Mongolia

Bordered by Russia and China, Mongolia is the second-largest landlocked country in the world. At 1,564,116 square kilometers (about 603,880 square miles), Mongolia is slightly smaller than Alaska, with less than 1 percent of its land being arable. It is one of the most sparsely populated countries on the planet, with a population of a little more than 3 million. Over 68 percent of the population lives in major urban centers, with 60 percent concentrated in the country’s capital, [Page 1062]Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia’s harsh climate and short growing season limit the potential for significantly increasing agricultural output. Severe winters known as dzuds frequently decimate livestock herds, causing economic crises and food security issues for the country. With the boom of the mining economy, agriculture has become ...