Background:
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis
KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the
empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to
their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule.
Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
Communist regime was installed in 1924. The ex-Communist Mongolian
People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992,
but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996
parliamentary election. Since then, parliamentary elections returned
the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition
government in 2004.
Geography Mongolia
Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 1,564,116 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)