Independence: 13 March 1921 (from China)

National holiday: National Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, and Turkish systems of
law; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT (since 9
December 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
with the president
elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural
and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held
18 May 1997 (next to be held summer 2001); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president; percent of
vote--Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP
and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV (MUTP) 6.6%; following five months
of political deadlock which left Mongolia without a working
government, Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT was elected prime minister on 9
December 1998 by a vote in the State Great Hural of 36 to 21, with
nine abstentions and 10 absentees

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--DUC 66%, MPRP 33%, MCP
1%; seats by party--DUC 50 (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3), MPRP
25, MCP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, serves as appeals court for
people's and provincial courts, but to date rarely overturns
verdicts of lower courts, judges are nominated by the General
Council of Courts for approval by the State Great Hural

Political parties and leaders: Mongolian People's Revolutionary
chairman], Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP

International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN (observer),
CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn C