Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 307,166 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
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)
Internet country code [time series]
.mn
Internet users [time series]
total: 2.772 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 84% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
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)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 475,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 4.836 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 142 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
milk, wheat, potatoes, lamb/mutton, goat milk, beef, goat meat, bison milk, sheep milk, horse meat (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget [time series]
revenues: $4.721 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $4.845 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings [time series]
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.
Current account balance [time series]
$121.266 million (2023 est.) -$2.303 billion (2022 est.) -$2.108 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external [time series]
$9.085 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview [time series]
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
Exchange rates [time series]
togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 3,465.737 (2023 est.) 3,140.678 (2022 est.) 2,849.289 (2021 est.) 2,813.29 (2020 est.) 2,663.541 (2019 est.)
Exports [time series]
$15.501 billion (2023 est.) $10.989 billion (2022 est.) $8.95 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities [time series]
coal, copper ore, gold, animal hair, iron ore (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners [time series]
China 78%, Switzerland 15%, Singapore 3%, South Korea 2%, Russia 1% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$19.872 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 47.8% (2023 est.) government consumption: 13.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 78% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -69.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 10.2% (2023 est.) industry: 40% (2023 est.) services: 40.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]
31.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3.4% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports [time series]
$13.545 billion (2023 est.) $12.112 billion (2022 est.) $9.256 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum, cars, trucks, trailers, raw iron bars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners [time series]
China 36%, Russia 29%, Japan 7%, South Korea 5%, US 3% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
12.57% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries [time series]
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
10.35% (2023 est.) 15.15% (2022 est.) 7.35% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force [time series]
1.403 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Population below poverty line [time series]
27.8% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt [time series]
67.57% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$56.264 billion (2023 est.) $52.572 billion (2022 est.) $50.053 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
7.02% (2023 est.) 5.03% (2022 est.) 1.64% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$16,300 (2023 est.) $15,500 (2022 est.) $15,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances [time series]
2.21% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.33% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.08% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$4.782 billion (2023 est.) $3.398 billion (2022 est.) $4.38 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
16.91% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate [time series]
6.13% (2023 est.) 6.21% (2022 est.) 7.75% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 11.4% (2023 est.) male: 10.3% (2023 est.) female: 12.9% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions [time series]
15.918 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.63 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.289 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
production: 28.276 million metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 6.393 million metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 19.47 million metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 2.52 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity [time series]
installed generating capacity: 1.61 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 8.602 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 24 million kWh (2022 est.) imports: 1.861 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.036 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources [time series]
fossil fuels: 88.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita [time series]
57.093 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Petroleum [time series]
total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 36,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants [time series]
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.)
Climate [time series]
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Environment - current issues [time series]
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
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Land use [time series]
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.)
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Hovsgol Nuur - 2,620 sq km; Har Us Nuur - 1,760 sq km; salt water lake(s): Uvs Nuur - 3,350 sq km; Hyargas Nuur - 1,360 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km) [time series]
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
Revenue from coal [time series]
8.62% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources [time series]
0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
34.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 170 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 250 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.9 million tons (2016 est.)
Geography
total : 1,564,116 sq km land: 1,553,556 sq km water: 10,560 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Alaska; more than twice the size of Texas
Climate [time series]
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Coastline [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation [time series]
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Khuiten Peak) 4,374 m lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m mean elevation: 1,528 m
Geographic coordinates [time series]
46 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
Irrigated land [time series]
602 sq km (2020)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 8,082 km border countries (2): China 4,630 km; Russia 3,452 km
Land use [time series]
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.)
Location [time series]
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Hovsgol Nuur - 2,620 sq km; Har Us Nuur - 1,760 sq km; salt water lake(s): Uvs Nuur - 3,350 sq km; Hyargas Nuur - 1,360 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km) [time series]
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
Map references [time series]
Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions
Natural resources [time series]
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Population distribution [time series]
sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities
Terrain [time series]
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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
Capital [time series]
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
Citizenship [time series]
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
Constitution [time series]
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
Country name [time series]
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"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard L. BUANGAN (since November 2022) embassy: Denver Street #3, 11th Micro-District, Ulaanbaatar 14190 mailing address: 4410 Ulaanbaatar Place, Washington DC 20521-4410 telephone: [976] 7007-6001 FAX: [976] 7007-6174 email address and website: UlaanbaatarACS@state.gov https://mn.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador BATBAYAR Ulziidelger (since 1 December 2021) chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mn http://mongolianembassy.us/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai OYUN-ERDENE (since 27 January 2021) cabinet: 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% 2017: Khaltmaa BATTULGA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA (DP) 38.1%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD (MPP) 30.3%, Sainkhuu GANBAATAR (MPRP) 30.2%, invalid 1.4%; percent of vote in second round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA 55.2%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD 44.8%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
semi-presidential republic
Independence [time series]
29 December 1911 (independence declared from China; in actuality, autonomy attained); 11 July 1921 (from China)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
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
Legal system [time series]
civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic legal systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch [time series]
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) elections: last held on 28 June 2024 (next to be held June 2028) election results: percent of vote by party - MPP 35.0%, DP 30.1%, HUN Party 10.4%, National Coalition 5.2%, CWGP 5%, other 14.3%; seats by party - MPP 68, DP 42, HUN Party 8, National Coalition 4, CWGP 4; composition - N/A
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
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
National heritage [time series]
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)
National holiday [time series]
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)
National symbol(s) [time series]
soyombo emblem; national colors: red, blue, yellow
Political parties [time series]
Democratic Party or DP Mongolian People's Party or MPP National Coalition (consists of Mongolian Green Party or MGP and the Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP) National Labor Party or HUN Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
The peoples of Mongolia have a long history under a number of nomadic empires dating back to the Xiongnu in the 4th century B.C., and the name Mongol goes back to at least the 11th century A.D. The most famous Mongol, TEM JIN (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 G DEI and KHUBILAI (aka Kublai Khan), continued to conquer 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. After Manchu rule collapsed in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, finally winning it in 1921 with help from the Soviet Union. Mongolia became a socialist state (the Mongolian People s Republic) in 1924. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Mongolia was a Soviet satellite state and relied heavily on economic, military, and political assistance from Moscow. The period was also 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 -- which took the name Mongolian People s Party (MPP) in 2010 -- has competed for political power with the Democratic Party and several other smaller parties. For most of its democratic history, Mongolia has had a divided government, with the presidency and the parliamentary majority held by different parties but that changed in 2021, when the MPP won the presidency after having secured a supermajority in parliament in 2020. Mongolia s June 2021 presidential election delivered a decisive victory for MPP candidate Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH. 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.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
the Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) are responsible for ensuring the country's independence, security, and territorial integrity, and supporting Mongolia's developmental goals and diplomacy; it has a range of missions, including counterterrorism, disaster response, and international peacekeeping duties; the Ground Force is the military s primary service and is centered on a motorized infantry brigade; 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; the MAF has a growing relationship with the US military 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)
Military and security forces [time series]
Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF): Ground Force, Air Force, Cyber Security Forces, Special Forces, Construction-Engineering Forces (2024) 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
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
information varies; estimated 10,000 active troops (2023)
Military deployments [time series]
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
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
the MAF's inventory is comprised largely of Soviet-era and Russian equipment (2024)
Military expenditures [time series]
0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
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 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)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 25.7% (male 429,867/female 412,943) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,087,487/female 1,156,547) 65 years and over: 5.9% (2024 est.) (male 78,242/female 116,590)
Alcohol consumption per capita [time series]
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.)
Birth rate [time series]
14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Child marriage [time series]
women married by age 15: 0.9% women married by age 18: 12% men married by age 18: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
1.8% (2018)
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
48.1% (2018)
Current health expenditure [time series]
4.9% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49) [time series]
58.9% (2023 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 58.4 youth dependency ratio: 51.4 elderly dependency ratio: 7 potential support ratio: 14.3 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
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.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
4.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
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.)
Gross reproduction rate [time series]
0.91 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
8 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
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.
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.) male: 67.8 years female: 76.3 years
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.2% male: 99.1% female: 99.2% (2020)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
1.673 million ULAANBAATAR (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 31.5 years (2024 est.) male: 30.1 years female: 32.8 years
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
20.5 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-24
Nationality [time series]
noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
20.6% (2016)
Physician density [time series]
3.85 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Population [time series]
total: 3,281,676 male: 1,595,596 female: 1,686,080 (2024 est.)
Population distribution [time series]
sparsely distributed population throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities
Population growth rate [time series]
0.78% (2024 est.)
Religions [time series]
Buddhist 51.7%, Muslim 3.2%, Shamanist 2.5%, Christian 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 40.6% (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 16 years (2019)
Sex ratio [time series]
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 (2024 est.)
Tobacco use [time series]
total: 29.4% (2020 est.) male: 51.7% (2020 est.) female: 7.1% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs [time series]
NA
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
stateless persons: 17 (2022)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
35 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
JU
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 318 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 8, general cargo 151, oil tanker 58, other 93
National air transport system [time series]
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
Railways [time series]
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
Roadways [time series]
total: 113,200 km paved: 10,600 km unpaved: 102,600 km (2017)
Waterways [time series]
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)