Mongolia (2002) | Sweden (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs | 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 32% (male 438,176; female 422,960)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 864,033; female 865,172) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 45,080; female 59,011) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 18% (male 817,688; female 776,018)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,922,095; female 2,824,770) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 651,120; female 885,053) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses | barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk |
Airports | 34 (2001) | 255 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 25 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 26
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2002) |
Area | total: 1.565 million sq km
land: 1,555,400 sq km water: 9,600 sq km |
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alaska | slightly larger than California |
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. | A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999. |
Birth rate | 21.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $262 million
expenditures: $328 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $119 billion
expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | Ulaanbaatar | Stockholm |
Climate | desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) | temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 3,218 km |
Constitution | 12 February 1992 | 1 January 1975 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige |
Currency | togrog/tugrik (MNT) | Swedish krona (SEK) |
Death rate | 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $760 million (2000 est.) | $66.5 billion (1994) (1994) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John DINGER
embassy: inner northeast part of the Big Ring Road, just west of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: United States Embassy in Mongolia, P. O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr.
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.7 billion (1997) (1997) |
Economic aid - recipient | $208.7 million (1999 est.) | - |
Economy - overview | Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91, at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government has embraced free-market economics, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade, and attempting to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP growth in 2000-01. | Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown, revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth should pick up to 2.3% in 2003, assuming a moderate global recovery. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.732 billion kWh (2000) | 139.18 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 25 million kWh (2000) | 13.628 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 181 million kWh (2000) | 18.306 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 2.77 billion kWh (2000) | 144.62 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 6%
hydro: 54% nuclear: 37% other: 3% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; policies of the former Communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities have also had a deleterious effect on the environment | acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 3.4% (1998) | indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks |
Exchange rates | togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,101.29 (December 2001), 1,097.70 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997) | Swedish kronor per US dollar - 10.4381 (January 2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July 2000) 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 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3 |
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes |
Exports | $466.1 million f.o.b. (2000) | $80.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals | machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals |
Exports - partners | China 59%, US 20%, Russia 10%, Japan 2% (2000) | EU 54.6% (Germany 10.6%, UK 8.8%, Denmark 6.1%, Finland 5.7%), US 10.5%, Norway 8.6% (2001) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol) | blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $227.4 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 32%
industry: 30% services: 38% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 2%
industry: 29% services: 69% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2001 est.) | 1.8% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 00 N, 105 00 E | 62 00 N, 15 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas |
Heliports | - | 2 (2002) |
Highways | total: 3,387 km
paved: 1,563 km unpaved: 1,824 km note: there are also 45,862 km of rural roads that consist of rough, unimproved, cross-country tracks (2000) |
total: 210,760 km
paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of expressways) unpaved: 48,053 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) (1995) |
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 20% (1992) (1992) |
Imports | $614.5 million c.i.f. (2000) | $68.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea | machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners | Russia 34%, China 21%, Japan 12%, South Korea 9%, US 4% (2000) | EU 66.3% (Germany 17.8%, UK 8.7%, Denmark 8.2%, Netherlands 6.9%, France 6.5%), Norway 8.5%, US 6.7% (2001) |
Independence | 11 July 1921 (from China) | 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.4% (2000 est.) | 0.9% (2002 est.) |
Industries | construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal products | iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles |
Infant mortality rate | 51.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 11.8% (2000 est.) | 2.2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CCC, CP (provisional), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 5 (2001) | 29 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 840 sq km (1998 est.) | 1,150 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts, but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the president) | Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) |
Labor force | 1.4 million (2000) | 4.4 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | primarily herding/agricultural | agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 8,162 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km |
total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.16% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 6.8%
permanent crops: 0% other: 93.2% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) | Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
Legal system | blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4 |
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.62 years
male: 62.47 years female: 66.87 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.84 years
male: 77.19 years female: 82.64 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern Asia, between China and Russia | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway |
Map references | Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) |
Merchant marine | - | total: 174 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,255,344 GRT/1,609,844 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 37, chemical tanker 33, combination ore/oil 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 27, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 38, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2, Norway 7 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime | Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and Naval Helicopter Service), Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $24.3 million (FY01) | $4,395.1 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.5% (FY01) | 2.1% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 772,619 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 2,060,205 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 501,493 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,800,991 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | NA |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 30,230 (2002 est.) | males: 51,506 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921) | Flag Day, 6 June |
Nationality | noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian |
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish |
Natural hazards | dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic |
Natural resources | oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate | zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 84 km |
Political parties and leaders | Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party or Civil Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [D. DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]
note: the MPRP is the ruling party |
Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Gudrun SCHYMAN]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 2,694,432 (July 2002 est.) | 8,876,744 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 36% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.48% (2002 est.) | 0.02% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 155,900 (1999) | 8.25 million (1997) |
Railways | 1,815 km
broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2001) |
total: 12,821 km
standard gauge: 12,600 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified) narrow gauge: 221 km 0.891-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998) | Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region) |
general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 104,100 (1999) | 6.017 million (December 1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 110,000 (2001) | 3.835 million (October 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low powered repeaters) (1999) | 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central | mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west |
Total fertility rate | 2.37 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.54 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 20% (2000) | 4% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | 400 km (1999) | 2,052 km
note: navigable to small steamers and barges |