The République of Mongolia (in Mongolian МонголУлс) is a country of Asia, wedged between the Russia with north and the China in the south. Its capital and more big city are Ulan-Bator ( Ulaanbaatar ), the official language is the Khalkha and the currency the Tugrik.

Mongolia was the center of the Mongolian Empire at the 13th century, it was then controlled by the dynasty Mandchoue Qing of the end of the 17th century with 1911, date on which the independence of Mongolia was proclaimed, at which a term the Russia will put. After the end of the Cold war and the fall of Communism in Mongolia in 1990, the country adopted a democratic constitution in 1992.

Its territory is immense, but has very few arable lands, the arid country being covered of Steppe S with mountainous areas in north and the west and the Gobi Desert in the south. Nearly 30% of the 2,8 million inhabitants are wandering or seminomad. The principal religion is the Bouddhisme Tibetan and the majority of the citizens (80%) is of Mongolian origin, there exist nevertheless minorities kazakhes and touvains especially in the west. Nearly a third of the inhabitants live in the capital Ulan-Bator.

Mongolia with the more weak density of population in the world.

History

During the history much of ethnos groups populated the current territory of Mongolia. The majority were wandering, and formed more or less powerful confederations. The first power to emerge are the Xiongnu towards -245. They become the principal enemies of the China for the centuries which follow, and the Great wall of China was built partly to be protected from the incursions of Xiongnu. Certain historians think that the Huns go down from Xiongnu.

After the disappearance of Xiongnu, the Ruanruan appear, which in their turn are supplanted by the Köktürks (or blue Turks ) which dominate the area of.

At the 8th century the ancestors of the Ouïghours appear, then the Khitans and the Jurchen. About the 10th century the territory is populated of Mongolian which would be a branch of the people Xianbei. At this period the country is divided into several tribes bound by alliances and into perpetual war.

At the 13th century, a chief named Temudjin unifies the Mongolian tribes, takes the name of Gengis Khan and created a empire, work continued by his successors Ögödei, Güyük, Möngke and Khubilai. This empire starts to crumble in 1386, with the loss of China. At the 16th century, under the reign of Altan Khan, the Mongols convert with the Bouddhisme Tibetan. One century later, they fall under the domination from the Mandchous and support them for the conquest of China. Their country is transformed into two Chinese provinces, the Inner Mongolia and the Outer Mongolia.

After the Russian invasion of the end of the 17th century, Mongolia of north (the area of the Lake Baïkal) is annexed by the Russia. The Bogdo Gegen of the Monastère of Gandantegchinlin would have sought the support of Russia to release itself from the Chinese political influence. After the Chinese revolution of 1911 and the ousting of the last Manchu emperor, Puyi, on February 1st, 1911, Mongolia proclaimed its independence. The Bogdo Gegen took the Directorate of Political Affairs of the country.

A popular revolt carried out by Sukhbaatar occurs in 1919. A Mongolian Popular party was created under the impulse of the USSR news in 1921 and a provisional government was named the July 11th 1921. After the death of Sukhbaatar in 1923 and that of the Bogdo Gegen in 1924, the Popular republic of Mongolia was proclaimed the November 26th 1924. The capital of the country is baptized Ulan-Bator “the city of the red hero” in reference to Sukhbaatar.

During the Second world war, the Soviet allies defended Mongolia vis-a-vis Japan. During the frontier war soviéto-Japanese woman of 1939, the USSR defends Mongolia against Japan. The Mongolian forces take part in the Soviet offensive against the Japanese forces in Inner Mongolia in August 1945. On Russian bottom of threat of a resumption of the Inner Mongolia by Mongolia, the Republic of China agrees to recognize the independence of Mongolia in the condition of a Référendum. The October 20th 1945, a referendum is organized and the Mongols vote for independence (97,8% of yes; 98,4% of participation) under the control of the Red Army . After the establishment of the Popular republic of China, the two countries will recognize mutually the October 6th 1949.

Thus, the Mongolian Popular republic was recognized at the same time by the République of China and the Popular republic of China. The country approached however the Soviets after 1958 and sheltered many Soviet bases during the Cold war. Mongolia joined the the United Nations in 1961.

In 1990, the Communist party slackened its control on the government. In 1992, the popular republic was given up and was replaced by a hybrid State, between parliamentary system and presidential system.

Geography

See also: Geography of Mongolia

Mongolia is a large territory like three times France. Mongolia is located on a vast tilted mountainous plate of west in is of which 80% of spaces are located at more than 1.000 meters of altitude. Climate of Mongolia east one of most continental of the sphere: the temperatures go down regularly around - 40°C in winter in the majority from the areas and can exceed + 40°C in summer in the Gobi Desert.

Reliefs and ecosystems

From an ecological point of view, Mongolia occupies an area hinge in Central Asia. From its central position in Asia and its continentality, Mongolia is the crossing of five great Asian ecosystems: the grassy steppe in the central part does not occupy less than 20% of the national territory, the desert and the desert steppe of Gobi in the south for the same percentage of space, come then the high mountains and mediums of the alpine type, the wooded semi steppe and in north taïga made up of vast dense forests of larches and pines.

In the extreme west the high mountainous chain of Altaï at the tops of more than 4.300 meters dominates where the Kazakh ones live (single Moslem people of Buddhist Mongolia). The center of the more fertile Country with the Khangaï Mounts constitutes a territory rich in pastures for the nomads. It is an area of extinct volcanos reaching for some more than 3.000 meters of altitude. The Gobi Desert occupies in the South a territory as vast as France.

Part of the country makes up of steppes. The turning into a desert touches 140.000 of the 1.565.500 km ². The Gobi Desert recovers part of the south of the country, whereas in north and the west, mountainous regions with the abundant forests are. The culminating point of the country is it Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) to 4374 Mr.

Climate

The Climat is hot in summer and extremely cold in winter, with temperatures being able to go down until -40°C. The country is also prone to the Zud or dzud . The white dzuds correspond to heavy snowfalls preventing the access to the pastures. Black dzuds, with the absence of snow-covered cover protecting the ground, and causing the dehydration of the cattle. Ulan-Bator is the capital of the world having the lowest average of temperature.

The country has a 257 days average without cloud and is generally in the middle of a system of high-pressure. Precipitations are more important per annum in north with an average from 20 to 35 cm and decrease towards the south. The extreme south being occupied by Gobi certain areas do not receive any precipitation lasting of the years.

Biodiversity

Thanks to the multiplicity of its habitats Mongolia accommodates a large quantity of species, as well by their adaptation as by their scarcity on a worldwide scale.

With the number of the animal species, one can note the Hémione (wild ass), the Mazaalai (Ours of Gobi), the panther of snows, the Saïga, the wild horse of Przewalski, the wild Chameau of Bactriane, the Loup, and in the birds of the Rapace S and Charognard S and several migrating species of Grue. The presence of small mammals is also noticed: Hedgehog of the desert with long ears and small rodents like the Hamster of the desert.

The flora is not remains about it, most of the current alpine flora would come from species of the remote Central Asia. The species queen of the steppe is without any doubt the odoriferous armoise (this name of plant does not exist in any nomenclature) , the king would be the Saxaul, a small robust tree of the Gobi Desert. More precisely, one finds in abundance the Edelweiss, of the Ancolie S, the Matricaire S, the Lys martagon, small the Érythronium Dent-de-chien, of the Pivoine S, the Dryade with eight petals, of the Trolle S, the pulsatile Anémone, of the Renoncule S, the Gentiane S, etc….

Administrative divisions

See also: Subdivisions of Mongolia

Mongolia is divided into 21 provinces or aymguud (sing. aimag or aymag ) and 1 Municipality ( khot ) with statute of province.

The aymguud themselves are subdivided in 315 districts or Somon (sing. Sum ).

Policy

See also: Political of foreign Mongolia, Politics of Mongolia

Mongolia has a bicephalous executive, with the report heading a elected President and with the head of the government a Prime Minister. The Parliament, called the Large Khoural, comprises 76 seats.

The dominant party in Mongolia is the revolutionary Parti the Mongolian people (PRPM) trained by the Mongolian former Communists after the Cold war. The principal party of opposition is the Democratic party which controlled a coalition with the capacity between 1996 and 2000. In 1999, a woman Prime Minister arrives for a short mandate Nyam-Osoryn Tuyaa. This coalition, not having succeeded in neither maintaining its cohesion nor to regulate the economic problems of the country, was very heavily sanctioned by the voters in 2000: they gave to the victory to PRPM with one crushing majority. During the legislative elections of the June 27th 2004, PRPM and the opposition obtained an equal number of seats. So that the development of Mongolia is not blocked by political crises, they decided to work out a common program and to form a government of national union. Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj, resulting from the Democratic party, was appointed Prime Minister, while a Communist became president of Large Khoural.

At the conclusion of the presidential election of the May 22nd 2005, old the Prime Minister Nambaryn Enkhbayar, candidate of PRPM , was elected president of the Republic with 53,4% of the votes cast. Its main adversary, Mendsaikhanin Enkhsaikhan, candidate of the Democratic party, obtained 20% of the voices. Enkhbayar began its mandate at the end of the month of June 2005 by replacing the president Natsagiyn Bagabandi, him so resulting from the PRPM , which had not been represented with the supreme mandate.

The January 11th 2006, PRPM decided to leave the government coalition with the asserting Democratic party of the bad economic management and the strong inflation of the tugrik. The Democratic party considered that the departure of PRPM was due to the fight against the corruption launched by Elbegdorj. Consequence of the withdrawal of PRPM of the coalition, the 10 Ministers for PRPM left the government. The 13, Elbegdorj resigned of its post of Prime Minister and the government was dissolved by the Grand Khoural. PRPM formed a new coalition with small parts and the general secretary of PRPM Miyeegombo Enkhbold was invested Prime Minister the January 24th.

Demography

See also: Demography of Mongolia

Although the majority of the population is of Mongolian origin, there exists a strong Kazakh minority of , Tuvan and Tungus. The rate of increase in the population is estimated at 1.54% (census of 2000). Close to the 2/3 of the population is old of less than 30 years and 36% less than 14.

Approximately 50% of Mongolian are Buddhist Tibetans, 40% atheists, 6% chamanists or Christians, and 4% Moslems.

The population is urbanized more and more, about half living in the provincial capital and centers. The seminomad life remains prevalent in the campaigns where the families live in villages during the hard winter and in gers during the summer.

Economy

The natural resources of Mongolia are consisted minerals (Cuivre, Molybdène, Fluorine, Tungstène) and the invaluable and semi-precious stones, of which Or. One finds also coal, as well as Pétrole to a lesser extent, but which is not exploited for lack of infrastructure. All these products represent, in value, two thirds of Mongolian exports. During the first 6 months of 2004, 287  000 tons of concentrated copper ores were exported, for the sum of 138 million US dollars. It is almost half of the total of all exports (307 million dollars for this same period). This situation makes thus Mongolia vulnerable to the variations of the courses of the raw materials the price of the copper ores fell of 54,3% between 1995 and 2001 then increased of more than 100% between 2005 and 2006 and continuous to increase constant by the growth of the Chinese consumption of the non-ferrous metals.

Approximately half of the population places in Yourtes. A third of the Mongols is pure nomads, which live breeding small horses, of sheep, of goats, bovines (yaks, cows) and of camels. Thanks to them, Mongolia is exporting animal products: meat, wool and hairs of animals, of which the cashmere (1st world producer; 2nd national resource after copper). The breeding of goats with cashmere poses ecological problems unfortunately. Until in the years 1970, before the startup of mines like that of Erdenet, the breeding and industries which were dependant for them constituted by far the first resource of the country.

Textile industry intervenes for a quarter of exports, but 85% of the factories are with foreign assets (especially Chinese) or mixed. They use imported materials, like the Coton.

In spite of the practice of the breeding and the culture of the Corn, Mongolia cannot provide for its requirements in food, because of a cultural change. This contributes to the chronic deficit of its commercial Balance and to its debt.

After decades of planned economy, this country carried out a difficult transition towards the market economy. The Inflation reached 325% in 1992, after the collapse of the Communist regime, but it was controlled thereafter. In 1998, one estimated that the rate of Chômage was of 15% of the active population and that it reached 30% in urban area. In 2002, the average monthly salary was only of 75.500 tugrigs (either approximately 68 euros). Although unemployment prevails downtown especially, the average revenue is higher there than in the countryside.

The country has a considerable debt of 11 billion dollars with respect to the Russia. Mongolia joined the World Trade organization in 1997.

Mongolia is a Flag of convenience.

Communications and transport

See also: Communications in Mongolia, Transport in Mongolia

Culture

The principal festival is the Naadam, which celebrates the independence of Mongolia compared to China. It takes place in July and is composed of the Mongolian traditional sports: Shooting with the arc, horse-races, Mongolian Fight.

The horse-races are not the same ones as in occident. They are long races in the countryside, the 2 year old horses traverse 15 km and the adults 75 km. Each family can present a horse to it. The horses are assembled by children of less than 12 years. It is said that a horse shows its bravery when it can be led even by a small whole. The winner of the race reports an great honor for all his family.

The national symbol which is present on the flag, the soyombo is a Buddhist symbol which represents the sun, the moon, stars and traditional cosmology Tibetan.

Rites and religion

See also: Rites and religion in Mongolia

The principal religion of Mongolia is the Bouddhisme Tibetan. The Tibet is the traditional ECRIN of Buddhism Tibetan, a distinctive form of Vajrayana. Buddhism Tibetan is not only practiced in Tibet, but also in Mongolia, in the Republic of Bouriatie, the Republic of Touva and the Republic of Kalmoukie.

It is Altan Khan which restores the bonds between Mongolia and the religious leaders of the Tibet. It created and offered the title of Dalaï Lama (“Ocean of Wisdom”) to Sonam Gyatso, chief of the reforming current Guélougpa, title which was applied retrospectively to its two predecessors (Gedun Drub and Gedun Gyatso). It invited twice Sonam Gyatso, the third Dalaï Lama, into Mongolia (1569, 1578) and is converted with the Bouddhisme Tibetan during the second visit of the LAMA.

For the communist period, and especially in 1939, the Buddhist monasteries were vandalisés or were destroyed completely.

See also: Contenu=Voir [[Liste_de_temples_bouddhistes#Mongolie]], [[List of Buddhist temples of Mongolia]]

Music

The music is an important component of the Mongolian traditional company, and the Mongols think that it calls good fortune. The songs are sung anywhere, to spend time, to rock the babies, to carry chance at the time them national celebrations or to encourage the children to study. The music is also played with many traditional instruments; either in accompaniment of the songs or dances, or as such.

The first musical instruments used in Mongolia were percussions, as one can realize some on the petroglyphs inherited this time. The Huns used drums, horns, flutes, pi-Pa (kinds of mandoline) and string instruments which one made vibrate thanks to an arc. During the time of the State de Sianbe (), 80 types of instruments were played court of the king at the time of important celebrations. It is notorious that Koubilaï Khan enployait 412 professional musicians. The principal instruments associated with Mongolian folk art are nowadays, it to khuuchir, the yochin, the yatga, the limb, the shanz and the morin khuur.

The Song diphonic or khoomii is a single type of song, which requires of the singer that it generates two notes at the same time.


Codes

Mongolia has as codes:

Random links:Trancannage | Total list of the hiéroglyphes according to Gardiner classification | Marco Sandy | The Crossing of time | Combo (music)

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