Some Information about Ulaanbaatar

Here's some info about Mongolia's capital from the Official Tourism Website of Mongolia:

The capital of modern Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, is a city with a history of over 360 years. After Karakorum the Imperial capital was abandoned, a new urban cite known initially as Urga, was founded in 1639 for the first spiritual leader of the Mongols, Bogd Zanabazar. Upon his investiture ceremony, the local nobility assigned their subordinates to be his disciples and to establish the city of Urga, renamed Bogdyn Khuree, which initially moved over twenty times along the Orkhon, Tuul and Selenge river valleys.

In 1778 Urga was settled between the four mountains of Bogd Khaan, Bayanzurkh, Songino Khairkhan and Chingeltei, on the banks of the Khatan Tuul and Selbe rivers, and was renamed Ikh Khuree. The Ikh Khuree of the Khalkh Mongols, apart from being its ecclesiastical center, also became the country’s cultural, state, economic and spiritual capital. As a result of the struggle for Mongolian independence and national freedom in 1911, the newly-declared Bogd Khaan government of Mongolia has chosen the Ikh Khuree, duly renaming it Niislel Khuree, as a designated capital of a sovereign nation.

The first State Great Khural (1924) gave it the legal status of capital city of the Mongolian People’s Republic, renaming it Ulaanbaatar City.

The first master plan for Ulaanbaatar development began to be implemented in the 1950s. Since the 1960s there has been an urbanization policy, with planting of gardens and trees and provision of municipal services.

Only 90 years ago the city housed around 50,000; it is now home to about a million, including long-term and short-term foreign and domestic visitors. This rapid population rise has been partly due to increasing urban migration. Most people from the western provinces choose a city life because of unemployment and poverty at home.

Since the 1994 Law on Ulaanbaatars legal status was passed by the State Great Khural, the capital city now has its own banner, coat of arms and emblem.

Under the Constitution, the city of Ulaanbaatar is specified as “a city with specific functions, its power management, territory, economic and social complex, and special status set forth by the law”.

The city of Ulaanbaatar has established and maintains friendly relationships with many cities around the world including Seoul, Florence, Moscow, and Denver. Among the world’s capital cities, Ulaanbaatar is notable as the capital city with the coldest climatic conditions.

Ulaanbaatar in Numbers

- The Capital city today produces 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, which can be broken down as 53,4 percent of industrial production, 87,1 percent of construction, 56,3 percent of trade, 80 percent of energy and 98 percent of transport and communication.

- 165.000 children study at its 98 state-run secondary schools and 8500 in its 67 private schools. 31.000 youngsters attend 154 kindergartens, which is 32 percent of all children in the country to attend kindergartens and pre-schools establishments.

- There are 73 clinics with state, city and district status and 112 family hospitals.

- There are over 250 hairdressing salons; about 100 cosmetics retailers. 60 tailors’ shops; more than 130 cobblers; over 30 launderettes and dry cleaners; 700 car repair workshops, and about 800 pawn shops.

- More than 3800 private businesses operate in the capital city.

- There are 214 streets; 3100 private business premises; 1566 apartment blocks, and 67000 fenced households.

- 76,5 km of road, from a total 418,6 km, is tarmac covered

- There are over 70 private cultural institutions as well as 6 cinemas, 3 state-sponsored cultural centers, 8 libraries, 7 museums and 10 professional art and entertainment organizations.

- At present two electric power stations, 340 heating ovens and over 90,000 home ovens provide the city’s electricity and heating requirements.