Population and Demographics

Though the majority of Mongolian citizens are of Mongol descent there are small populations of Kazakh, Tuvan and Tungus peoples. Mongolia's population growth rate is estimated at 1.49% (2007 census). About two-thirds of the total population is under age 30, with about 29% of the population under 15. This relatively young and rapidly growing population has, as in many developing countries, placed strains on Mongolia's economy.

Life in sparsely populated Mongolia has become more urbanized. Nearly half of the people live in the capital and in other provincial centres. Seminomadic life still predominates in the countryside where many families stay in villages during the cold winters and live in gers (a portable felt dwelling) during the summer, though agricultural communities that are settled year-round are becoming more common.

Ethnic Mongols account for about 94.9% of the population and consist of Khalkha and other groups, all distinguished primarily by dialects of the Mongol language. The Khalkha make up 90% of the ethnic Mongol population. The remaining 10% include Durbet Mongols and others in the north and Dariganga Mongols in the east. Turkic speakers (Kazakhs, Tuvans, and Uyghurs) constitute 5% of Mongolia's population, and the 0.1% remaining are Tungusic speakers, Chinese, and Russians. Most, but not all, Russians left the country following the withdrawal of economic aid and collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Approximately 50% of Mongolia's population are Buddhist-Lamaist, which is related to Tibetan Buddhism. 40% are atheist, 6% are Shamanist or Christian, and 4% are Muslim.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 2,951,786
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 432,309/female 415,382)
  • 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 994,186/female 995,986)
  • 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 49,517/female 64,406)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 24.6 years
  • Male: 24.2 years
  • Female: 24.9 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.486%
  • Birth Rate: 21.07 births/1,000 population
  • Death Rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population
  • Net Migration Rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 1 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 42.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 45.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 66.99 years
  • Male: 64.61 years
  • Female: 69.48 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 2.25 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%
  • Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%
  • Other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1%
• Religions:
  • Buddhist Lamaist 50%
  • Shamanist and Christian 6%
  • Muslim 4%
  • None 40%
• Languages:
  • Khalkha Mongol 90%
  • Turkic
  • Russian
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 97.8%
  • Male: 98%
  • Female: 97.5%