Economy

Although inflation and commodity price fluctuations preoccupy investors and politicians in the short run, Mongolia’s biggest challenge, as long recognised by development experts and local decision makers, will be rising dependence on mining revenues. The debate on how to manage non-renewable mineral wealth is likely to come into sharp focus once the...

coal to China that does not match up to Chinese railway gauges in this light. China may have the coal, but only at an extra cost, as it will have to transfer this cargo to its own, narrower-gauge rolling stock.

THE BEAR: Russia, meanwhile, has often historically proven an ally, the Red Army helping...

As a landlocked country, with two giant nations enclosing its northern and southern frontiers, Mongolia has long seen much of its economic activity dominated by relations with Russia and China. In recent times, though, Ulaanbaatar has been trying to widen its overseas channels, instituting a “third neighbour” policy to provide extra balance – and...

Vast and sparsely populated, landlocked Mongolia is situated between giant neighbours to its north and south: Russia and China. With a population of 2.8m people inhabiting its wind-swept, grassy steppes and vast expanses of desert, Mongolia is the world’s least densely populated country. The nation continues to emerge as a key centre for mining...

One of the most controversial topics in Mongolia during 2012 was the introduction in May 2012 of a new foreign investment law. Aimed at giving the government and parliament more control over foreign investment activity in the country, the law also led some foreign investors to suggest the investment climate in Mongolia had soured. In January 2013...