDP (2021 est.)
73.94% of GDP (2020 est.)
60.84% of GDP (2019 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP
16.91% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Calendar year
-$2.303 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.108 billion (2021 est.)
-$674.612 million (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$10.989 billion (2022 est.)
$8.95 billion (2021 est.)
$7.646 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
China 73%, Switzerland 19%, Singapore 2%, South Korea 2%, Russia 1% (2021)
Copper, coal, gold, iron, animal hair, crude petroleum, zinc (2021)
$12.112 billion (2022 est.)
$9.256 billion (2021 est.)
$7.34 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
China 31%, Russia 29%, Japan 10%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Refined petroleum, cars, delivery trucks, construction vehicles, aircraft (2019)
$3.398 billion (2022 est.)
$4.38 billion (2021 est.)
$4.545 billion (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$29.945 billion (2019 est.)
$28.046 billion (2018 est.)
Togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3,140.678 (2022 est.)
2,849.289 (2021 est.)
2,813.29 (2020 est.)
2,663.541 (2019 est.)
2,472.484 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 1.479 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 7,336,520,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 24 million kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 1.723 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 892 million kWh (2019 est.)
Comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 126; transmission/distribution losses 98; imports 61; exports 94; consumption 109
Fossil fuels: 89.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 8.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Production: 43.904 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 8.818 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 28.551 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.52 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Total petroleum production: 16,700 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 35,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 14,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
24,190 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
22.74 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 17.445 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 5.295 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
83.045 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Total subscriptions: 475,290 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 4,687,304 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2021 est.)
General assessment: liberalized and competitive telecoms market comprises of a number of operators; fixed-line penetration increased steadily in the years to 2018 as more people took on fixed-line access for voice calls and to access copper-based broadband services; the number of lines fell in 2019, and again and more sharply in 2020, partly through the economic consequences of the pandemic (GDP fell 5.3% in 2020, year-on-year) and partly due to the migration to the mobile platform and to VoIP; fixed broadband penetration remains low, mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines and the dominance of the mobile platform; the attraction of fixed broadband as a preferred access where it is available is waning as the mobile networks are upgraded with greater capacity and capabilities; the growing popularity of mobile broadband continues to underpin overall broadband and telecom sector growth, with Mongolia’s market very much being dominated by mobile services, supported by widely available LTE; this will largely determine and shape the future direction of Mongolia’s developing digital economy (2021)
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity of 12 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership is 140 per 100 persons (2021)
International: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7 (2016)
Following a law passed in 2005, Mongolia's state-run radio and TV provider converted to a public service provider; also available are 68 radio and 160 TV stations, including multi-channel satellite and cable TV providers; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
.mn
Total: 2.772 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 84% (2021 est.)
Total: 307,166 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 670,360 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7.82 million (2018) mt-km
JU
35 (2024)
Total: 1,815 km (2017)
Broad gauge: 1,815 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge
Note: national operator Ulaanbaatar Railway is jointly owned by the Mongolian Government and by the Russian State Railway
Total: 113,200 km
Paved: 10,600 km
Unpaved: 102,600 km (2017)
580 km (2010) (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)
Total: 318 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 8, general cargo 151, oil tanker 58, other 93
Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF): Mongolian Ground Force (aka General Purpose Troops), Mongolian Air/Air Defense Force, Cyber Security Forces, Special Forces, Civil Engineering Forces, Civil Defense Forces (2023)
Note: the National Police Agency and the General Authority for Border Protection, which operate under the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, are primarily responsible for internal security; they are assisted by the General Intelligence Agency under the prime minister; the MAF assists the internal security forces in providing domestic emergency assistance and disaster relief
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
Information varies; approximately 9,000 active duty troops (2023)
The MAF's inventory is comprised largely of Soviet-era and Russian equipment (2024)
18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (can enter military schools at age 17); 12-month conscript service obligation for men in the army, air forces, or police (can be extended 3 months under special circumstances); conscription service can be exchanged for a 24‐month stint in the civil service or a cash payment determined by the Mongolian Government; after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for 2 or 4 years; volunteer military service for men and women is 24 months, which can be extended for another two years up to the age of 31 (2024)
875 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2024)
Note: since 2002, Mongolia has deployed more than 20,000 peacekeepers and observers to UN operations in more than a dozen countries
The MAF does not face a significant external military threat and focuses instead on counterterrorism, disaster response, and international peacekeeping; the Ground Force is the military’s primary service and is centered on a motorized infantry brigade equipped largely with Soviet-era equipment; it also has a battalion devoted to peacekeeping duties and hosts an annual international peacekeeping exercise known as “Khaan Quest”; Mongolia’s primary military partner is Russia, and in addition to receiving Russian military equipment, the MAF participates in Russia’s large “Vostok” exercise, which is conducted every four years
Mongolia has been engaged in dialogue and cooperation with NATO since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner; Mongolia supported the NATO-led Kosovo Force from 2005-2007 and contributed troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan from 2009-2014, as well as to the follow-on Resolute Support Mission that provided training, advice, and other assistance to the Afghan security forces (2015-2021) (2023)
National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC; established 1987; under the Ministry of Infrastructure); Mongolian Space Technology Association (established 2019); Mongolian Communication and Information Technologies Authority (ACTI), Mongolian Digital Development and Communications Ministry (2023)
Has a space program dating back to the country’s ties to the Soviet Union; modern day program focused on acquiring and manufacturing satellites; operates satellites and jointly builds them with foreign partners; developing capabilities to independently manufacture satellites with communications and remote sensing (RS) payloads; has a national strategy to acquire digital communications satellites and make use of RS satellite imagery data for economic development, environmental monitoring, natural disaster response, security, and weather forecasting; the strategy also includes promoting Mongolia’s domestic space industry and international cooperation in space technologies; has relations or cooperation agreements with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2023)
Note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Stateless persons: 17 (2022)
NA