Country Guide • Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country located in East Central Asia. It is bound by Russia to the north and China to the east, south and west.
| Official Name | Mongolia |
|---|---|
| Area | 1,556,500km² (604,800mile²) |
| Population | 2,712,315 |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population per mile² | 4 |
| Capital City | Ulaan Baatar |
| Religions | Tibetan Buddhism and Lamaism are the predominant religions while Shamanism and the Muslim faiths form the religious minorities, approx. 4% |
| Language | Mongolian - 90% but also Turkic, Russian, and Chinese |
| Government | Communist-Republic |
| Currency | Tugrik |
| GDP | $5 billion |
| GDP per Head | $1,840 |
| Natural Resources | Oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate |
| Land Use | Arable Land 1% |
| Agriculture | Barley, wheat, potatoes, forage crops and livestock inc. sheep, goats, cattle, camels and horses |
| Industry | Building Materials, Food Processing, Mining, Processing Hides and Skins, Wools and Textiles |
| Tourism | Mongolia is a very poor country, and visiting it you will think you have gone back a century or two. With one of the world’s lowest population densities, Mongolia’s vast areas of wilderness, desert, lakes and mountains offer plenty of scope for adventurous outdoor enthusiasts. Although independent travel is now becoming more common, travel outside the capital is usually by prior arrangement |
| Natural Hazards | Dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions |
| Health Risks | Brucellosis, cholera, meningococcal meningitis and bubonic plague |
| Climate | Mongolia has a continental climate characterised by long cold winters between October and April and short summers between July and August, when most of the rainfall occurs. Rainfall is sparse and averages 10 inches annually at Ulan Bator. Average temperature ranges in Ulan Bator are from -32 to -19°C in January to 11 to 22°C in July |
| Time | GMT/UTC+8 hours (Bayan Ulgii, Uvs and Khovd Aimags in western Mongolia GMT + 7 hours) |
| National Days | November 26 |
| Visas | Only four border points are open to British passport holders. These are Ulaanbaatar’s international airport, the road/train crossing to China at Zamin Uud, the road crossing to Russia at Altanbulag and the train crossing to Russia at Sukhbaatar. Additionally, with prior permission from the Russian authorities, you can cross at Tsagan-Nuur (Bayan-Ulgii province) and Borshoo (Uvs province). You cannot cross between Mongolia and China or Russia at any of the many other border points that are seasonal and are only open to Mongolians and/or Chinese/Russians. Your passport must be valid for more than six months after date you intend to enter Mongolia. All British passport holders must have a Mongolian visa. A Mongolian visa is normally valid for six months from the date of issue. We advise you to obtain your visa from your nearest Mongolian Embassy before travelling. There are registration requirements if you stay in Mongolia for more than 30 days, or if you do not have an "Entry/Exit" visa. If you intend to stay over this period, you must register with the Foreign Citizen’s Bureau in Ulaanbaatar within the first 7 days of your stay. If you needed to register, you must then de-register before leaving Mongolia, at the Foreign Citizens’ Bureau. After de-registering, you must obtain an "Exit" visa from the Consular Department of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| British Embassy | Embassy Details |
Information Only
The content above is for information purposes only and we have tried to ensure that the information is as accurate as possible. We cannot accept any responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury as a result of the information above. You should always check and verify any critical information like visas, health and safety and customs with the relevant authorities before you travel since information can change at any time.
