Mongolia - The land of forever blue sky!
This beautiful country is the heart of Central Asia, as poem writers say it was born on the chest of the Asia. It is sandwiched between Russia in the North (3,543 km = 2201.52 miles) and China in the south (4,677 km = 2906.15 miles) on the 1,565 million sq.km = 604,200 sq miles land.
Population: 2,839,000
Life Expectancy: 68 years
Access to Safe Water: 76%
School Enrollment: 100%
Land Mass: 603,908 sq. mi.
Literacy Rate: 97%
Under Age 5 Mortality Rate: 32/1000
Average Annual Income (GNI): 1,890
Our History
Kublai was the second son of Tolui and Sorghaghtani Beki, and a grandson of Genghis Khan. Kublai's real power was limited to China and Mongolia. In 1271, Kublai established the Yuan Dynasty, which ruled over present-day Mongolia, China, Korea, and some adjacent areas, and assumed the role of Emperor of China.
Facts about Mongolia
Mongolian Flag.
- Although the unemployment rate is only about 2 percent, more than 36 percent of Mongolians live below the poverty line.
- More than one third of the population lives on less than 68 cents a day.
- Disaster Response. After droughts in the beginning of the 21st century and high inflation over the past few years, Mongolia's economy still struggles to recover and grow.
- Clean Water. Almost 30 percent of Mongolians do not have access to safe water and only half are using adequate sanitation facilities.
Mongolian language is so beautiful. The old Mongol bichig - was the original script. Since 1921 when Russian influence came over they adopted Russian Cyrillic script. 93% of Mongols speak in Mongolian (Khalkha Mongol dialect) and 4.3% and rest of them speak in Turkic and Russian.
The capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar {UB is her nick name} (until 1924 Niislel Huree). It means Red Hero. Over 1.2 million inhabitants in UB. See outsider's perspective on modern day UB click here.
Public Holidays
- Shine Jil - New Year's Day - Jan 01
- Tsagaan Sar - depends on the Lunar Calendar
- International Women's Day - March 08.
- Soldier's Day - March 18
- Children & Mother's Day - June 01
- Independence Day - Naadam Festival - July 11-13
Mongolian Government
During the 13th century, the Great King Chinggis Khaan established a huge Mongolian empire. After his death, the empire dwindled and eventually fell under the control of China.
Centuries later, Mongolia gained independence in 1921. A Communist government established power in Mongolia in 1924. After a peaceful democratic revolution, the first free elections took place in July 1990. Free elections continue today.