Mongolia country profile

BACKGROUND

Mongolia is a landlocked, upper-middle income country with a dry, continental climate. It is the second-least densely populated country in the world, and the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, is home to 45 per cent of the population. Animal husbandry, including herding of cattle, sheep, horses, camels and goats, is the main form of agricultural production and the main source of income for 35 per cent of Mongolian households.

Winters in Mongolia are long and cold. Summers – which include the growing season – are warm and short, although there are significant variations in temperature and precipitation from year to year. Mountain ranges in the west, which reach over 4,000m, receive the most rainfall, while the Gobi Desert in the south is the most arid region. Much of the country is a high-altitude plateau (1,000-1,500m) that is prone to strong winds, dust storms and extremely low temperatures.

Mongolians are exposed to several hazards, including dzud, blizzards, drought, wind, hail, sand and dust storms, floods, earthquakes, forest and steppe fires, and desertification. Dzud – a variation on summer drought followed by harsh winter conditions – is one of the commonest and most damaging hazards, because of its effect on herders. There are four types of dzud, and these prevent animals from accessing pasture, leading to major livestock losses.

Drought and desertification are the result of increasing changes in rainfall, land use and grazing patterns. These also threaten herding livelihoods. Blizzards, defined by heavy snowfall and high winds, can cause herders and their animals to get lost (due to low visibility) and freeze to death. In some areas, high winds and dust or sandstorms occur on 40-100 days a year, also leading to livestock losses.

Although Mongolia is an arid country, flash floods, or flooding caused by heavy precipitation or melting snow, damage infrastructure (e.g., bridges) and homes and can lead to casualties. Finally, hailstorms are frequent in the summer and cause significant damage to agricultural crops, reducing yields.

INFORM RISK INDEX (2022)

Hazard and exposure: 1.6  |  Vulnerability: 2.3  |  Lack of coping capacity: 4.8  |  Total: 2.6 (low)  |  Rank: 128

HAZARDS COVERED BY ANTICIPATION

Dzud

EXPERIENCE

In 2018, the Start Network provided Save the Children and World Vision with approximately £200,000 to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of dzud. In coordination with local governments, these NGOs distributed cash grants, fodder for livestock, and informational materials to at-risk herding households. This reached 7,873 people (although there may have been some double counting).

ANTICIPATION PARTNERS IN MONGOLIA

FAO | Mongolian Red Cross Society | Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre | Save the Children | Start Network | World Vision

PROJECTS

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FAO supports early action for dzud in Mongolia, coordinating closely with the Mongolian Red Cross Society and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.

Start Network

In 2018, the Start Network provided Save the Children and World Vision with approximately £200,000 to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of dzud. In coordination with local governments, these NGOs distributed cash grants, fodder for livestock, and informational materials to at-risk herding households.

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FAO supports early action for dzud in Mongolia, coordinating closely with the Mongolian Red Cross Society and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.

Start Network

In 2018, the Start Network provided Save the Children and World Vision with approximately £200,000 to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of dzud. In coordination with local governments, these NGOs distributed cash grants, fodder for livestock, and informational materials to at-risk herding households.

In 2018, the Start Network provided Save the Children and World Vision with approximately £200,000 to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of dzud. In coordination with local governments, these NGOs distributed cash grants, fodder for livestock, and informational materials to at-risk herding households.