Mongolia

Mongolia is famous as the home of Chinggis (Genghis) Khan, who conquered a huge Eurasian empire in the 13th century. His mother, Ho'elun, is traditionally credited with teaching him the skill of political survival, and along with his wife, Borte, was one of his most trusted advisers. The Mongol empire diminished in size after Khan's death, and came under Chinese rule in the 17th century; in 1921, Mongolia became an independent country.

The population in 2009 is estimated at just under 3 million, with a median age of 25.3 years and 28.1 percent of the population aged 14 years or younger. The population growth rate is 1.5 percent, with 21.1 births per 100 and a total fertility rate (an estimate of the number of children born to each woman) of 2.2. The sex ratio is equal in the population as a whole, although in the over-65 age group there are only 0.77 males per female. Life expectancy at birth is 65.2 years for men and 70.2 years for women. Most (95 percent) of the population is Mongol, with the remaining primarily Turkic; half the population is Buddhist Lamaist, about 40 percent claim no religion, and the remainder are Shamanist, Christian, or Muslim. Aspects of fertility worship remain alive in Mongolia: for instance, Umay, the goddess of fertility and protector of women and children, is often seen in handicrafts.

Literacy is high for both men (98 percent) and women (97.5 percent). The per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 was $3,200, with a growth rate approaching 10 percent in the previous several years. Major improvements in maternal and infant health care have been achieved recently. The infant mortality rate was reduced by more than half between 1990 and 2000, from 63.4 per 1,000 live births to 31.2 per 1,000 live births. Childhood immunization rates approach 100 percent for major diseases, and 54 percent of women use modern methods of contraception. Almost all (99 percent) of births are attended by skilled health personnel, and 97 percent of pregnant women received four or more prenatal care visits. The maternal mortality rate in 2000 was 110 per 100,000 live births, the stillbirth rate was 21 per 1,000 total births, and the neonatal mortality rate was 26 per 1,000 live births.

Save the Children, an international organization devoted to improving maternal and child health, places Mongolia in its Tier II or less developed countries, where it ranks 28th out of 66 countries on the Women's Index (taking into account factors such as life expectancy, maternal mortality, availability of modern contraception, and maternity leave benefits) and 35th out of 66 countries on the Mothers' Index (taking into account additional factors related to children's health and well-being, such as the under-5 mortality rate and gender parity in primary school enrollment).