l: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mongolia

Introduction

Mongolia

Background: The Mongols entered history in the 13th century when under
GENGHIS KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their
original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its
independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed
in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national
election in 1996. Over the next four years the DUC put forward a number
of key reforms to modernize the economy and democratize the political
system. However, the former Communists were a strong opposition that
stalled additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In
2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72
of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it
continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social
welfare and public order priorities.

Geography Mongolia

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 1.565 million sq km water: 9,600 sq km land: 1,555,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km,
Russia 3,485 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point:
Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates,
tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
"zud", which is harsh