Yearbook 2009
Mongolia. In the May presidential election, the bourgeois opposition candidate Tsachiagijn Elbegdordj, former prime minister in two rounds, won the election on the promise of tough fight against corruption. He received just over 51 percent of the vote, against just over 47 percent for incumbent Socialist President Nambarijn Enchbajar. He quickly defeated and the change of power took place without protests or unrest, in stark contrast to the riots following the victory of the Communists in the 2008 parliamentary elections which demanded several deaths. See ABBREVIATIONFINDER for abbreviation MN which stands for the nation of Mongolia.
According to countryaah, Parliament decided in August to lift the tax on 68 per cent of corporate profits that would have come into force in 2011. The intention was to stimulate foreign mining companies’ investments in Mongolia’s large mineral deposits. The greatest hope for future large incomes is linked to the copper and gold mine of Oju Tolgoi north of the Chinese border, which is believed to hold among the richest deposits in the world and, after expansion, can be utilized for the rest of this century. In October, an agreement was signed between Mongolia and mining companies Rio Tinto and Ivan hoe on the exploitation of Oju Tolgoi. According to the government, the contract was worth USD 4 billion.
In October, Prime Minister Sanj Bayar resigned, addressing health reasons. He was succeeded by Foreign Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar.
Sükhbaataryn Batbold was inaugurated as Prime Minister in October 2009. Before that, he was from 2008 foreign minister.
The head of the Mogolia National Security Council, Bat Khurts, was arrested in 2010 at Heathrow airport in London and in August 2011 extradited to Germany. However, he was later released and returned to Mongolia. The arrest warrant appointed him co-responsible for the 2003 kidnapping in France of the Mongol Enkhbat Damiran. Khurts returned to Mongolia, where he became the head of an independent unit to fight corruption in the country.
In 2009, President Elbegdorj chosen on his opposition to corruption. In March 2011, he conducted a roundtable with business representatives and NGOs to discuss anti-corruption initiatives.
Mongolia nurtures relations with both Russia, China and the United States. In 2003, the country recognized the US occupation of Iraq and the occupation of Afghanistan. The country has had occupation troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Elbegdorj was re-elected in June 2013 with 50.9% of the vote. In October, he visited North Korea, to which Mongolia has historically had close ties.
The Special Investigation Unit under the State Prosecutor’s Office was shut down in January 2014. The unit was responsible for investigating charges against prosecutors, judges and police officers who made confessions during interrogations (torture). Thus, the country no longer had an independent entity that could investigate charges of torture or ill-treatment. The police were then responsible for this investigation, and despite subsequent reports of torture, these did not later lead to charges.
In November 2014, Parliament elected Chimediin Saikhanbileg as new Prime Minister with 42 against 2 votes. 32 were absent. The new prime minister’s most important task was to attract new investment to the country. In 2013, Rio Tinto had suspended the expansion of the world’s largest copper mine, Oyu Tolgoi in Ömnögovi province. It had been planned for Oyu Tolgoi mining complex to account for one third of the country’s GDP by 2020. During the period 2012-15, foreign investment in the country fell by DKK 4 billion. US $.
The June 2016 parliamentary elections gave a landslide victory to the Social Democratic Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), which went up to 39 seats up to 65. The Liberal Democratic Party, in turn, lost 25 seats and had to settle for 9. Part of the explanation for the significant landslide was that the election law a month before had changed, so the principle of proportionality was removed. The June election was therefore the first choice based solely on individual circles. Following the election, the MPP’s Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat was inaugurated as prime minister.
Khaltmaagiin Battulga from the Liberal Democratic Party won the presidential election in June-July 2017. He gained 38.6% in the first round and 55.2% in the second. His main counterpart was Miyeegombyn Enkhbold of the Social Democratic Mongolian People’s Party. He got 30.8% in the first and 44.9% in the second round.
In October 2017, Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh of the MPP took over the post of Prime Minister.
Shopping
Overview
Cashmere clothing, jewellery, carpets and wine. There are several duty free shops in Ulaanbaatar that accept convertible currency. In all other shops you can only pay with the local currency. Shop opening hours: Mon-Sat 09.00-18.00.
Nightlife
Introduction
There are regular performances in the state opera and ballet, as well as in the state drama theater and puppet theater. The capital is also home to the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble and the Army Song and Dance Ensemble. There is a theater in almost every major city.
Culinary
Overview
Meat, especially beef and mutton, is the staple food. Fish has also been offered more frequently for some time now. Drinks: Mongolian vodka is excellent; Beer is expensive.
Accommodation
Hotels
There are six larger hotels in Ulaanbaatar with a total capacity of over 1000 beds. In addition, many smaller hotels and guesthouses are also available in other larger towns such as Erdenet and Darhan. They offer full board, day trips and museum tickets, as well as guides and interpreters.
Camping
There are 75 tourist camps open from May to October. You live in Mongolian round tents (yurts). There are also mostly restaurants, bars, toilets and showers. Camping is possible everywhere except in designated nature reserves.
Culture
Religion
Lamaistic Buddhism (50%), non-denominational (40%), minorities of shamans and Christians (6%) and Muslims (4%).
Social Rules of Conduct
Mongolia is rich in ancient traditions and customs. Religious customs should be respected. Tipping: Not customary.
Climate
Best travel time
Continental highland climate with short summers (temperatures up to 15°C in the north, up to 30°C in the south) and very cold, snowy winters (November – April).
Country data
Phone prefix
+976
Area (sq km)
1,564,116
Population
3,278,290
Population density (per square km)
2.06
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
102