Facts About Mongolia:
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city, is home to about 38% of the population. Mongolia is the nineteenth largest and most sparsely populated independent country in the world, with a population of around 2.9 million people The country contains very little arable land, as much of its area is covered by steppes, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Approximately 30% of the country's 2.9 million people are nomadic or semi-nomadic.
The political and economic transition from Communism to Capitalism has marked the country since the Soviet Union collapsed the 1990s. It brought an end to economic support; schools, factories, and communal farms closed or were privatized, while social services almost ceased to exist.
Drought and extreme harsh winters have lead to starvation in the countryside, driving many rural people to flee to urban areas for refuge. Unemployment has risen dramatically. Inflation stands at around 51%. Around 48% of the population is undernourished.
The accepted estimated figure for Street Children is 3,000. Some estimates put it at 4,000 with around 400 sleeping on the streets all year round, despite temperatures in winter regularly dropping below minus 30ºC. To escape the cold many seek shelter in the city's underground sewers and heating systems, making them known as “Man Hole Children”.
The percentage of Mongolians living in poverty (32%) has not diminished significantly in the last ten years, and the poverty gap is deepening.
Short Documentary:
UN TV / BBC 21st Century, "Mongolia, Children at Risk", 8min
Other organizations in Mongolia that help children:
http://www.unicef.org/mongolia
http://www.cncf.org/en/home/
http://www.lotuschild.org
http://www.un.org/works/goingon/mongolia/homeless.html
