Mongolia

From Free net encyclopedia

For the region of the same name, see Mongolia (region).

|}}

Image:Flag of Mongolia.svg	Image:Suld.gif
Flag	[[{{{symbol_type_article\|{{{symbol_type\|Coat of arms}}}}}} of Mongolia\|{{{symbol_type\|Coat of arms}}}]]

Motto: Dayar Mongol

Anthem: Bügd Nairamdakh Mongol

Image:MongoliaWorldMap.png

Capital

Ulaanbaatar
Template:Coor dm

{{{largest_settlement_type|Largest city}}} Ulaanbaatar}}}

Official language(s)

Mongolian

Government

President
Prime minister

Parliamentary democracy
Nambaryn Enkhbayar
Miyeegombo Enkhbold

Independence
- Declared July 11, 1921 (from China)

Area
- Total

- Water (%) 1,564,116 km² (18th)
603,909 sq mi
0.6

Population
- July 2005 est.{{#if:{{{population_census|}}}|
- 2000 census}}
- Density }}}|
2,650,952|}}
1.8/km² (193rd)
4.7/sq mi

GDP (PPP)
- Total
- Per capita 2005 estimate
$6.01 billion (153rd)
$2,200 (174th)

HDI (2003) 0.679 (114th) – medium

Currency Tugrug (MNT)

Time zone
- Summer (DST) (UTC+8)}}}

Internet TLD

.mn

Calling code +976 {{#if:{{{footnotes|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2">{{{footnotes|}}}

Coordinates: Template:Coor dm

Mongolia (Mongolian: Монгол Улс) is a landlocked Central Asian country, bordered by Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south.

It was the center of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, but was ruled by the Manchu Qing dynasty from the end of the 18th century until an independent government was formed with Soviet assistance in 1921. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Mongolia adopted electoral politics. The 18th largest country in the world by area, Mongolia has very little arable land: much of its area is grassland, with mountains in the north and west and the Gobi Desert in the south. A little over 30 percent of the population are nomadic or semi-nomadic Tibetan Buddhists of the Mongol ethnicity. About one-third of the population resides in the capital city Ulaanbaatar.

1 History
2 Politics
3 Provinces
4 Geography
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 References
10 External links

[edit]

History

Main article: History of Mongolia

Mongolia was called the Khunnu Empire in 209 BC. Modun Shanyu (Modun King) was the king of the country at that time, and he made the first of Mongolia's great conquests. The Khunnu Empire was the biggest enemy of its southern neighbour, China, and the Chinese built the great wall during the Ch'in Dynasty to protect themselves from the Khuns, whom the Chinese considered barbarians. The Marshal Meng Tian of the Qin Empire disposed more than 300,000 soldiers along the Great Wall to prevent expected invasion from the North.

During the 7th and 8th centuries, Mongolia was controlled by Turkic peoples. Before the 13th century, Mongolians divided into small kinships and Mongol Empire confederacies.

In the late 12th century AD, a minor warlord named Temujin, convinced that he possessed the Mandate of Heaven, began a long struggle to unite the Mongol tribes. In 1206, in a ceremonious setting, Temujin was crowned the Chingis Khaan (Genghis Khan), and the nation of Mongolia took its current shape. In the 13th century, Mongolia was the center of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous land empire in world history. During that time, the Mongol Empire had four sub-empires, one of which was the Yuan Dynasty whose founder was Kublai Khan (in Chinese, "Hu-Bi-Lie Han") who set up his seat of power at Beijing. His adherence to Chinese culture, which led him to adopt policies such as confirming the sacrosanct status of Confucius and his sayings, provoked rifts among the Mongols.

After more than a century of power, the Mongol Empire disintegrated, and Mongols fell into a state of internal feuding. During this time, they adopted the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the early 15th century, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Empire led his huge national army to invade Mongolia five times.

The Manchu conquered Inner Mongolia in 1636 and Outer Mongolia in 1691. Under more than 200 years of Manchu oppression, Mongols suffered tremendous losses to their demographics and mentality.

Mongolia declared independence in 1911, covering approximately the territory of the former Outer Mongolia. After the October Revolution in Russia, Chinese troops led by Hsü Shu-Cheng attacked the new nation in 1919, but were chased out again after a short time. In this conflict, the mongolian forces operated with support by Soviet troops. In 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was proclaimed.

The Mongolian People's Republic was aligned closely with the Soviet Union. Politicians who demanded a more capitalist course and who dissented against collective prosperity, like Dogsomyn Bodoo or Horloogiyn Dandzan, quickly became unpopular. In 1928, Horloogiyn Choybalsan rose to power. Under his administration, forced but productive collectivisation, and the destruction of Buddhist monasteries in 1937 left more than 10,000 insurgent lamas dead.

During the Soviet-Japanese Border War of 1939 the USSR defended Mongolia against Japan during the Battle of Halhin Gol. Mongolian forces also took part in the Soviet offensive against Japanese forces in Inner Mongolia in August 1945 (see Operation August Storm). The threat of Mongolian forces seizing parts of Inner Mongolia induced the Republic of China to recognize Outer Mongolia's independence, provided that a referendum was held. The referendum took place on October 20, 1945, with, according to official numbers, 100% of the electorate voting for independence. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, both countries recognized each other on October 6, 1949.

After Choybalsan died in Moscow on January 26 1952, Yumjaagiyn Tsedenbal took power. In 1956 and again in 1962, Choybalsan's 'personality cult' was condemned. Mongolia continued to closely align itself with the Soviet Union, especially after the Sino-Soviet split of the late 1950s. While Tsedenbal visited Moscow in August 1984, being very ill, the parliament announced his retirement and replaced him with Jambyn Batmonh.

In 1990, the Communist Party relinquished control over the government, without a single bullet being fired. A new constitution was prepared in 1992 that abolished the People's Republic and created a democratic state.

[edit]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Mongolia

Until June 27, 2004, the predominant party in Mongolia was the ex-communist party Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP, which was formed by Mongolia's communist leaders after the end of the Cold War. The main opposition party was the Democratic Party or DP, which controlled a governing coalition from 1996 to 2000.

From 2000 to 2004 MPRP was back in power, but results of the 2004 elections required the establishing of the first ever coalition government in Mongolia between the MPRP and MDC (Motherland Democratic Coalition).

Mongolia is a parliamentary country where the president has a symbolic role and the government is the executive power. The legislative power State Great Khural, has one chamber with 76 seats and is chaired by the speaker of the house.

On January 14, 2006, the parliament's 39 members mostly MPRP members including 4 Democratic Party member Mendsaikhan Enkhsaikhan, Narantsatsralt, Sonompil, J.Batkhuyag illegally overthrew democrat Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj's grand coalition government violating the Constitution as it exceeded its power. This was based on the MPRP Directing Board's decision which violates its three agreements with the Democratic Party. Movements and Mongolians have still been making strong protests against the MPRP and the Parliament's decision to overthrow Elbegdorj's Government.

[edit]

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Mongolia
Mongolia is split in to 21 provinces (aymguud; sing. aimag or aymag) and 1 municipality (hot) with provincial status. Image:Mg-map.png

[edit]

Geography

Image:Mongolia 1996 CIA map.jpg Main article: Geography of Mongolia

The Mongolian heartland consists of relatively flat steppes. The southern portion of the country is taken up by the Gobi Desert, while the northern and western portions are mountainous. The highest point in Mongolia is Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) at 14,350 feet (4,374 m). Uvs Nuur Lake, shared with Tuva Republic in the Russian Federation, is a natural World Heritage Site.

Most of the country is hot in the summer and extremely cold in the winter, with January averages dropping as low as -30°C (-22°F). The country is also subject to occasional harsh climatic conditions known as zud or dzud.

Ulaanbaatar has the coldest average temperature of any national capital in the world.

[edit]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Mongolia

Mongolia's economy is centered on agriculture and mining. Mongolia's main mining products are petroleum, coal and copper, with smaller industries in molybdenum, tungsten, and phosphate mining. Following decades of state-run enterprise, the economy has undergone an often-painful transition to capitalism; many industrial facilities were closed down with the end of the Soviet Union, which supported the largely loss-making factories. There are currently over 30,000 independent businesses in Mongolia, chiefly centered around the capital city. The majority of the population outside the cities subsists on sustenance herding; livestock typically consists of cows, sheep, goats, horses and Bactrian camels.

GDA per capita is about $602 in nominal terms, but adjusted for purchasing power this comes to around $2,046. Although GDP has risen steadily since 2002, the state is still working to overcome a sizable trade deficit. A massive ($11 billion) foreign debt to Russia was settled by the Mongolian government in 2004 with a $250 million payment; this reduced value was accepted due to Mongolian hardship and losses of human lives during the Soviet Era. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and now exports cashmere, minerals, and food products to Russia, the United States, China, Japan, Italy, and other countries.

[edit]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Mongolia

Most Mongolians are Mongol in descent: there are also smaller populations of Kazakh and Tungus people. The predominant religion is Tibetan Buddhism. As in many developing countries, Mongolia's young and rapidly growing population has put great strains on its economy.

[edit]