The Mongolian People

There are slightly less than 2.5 million Mongolians living in Mongolia. 4.5 million live outside of Mongolia in neighboring Russia (1m) and China (3.5m) as a result of the breaking apart of the country in the early 20th century.

Mongolians descend from either the nomadic tribes or Turkic migrants integrated over time. The biggest ethnic group in Mongolia is the Khalkh Mongols who make up about 85% of the population. Although there are distinguishable differences between the minorities, overall the people are quite homogeneous. Kazakhs in the west and Buriates in the north display only minor differences of language and custom to the other Mongolians.

Most live in the towns (Zum’s) and cities. In winter this number increases but in summer many people return to the land to take care of the livestock and to resume the life of the nomad. The drift of the population to the urban areas is increasing as younger people look for work. Approximately 65% of the population is urbanised. Ulaanbaatar has a population of nearly 1 million. The next biggest cites are Darkhan (90,000) and Edernet (80,000).

Mongolians are a young people with the life expectancy averaging 63 years. Equally balanced between male and female, the fertility rate is 2.1 with a relatively high infant mortality rate of 30/1000.

The official language is Mongol khalkha, with Russian, English and German often spoken, usually only in the capital city. The native language is part of a language group that extends from Korea across central Asia to Turkey, reflecting the path of the westward expeditions of Mongolian conquerors. The written word uses the Russian Cyrillic alphabet

Buddhism is the primary belief (more than 90%) with Islam the second. The Dalai Lama is the Buddhists spiritual leader and is revered in Mongolia. Shamanism is the traditional practice, is integrated to the way of life through meditation, magic and natural healing.

Although there were many monasteries, they were almost all destroyed by communist rule. Since democratisation, religious practice has grown and now monasteries all over the country are flourishing.

Eating and drinking

Keenly aware of an arduous day ahead, the average Mongolia fills up at breakfast with high protein and calorific food, washed down with butter laced white tea (suutei tsai).  Meals include boiled mutton, rice, bread and dough products, all with lots of fat. Airag, the fermented horse milk has an alcoholic content similar to beer – sometimes distilled to make a stronger drink called shimin arkhi. Vodka, an influence from Russia and not a traditional drink, is also a part of social gatherings – often drunk to excess.

Culture

The importance of the spiritual and the nomadic life is manifest in the art and culture of the Mongolian people. Dances that ward off evil, that celebrate the purity of nature and commemorate important events in life find their origins in Shamanism and Buddhism. Contortionists also demonstrate their spirituality through the discipline of their art.

Music and song are central to fellowship and community. Highly developed singing techniques such as throat singing (khoomi) combined with traditional string and wind instruments, to the beat of drums, make for a unique and entertaining style. Natural singers, the Mongolians love to share their songs at all kinds of gatherings.

Much of Mongolia’s literature is unknown to western scholars due to the fact that it is not translated or only to the Cyrillic alphabet. The painting and sculpture of Mongolia are rooted in the land and the nomadic life, with the more recent work exploring more the struggle of humanity.