Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of 1,564,116 square kilometres, with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's most sparsely populated sovereign state. Mongolia is the world's largest landlocked country that does not border a closed sea, and much of its area is covered by grassy steppe, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city, is home to roughly half of the country's population.
The politics of Mongolia takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential multi-party representative democracy. Executive power is exercised by the government, which is headed by the prime minister. The president is the head of state, but holds limited authority over the executive branch of the government, unlike full presidential republics like the United States. Legislative power is vested in parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Ulaanbaatar, previously anglicized as Ulan Bator, is the capital and most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipality is located in north central Mongolia at an elevation of about 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) in a valley on the Tuul River. The city was founded in 1639 as a nomadic Buddhist monastic centre, changing location 28 times, and was permanently settled at its modern location in 1778.
The prime minister of Mongolia is the head of government of Mongolia and heads the Government of Mongolia. The prime minister is appointed by the Mongolian parliament or the State Great Khural, and can be removed by the parliament with a vote of no confidence.
Elbegdorj Tsakhia is a Mongolian politician and journalist who served as President of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. He previously served as prime minister in 1998 and again from 2004 to 2006.
Since its turn towards democracy in 1990, Mongolia has in principle acknowledged the concept of human and civic rights. “Human rights law,” according to one human-rights organization, “is a rapidly expanding area in the Mongolian legal system.” In September 2000, Mongolia unilaterally adopted the so-called “Millennium Goal 9,” which is “to strengthen human rights and foster democratic governance.” Writing in 2012 in the Jakarta Post, the secretary-general of the Indonesian Community who “led the first demonstrations for democracy and reforms in Mongolia,” that “the passion for freedom and human rights” is “palpable in his being.” Addressing an audience at the Asia Society in New York in 2011, Elbegdorj Tsakhia said: “Freedom, human rights, justice, the rule of law, those values can be enjoyed, even by the poor people, even by poor herdsman in Mongolia.” The desire for human rights, he said, “is always there,” in all people. “Sometimes that desire can be crushed by tyranny. But it will rise again. That is Mongolia.”
Tavan Tolgoi is one of the world's largest untapped coking and thermal coal deposits, located in the Ömnögovi Province in southern Mongolia. It has a total estimated resource of 6.4 billion tonnes, one quarter of which is high quality coking coal. It is divided into six sections: Tsankhi, Ukhaa Khudag, Bor tolgoi, Borteeg, and Southwest and Eastern coalfields. The Tsankhi section is the largest part, and is divided into East and West Tsankhi - these have had the most focus recently.
Chinggis Khaan International Airport, also referred to as New Ulaanbaatar International Airport, is the primary airport serving Ulaanbaatar, and is Mongolia's only international airport. It opened on 4 July 2021, replacing Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport.
Mining is important to the national economy of Mongolia. Mongolia is one of the 29 resource-rich developing countries identified by the International Monetary Fund and exploration of copper and coal deposits are generating substantial additional revenue.
Ulaanbaatar Metro is a rapid transit system in the planning stages in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Ulaanbaatar Metro project was approved in 2012, and construction was originally planned to be completed by 2020, however, as of 2023 it is still not open. However, in December 2023, it has been announced that in June 2024, there would be an opening ceremony and the construction of the metro would be completed in 2027 and the metro will be put into operation in 2028.
Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrain is a Mongolian politician who has served as the prime minister of Mongolia since 27 January 2021. He has been elected to the State Great Khural (Parliament) three times since 2016.
Khaltmaagiin Battulga, also referred to as Battulga Khaltmaa, is a Mongolian politician and sambo wrestler who served as the 5th President of Mongolia from 2017 to 2021. He served as Member of the State Great Khural from 2004 to 2016 and Minister of Roads, Transportation, Construction and Urban Development from 2008 to 2012. Before his career in politics, Battulga was a sambo wrestling champion. He was the Democratic Party's candidate in the 2017 presidential election and was elected President with 50.6% in the run-off, the first-ever run-off election in modern Mongolian history. Mongolians are divided about his role in the 2019 Mongolian constitutional crisis. He was elected as a Member of the State Great Khural for the fourth time in the 2024 parliamentary election.
The Cabinet of Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, was established following the 2017 Mongolian presidential election, and the election by the Mongolian parliament of Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh to the office of the Prime Minister of Mongolia on 4 October 2017. The cabinet was submitted for approval on 13 October, and sworn in on 18 October
The 2018–2019 Mongolian protests was a series of mass demonstrations and popular protests against the president and the government after a leak which showed scandals and links of embezzlement with parliament speaker and corruption scandals also unleashed. This triggered the popular uprising and plunged the country into the 2019 Mongolian constitutional crisis.
The Mayor of Ulaanbaatar is head of the executive branch of the political system of the city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The mayor's office administers all city services and public agencies, and enforces all city laws. There have been 35 mayors of Ulaanbaatar.
Events in the year 2022 in Mongolia.
Dashzegviin Amarbayasgalan, also referred to as Amarbayasgalan Dashzegve; born 27 November 1981) is the current Speaker of the Parliament of Mongolia following the 2024 elections.
Erdenes Tavantolgoi JSC is the largest coal exporter in Mongolia. It is a state-owned company.
Parliamentary elections were held in Mongolia on 28 June 2024 to determine the composition of the State Great Khural. The number of MPs increased from 76 to 126 following a constitutional amendment in 2023.
Khishgeegiin Nyambaatar is a Mongolian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar since October 2023, previously having been Minister of Justice. He was elected as a member of the State Great Khural in 2016 and 2020.
