All chapters:

Introduction

Climate

Waters and water management

Ecosystems and ecoregions

Species diversity and use of biological resources

Nature conservation: econet and protected areas

Countries & cultures

Economy

Land use

International policy

Eastern Mongolia's population density is 0.83 persons per km², as compared to approximately three to four persons per km² in Russia and close to 100 persons per km² in China. There are only about 165 thousand people in Mongolian part of Amur Basin.

More than half of the population of this region (65 percent) is dependent on livestock, intensive users of natural resources, especially water and pasture. Herders are primary stakeholders with interests in sustainable management and conservation of these and other natural resources.

Because of increasing rural to urban migration, only 34 percent of the households in the region (39 soum s of four aimag s) are herders (14,695 households) who practice the traditional nomadic style of life in the countryside. This is especially evident in Dornod aimag where 51 percent of the population now lives in towns and cities.

In 2005, natural population growth was 1.2 percent. Annual average natural population growth of Amur-Heilong basin aimag s is typically lower than the Mongolia national average and has decreased in recent years.

The population of eastern Mongolia doubled from 1960-1990. Beginning in 1991 the population decreased due to emigration to the central region and to larger cities such as Ulanbatar, Darkhan, and Erdenet. In 2000-2005 Dornod, Khentii, and Sukhbaatar aimag populations declined by 0.1-2.6 percent and the population of Tov aimag dropped by 12 percent. This reflects the impacts of low birth rates and emigration.

Emigration was a result of the privatization of state agricultural and economic entities, and the introduction of free choice of employment since 1990. Migration increases as families search for a job, try to improve standards of living by improving access to markets, and hope for a better future for their children through access to better education. The return of people to historical places of residence in the west from sites where large groups were relocated during the socialist era has also contributed to migration from eastern aimags.