Page | 47Transportation
Mongolia has many thousands of miles of road, but only 3.5%
are paved.^250 The road density, measured as kilometers of road
per 100 square kilometers of land, is also quite low (3.3%).
Another problem is that road maintenance has been neglected on
many of these roads.^251 One of the most important projects
currently under development is the North–South Road Project,
which will finally provide a completely paved link between the
Russian and Chinese borders. It follows a path that largely
parallels the Trans-Mongolian Railway.^252
Mongolia has 1,815 km (1,125 mi) of railroad track, most of
which makes up the Trans-Mongolian Railway.
(^253) This route
links Jinning in China with Ulan Ulde in Russia, where it reaches
a junction with the Trans-Siberian Railway. The Ulaanbaatar’s
Genghis Khan International Airport serves as Mongolia’s hub for international and
domestic flights. Mongolia has 22 other airports, but only 4 of them have paved runways
and lighting for night and bad-weather landings. The majority of Mongolia’s air
passenger traffic arrives and departs via international flights.^254
Mongolia’s rail systems mostly consist of spur lines connecting mining centers with the
main Trans-Siberian Railway.
(^255) Over 95% of Mongolia’s freight turnover (freight
tonnage times miles transported) is carried on trains, with roads primarily used for
carrying goods only short distances.^256 Railways are also the primary form of passenger
transportation in Mongolia for longer trips.^257
(^250) Eurasia Capital, “Infrastructure in Mongolia: Challenges and Opportunities,” April 2009,
http://www.associm.com/newsletters/pdf/INFRASTRUCTURE_final.pdf
(^251) Eurasia Capital, “Infrastructure in Mongolia: Challenges and Opportunities,” April 2009,
http://www.associm.com/newsletters/pdf/INFRASTRUCTURE_final.pdf
(^252) Millenium Challenge Corporation, “Millenium Challenge Account Mongolia,” 2009,
http://en.mca.mn/static/1288.shtml
(^253) B. Manduul, “Transportation Statistics of Mongolia,” Road Research and Supervision Center, Mongolia,
1 March 2008, 19, http://www.kokudokeikaku.go.jp/wat2/23_mongol.pdf
(^254) B. Manduul, “Transportation Statistics of Mongolia,” Road Research and Supervision Center, Mongolia,
1 March 2008, 22–23, http://www.kokudokeikaku.go.jp/wat2/23_mongol.pdf
(^255) Michael Kohn, “Getting Around Train,” in Mongolia, 5th ed. (Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely
Planet Publications, 2008), 285.
(^256) B. Manduul, “Transportation Statistics of Mongolia,” Road Research and Supervision Center, Mongolia,
1 March 2008, 8, http://www.kokudokeikaku.go.jp/wat2/23_mongol.pdf
(^257) B. Manduul, “Transportation Statistics of Mongolia,” Road Research and Supervision Center, Mongolia,
1 March 2008, 19, http://www.kokudokeikaku.go.jp/wat2/23_mongol.pdf