#_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%

_#_Unemployment rate: 10% (February 1991)

_#_Budget: deficit of $240 million (1991 est.)

_#_Exports: $784 million (f.o.b., 1988);

commodities--livestock, animal products, wool, hides, fluorspar,
nonferrous metals, minerals;

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