Skip to main content
ACAPSACAPS
Change country

Country analysis

Mongolia

Mongolia is currently experiencing a natural phenomenon called a dzud, which is unique to the country. It comprises multiple natural hazards generally involving summer drought causing inadequate pasture and hay production followed by severe winter conditions (heavy snow cover, strong winds, and lower-than-normal temperatures), resulting in livestock mortality.

A quarter to a third of the national herd population was lost in each of the past three dzud events. The usual peak period for livestock mortality is from February–April. As at 14 March 2024, 4.7 million livestock had perished in the current dzud span – around 7% of the country’s livestock population. As at 30 January 2024, around 75% of Mongolia was already in dzud or near-dzud conditions, affecting the livelihoods of nearly 250,000 households. Insufficient feed and soaring feed prices heighten the vulnerabilities of herding communities.

150,500 people need humanitarian assistance, 33,400 of whom, including children, are estimated to be in need of immediate and life-saving assistance. Herder households are facing difficulties in accessing basic services and needs, such as healthcare, education, and food, given mobility issues in extreme weather conditions and the remoteness of many of their residences.

(OCHA/UNCT Mongolia 19/02/2024, OCHA 05/03/2024, IFRC 15/03/2024, OCHA 18/01/2023, OCHA 06/03/2023)

Mongolia is currently experiencing a natural phenomenon called a dzud, which is unique to the country. It comprises multiple natural hazards generally involving summer drought causing inadequate pasture and hay production followed by severe winter conditions (heavy snow cover, strong winds, and lower-than-normal temperatures), resulting in livestock mortality.

A quarter to a third of the national herd population was lost in each of the past three dzud events. The usual peak period for livestock mortality is from February–April. As at 14 March 2024, 4.7 million livestock had perished in the current dzud span – around 7% of the country’s livestock population. As at 30 January 2024, around 75% of Mongolia was already in dzud or near-dzud conditions, affecting the livelihoods of nearly 250,000 households. Insufficient feed and soaring feed prices heighten the vulnerabilities of herding communities.

150,500 people need humanitarian assistance, 33,400 of whom, including children, are estimated to be in need of immediate and life-saving assistance. Herder households are facing difficulties in accessing basic services and needs, such as healthcare, education, and food, given mobility issues in extreme weather conditions and the remoteness of many of their residences.

(OCHA/UNCT Mongolia 19/02/2024, OCHA 05/03/2024, IFRC 15/03/2024, OCHA 18/01/2023, OCHA 06/03/2023)

View more

Latest updates on country situation

07 May 2024

By 25 April 2024, the dzud had killed 7.1 million livestock (11% of the national livestock population), significantly affecting herder communities. Affected herder households have been employing coping strategies with negative outcomes, such as dietary restrictions and reduced expenditure on education, hygiene, and warm clothes for children. (UNICEF 01/05/2024)

30 May 2023

A snowstorm swept across eastern Mongolia from 19–20 May 2023, mostly affecting Dornod, Khentii, and Sukhbaatar provinces. It damaged or destroyed buildings, vehicles, and power infrastructure. As at 25 May, more than 620,000 (over 521,000 in Sukhbaatar and 107,000 in Khentii) livestock had died. The affected population needs shelter, livelihoods, and healthcare support. (IFRC 30/05/2023)

Analysis products
on Mongolia

Mongolia: Dzuds

15 January 2021

Mongolia: Dzuds

DOCUMENT / PDF / 275 KB

300,000 semi-nomadic herders live in the Mongolian steppe. Over the past two decades, climate change has made what is known as a dzud more severe and more frequent. While herders and animals living in this region are resilient to environmental hazards, dzuds put an additional strain on the lives of herders, who receive 35% of their income from livestock. 

Natural hazards
Mongolia: Extreme winter conditions

16 February 2017

Mongolia: Extreme winter conditions

DOCUMENT / PDF / 429 KB

17 out of 21 aimags (provinces) across Mongolia have been affected by a dzud, a phenomenon characterised by harsh winter conditions that result in extremely high numbers of livestock deaths. Around 157,000 herders are at risk of losing livestock and livelihoods, with the lean season expected to last until May. 

Natural hazards
View more