Factbook dossier
Background
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 Mongol…
Location
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Area
total : 1,564,116 sq km land: 1,553,556 sq km water: 10,560 sq km
Natural resources
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Natural hazards
dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions
Population
total: 3,281,676 (2024 est.) male: 1,595,596 female: 1,686,080
Ethnic groups
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.)
Languages
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.
Religions
Buddhist 51.8%, no religion 40.6%, Muslim 3.2%, Shaman 2.5%, Christian 1.3%, Other 0.6% (2020 est.)
Environmental issues
limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; air pollution from coal-burning power plants and lax regulations in Ulaanbaatar; soil erosion from deforestation and overgrazing; water pollution; desertification; effects from mining
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
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 help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s
Executive branch
chief of state: President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Gombojavyn ZANDANSHATAR (since 13 June 2025) cabinet: Cabinet directly appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: 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; following legislative elections, the State Great Hural usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister most recent election date: 9 June 2021 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% expected date of next election: 2027
Legislative branch
legislature name: State Great Hural (Ulsiin Ih Hural) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 126 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/28/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Mongolian People's Party (MPP) (68); Democratic Party (DP) (42); HUN Party (8); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 25.4% expected date of next election: June 2028
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$59.221 billion (2024 est.) $56.474 billion (2023 est.) $52.572 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$16,800 (2024 est.) $16,200 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.8% (2024 est.) 10.3% (2023 est.) 15.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
China 92%, Switzerland 6%, Italy 1%, Thailand 0%, Japan 0% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 57%, Japan 13%, Germany 3%, Singapore 3%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF): Land Force, Air Force, Cyber Security Forces, Special Forces, Construction-Engineering Forces (2025) 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
Military expenditures
0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)