Mongolia

Mongolia Country Facts At-a-Glance

Geography: Mongolia is located in northern Asia, between China and Russia. It is slightly smaller than Alaska. The terrain is comprised of vast semi-desert and desert plains, grassy steppes, and mountains in the west and southwest.

Capital City: Ulaanbaatar

Population: 3.4 million (2023 est.)

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian

Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 53%, Muslim 3%, Shamanist 2.9%, Christian 2.2%, other 39.2%

Ethnic Groups: Khalkha 81.9%, Kazakh 3.8%, Dorvod 2.7%, Bayad 2.1%, Buryat-Bouriates 1.7%, Zakchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1%, Uriankhai 1%, other 4.6% (2010 est.)

Life Expectancy: 70.2 years

Literacy Rate: 98.4%

Government: Parliamentary

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal

Current Head of State: President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh (since June 25, 2021) and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene (since January 27, 2021). The prime minister has the most executive power and is nominated by the party with the most seats in Parliament. The president is the head of state and armed forces.

Independence: July 11, 1921 (from China)

Currency: Mongolian togrog/tugriks

GDP per Capita: $14,700 (2022 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 6.9% (2022 est.)

GDP – Composition by Sector:

• Agriculture 12.5% – wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses
• Industry 33.2% – construction and construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold), oil, food and beverages, processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing
• Services 54.3%

Source: CIA World Factbook

Country Basics

Mongolia, often referred to as the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky,” is a landlocked country nestled in the heart of East Asia. Situated between China to the south and Russia to the north, Mongolia is known for its vast expanses of unspoiled wilderness, nomadic culture, and rich history.

The country boasts diverse landscapes, from the rugged Altai Mountains in the west to the expansive Gobi Desert in the south. Mongolia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with a landscape dominated by grasslands, known as steppe.

Ulaanbaatar, the largest city and capital of Mongolia, serves as its political, economic, and cultural center.

Mongolia’s breathtaking natural beauty, including its pristine wilderness areas, attracts adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts from around the world. Tourists come to experience the unique nomadic culture, explore the Gobi Desert, and discover ancient monasteries and archaeological sites.

Brief History of Mongolia

Several nomadic empires have ruled the area of Mongolia, the most notable being led by Ghengis Khan. Ghengis Khan, or Chinggis Kahn as he is known in Mongolia, led the expansion of the empire during the 13th century when he successfully united the incredibly large Mongol state.

After his death, rivalries over the throne began to break down the empire. In 1260, Kublai Khan took over the empire, moved the capital to Dadu, or present-day Beijing, and completed the conquest of China. Various dynasties ruled the area until 1691, when all of modern-day Mongolia fell under Chinese rule.

The Chinese Qing Dynasty ruled Mongolia for over 200 years. While the Mongols declared independence in 1911, it wasn’t until 1921 that they officially defeated the Chinese forces with the help of the Soviet Union. At this point, a Communist regime was installed. Under the Communist government, herds were collectivized, and private trade and transport were outlawed.

Demonstrations against the Communist regime began in 1989 with small gatherings that eventually led to a hunger strike in March of 1990. The strike convinced the Politburo to step down. Free elections were held in July of that year. Many Communist leaders were elected into the new government, but they eventually lost majority representation in 1996. Mongolia has experienced several democratic elections since, with the Mongolian People’s Party peacefully sharing power with the Democratic Party.

Cultural Expectations

Mongolia has a rich nomadic heritage, with many of its citizens still leading a traditional way of life, herding livestock across the grassy steppe. The nomadic culture is characterized by a deep connection to the land, as well as unique customs, music, dance, and art.

While in Mongolia, you can expect…

to be greeted with a handshake, milk tea, and a nomadic lifestyle that mixes hard work with relaxation.

While in Mongolia, locals will expect you…

to respect their customs, try the food they offer you, and clean up after yourself. Consider leaving a small gift for your host family!

Cultural Icon: Ghengis Khan is known locally as Chinggis Khan. He was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. To keep his empire together and facilitate trade with other peoples, he invented concepts we take for granted today, such as the passport and diplomatic immunity for ambassadors. A 131-foot statue of Genghis Khan and his horse sits just outside Ulaanbaatar and is the world’s tallest statue of a horse.

Food

When in Mongolia, you will feast on…

• Buuz (meat dumplings)
• Boodog (goat)
• Khorkhog (meat cooked with hot stones)
• Tsuvian (pasta and vegetables)
• Salted milk tea, and boorstog (Mongolian cookies)
• Meat stews
• Most meals are served with rice

Languages

The official language of the nation is Mongolian, and it is spoken by approximately 90 percent of the population. Mongolian encompasses various closely related languages and dialects, with the Khalkha dialect being the most prevalent. Additionally, Turkic and Russian languages are also spoken within the country.

Mongolian Cyrillic script is commonly used for writing. However, the traditional Mongolian script is also an integral part of the country’s heritage.

Greetings

• Hello, how are you?: Sain bainuu?
• I’m good. How are you?: Sain sain bainuu?
• Goodbye: Bayartai

Etiquette

• Yes: Teem
• No: U-gui
• Thank you: Ba-yar-laa
• You’re welcome: Zu-geer
• Excuse me: Uuch-laa-rai
• Sorry: Uuch-laa-rai

Conversational

• What is your name?: Ta-ny ne-riig khen ge-eg ve?
• My name is ___: Mi-nii ne-riig ___ ge-deg.
• Where are you from?: Ta an-gliar yair-dag uu?
• I am from ___: Main ___ se houn.
• How old are you?: Aapki umra kya hai?
• I am ___ years old.: Meri umra ___ hai.
• Do you speak English?: Kya aapko angrezi aati hai?

Useful

• I don’t understand.: Bi oil-gokh-gui bai-na.
• I want to go to ___: Bi ___ ruu yav-maar bai-na.
• Where is ___?: khaan bai-na ve?
• Can you show me on the map?: Ta gaz-ryn zu-rag deer zaaj og-no uu?
• Can I have a menu, please?: Bi khool-nii tses avch bo-lokh uu.
• I would like to have this.: Bi en khoo-lyg a-vi.

Visiting the Nomads

• We’d like to see inside the herder’s yurt.: Bid malch-ny gert orj u-zekh ge-sen yum.
• I hope your animals are fattening up nicely.: Mal su-reg tar-gan tav-tai yu.
• Please hold the dogs! (Traditionally used as “hello” when approaching a yurt.): Nok-hoi kho-ri-o!
• I’d like a ride to a ___: Bi ___ ya-vakh ge-sen yum.

Animals

• Camel: Te-mee-geer
• Horse: Mo-rior
• Yak: Sar-la-gaar
• Eagle: Bur-geed

Currency

The official currency of Mongolia is the Mongolian Tögrög (MNT). The currency is available in both bills and coins, with bills ranging from 10 to 20,000 Tögrög.

Ethnic Groups

About 84-percent of the population are Khalkh. Other groups include Kazak, Durvud, Bayad, Buriad, Zakhchin and Dariganga.

Religion

The breakdown in the country is:

51.7 percent Buddhist, nearly 40 percent nonreligious, 3.2 percent Muslim, 2.5 percent Shamanist, 1.3 percent Christian and a small number of people in other faiths.

Hot Topics in Mongolia

• The transition from a centrally planned economy under the former Soviet Union, where the government provided all basic needs and most of the population had access to a full range of social services, has been particularly difficult for Mongolia. As of 2023, more than 907,000 people, or about 27.8 percent of the population, are considered poor. Among the rural poor, 12.6 percent are unemployed. Among the urban poor, the situation is even worse, with 18.2 percent unemployed.
• Today, Mongolia is facing various environmental threats. Due to drought and overgrazing, 77 percent of Mongolia is affected by desertification. Additionally, the combination of a growing mining industry, a lack of environmental laws, and rapid urbanization has drained water resources and severely clouded the air quality in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.
• The rapid modernization of the capital city and the country’s economy combined with the persistence of the traditional nomadic lifestyle on the steppes makes for a fascinating contrast in Mongolia’s current affairs and a pivotal moment in this proud nation’s history.

Did You Know?

• In Mongolia, horses outnumber people 13 to 1.
• Genghis Khan means “Universal King.” His given name was Temujin, which means “Ocean.”
• Mongolia is known as “The Land of Eternal Blue Sky” – a well-deserved name seeing as the sun shines over 200 days per year.
• It is the second largest land-locked country. A point in western Mongolia is further from the ocean than any other spot on earth.
• Mongolian khuumii or throat singing involves producing two simultaneous tones with the voice.
• The Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia and is the fifth largest in the world.
• Some nomads in the west still keep eagles as pets.
• In the 1920s, fossilized dinosaur remains were found in the Gobi Desert, along with the first dinosaur eggs.
• Ulaanbaatar used to be a nomadic city that moved three times a year. Now permanent, it is one of the coldest capitals in the world.
• The Mongolian Empire once stretched from present-day Poland in the west to Korea in the east, and from Siberia in the north to the Gulf of Oman and Vietnam in the south.