Mongolia's Population

The population of Mongolia is 2,751,314 (2004 estimate), out of which half are nomadic herdsmen. The Mongol-speaking people constitute 95% of the total; the largest subgroup is the Khalkha, accounting for over 75% of the total population. The only substantial non-Mongol group, representing over 5% of the population, is the Kazaks, a Turkish-speaking people dwelling in the West. A minority of Chinese live in Ulaanbaatar.

Most of Mongolia’s large geographic area is very scarcely populated. The average population density is 1.7 per sq. kilometer (4.5 per sq. mi), in the southern Gobi it is as scarce as 0.3 per sq. kilometer.

The capital city of Ulaanbaatar has a population of about 820,000. The capital is the political, economic and cultural center of Mongolia. During the last two decades, migration from the rural areas has accelerated, with the proportion of the population living in urban areas rising to 54%.

The official language, Mongolian, is spoken and understood throughout the country. Mongolian is written in Cyrillic, with two additional letters, but the traditional Mongolian script, which is written from the top downwards is gradually reappearing, mainly in signs and logos. Russian is the other major language used. However, other foreign languages, primarily English, are becoming more popular.