Mongolia
Asia · Eastern Asia
Land of sky and steppe: nomadic traditions, extreme climate, ultra low cost.
Backpacker
Ideal destination
At a Glance
📈Mongolia's Human Development Index
0.741
High human development#95 of 191 countries worldwide, #23 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 51% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Mongolia
Mongolia is a vast landlocked country in Central Asia where the nomadic way of life that gave the world the great Mongol Empire survives in the culture of herders who still move with the seasons across the steppe. The landscape is one of the most open and unspoilt in the world, with the Gobi Desert in the south, taiga forest in the north, and an almost infinite expanse of grassland in between. Those who seek real silence, open horizons, and a culture with its own ancient logic will find it one of the most extraordinary journeys possible.
- Least densely populated country on earth — roughly 2 people per square kilometre.
- Built the largest contiguous land empire in history — roughly 24% of the earth's land.
- Eagle Festival in Ölgii: hunters compete with trained golden eagles in a tradition unchanged for centuries.
Quick Facts
Capital
Ulan Bator
Language
Mongolian
Currency
₮ MNT
Area
1.56M km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
82Mbps
GDP / Capita
$7K
PPP / Capita
$21K
Inflation
8.6%
Unemployment
5.2%
Innovation (GII)
26.7
GNI / Capita
$6K
Tax Revenue
16.9%
FDI Inflows
11.7%
Education Spend
5.2%
Cost of Living
31.4
Price Level Index
74th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.579 → 0.741 (+0.162)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Mongolia's Human Development Index?
Mongolia's Human Development Index is 0.741 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #95 of 191 countries.
Is Mongolia safe?
Mongolia scores 1.69 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #34 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Mongolia?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Mongolia at 31.4 (New York = 100); that is #35 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Mongolia?
Life expectancy at birth in Mongolia is 72.4 yrs (World Bank), ranked #114 of 195 countries.