Mongolia
Information
Once a sleepy backwater of the communist bloc, Mongolia is now host to the biggest resource bonanza in the world. Deep within its soil lie some of the greatest un-tapped deposits of coal and mineral wealth in the world. Now it is opening its doors to foreign investment and the great mining multi-nationals of the world are racing to secure the massively lucrative contracts and profits that will be made there. Money and investment are pouring into the country and will potentially transform it over the next decade into something unrecognisable, and with it the inequalities rise.
As the multi-nationals scramble to be the chosen ones the risks of corruption, accountability and environmental vandalism are high. The finance pours in but predictably the vast majority of the population see little or none of it. Seventy per cent of the capital's population in Ulaanbaatar live in the shanty town know as the Ger district, an area without clean water or sewers. Yet they see only private apartments and offices being built in the distance, and little of the money is being spent to alleviate local poverty.
The hope is that this time a country like Mongolia can get it right as expressed by the United National Development Programme (UNDP). But if history is the judge these kind of free market approaches always ends up enriching the wealthy and disenfranchising the poor.
Only time will tell.
As the multi-nationals scramble to be the chosen ones the risks of corruption, accountability and environmental vandalism are high. The finance pours in but predictably the vast majority of the population see little or none of it. Seventy per cent of the capital's population in Ulaanbaatar live in the shanty town know as the Ger district, an area without clean water or sewers. Yet they see only private apartments and offices being built in the distance, and little of the money is being spent to alleviate local poverty.
The hope is that this time a country like Mongolia can get it right as expressed by the United National Development Programme (UNDP). But if history is the judge these kind of free market approaches always ends up enriching the wealthy and disenfranchising the poor.
Only time will tell.
Cityscape. Ulan Bataar. September 2011
The family dog watches on as Buynnemeh Chinges and Buynnemeh Shinzorig playing in the compound of their homes.
Buyndelger Bolortsetseg who was born mentally disabled at her home in Ulan Bataar, Mongolia. She is now 9 years old and spends most of the day sat on the family bed in their two roomed home. September 2011.
Landscape on the outskirts for Ulan Bataar. The area was once an opencast coal mine and is now used by ex miners who dig swallow pits for the remains of the coal. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Miners working on small private mines on the outskirts for Ulan Bataar. The area was once an opencast coal mine and is now used by ex miners who dig swallow pits for the remains of the coal. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Landscape on the outskirts for Ulan Bataar. The area was once an opencast coal mine and is now used by ex miners who dig swallow pits for the remains of the coal. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Children having lunch in the home of Sukhbaatar Buynjargal & Tserennadmid Buyndelger. Two families share the responsbility of caring for the children to enable them to go to work. Ger district, Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Drinks being served in the Metropolis nightclub, Ulan Bataar. This is the most exclusive club in the capital, a hang out for the country's new rich. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Buyn delger Bayrmagnai getting ready for school at his family home in Ulaanbaatar. The family live in a small two roomed house in the Ger district. One of the neighbours looks after them during the day while both parents look for work.
Sukhbaatar Buyn zul preparing lunch at her neighbours house where she works as an unpaid carer. The two families share child care in order to be able to go to work. Ger district, Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
A scared earth cutting at the Open cast mine in Erdenet, Mongolia. The mine is Asia's largest deposit of cooper and the forth largest in the world.
Waste pipes, Erdenet open caste ore mine, Mongolia. 2011.
The derelict remains of an open caste mine near Ulan Bataar. The mine was closed several years ago and the area is now dotted by small privately owned mines that employ between 2-10 miners each. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
Drilling equipment at the Sharyn Gol open cast coal mine. The mine has been in operation since 1965 but is now near the end of it's life. Once the mine close's the town built with it will also die.
A miner working underground taking a cigarette break. he works in one of the many small private mines that operate in the remains of an abandoned open cast mine on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.
Baterdene Ylalt (centre) playing with the children of Sukhbaatar Buynjargal. Ylalt's mother looks after the children of both families during the day as both families live in the same compound.
Miners working on small private mines on the outskirts for Ulan Bataar. The area was once an opencast coal mine and is now used by ex miners who dig swallow pits for the remains of the coal. Ulan Bataar, September 2011.
One of the massive factories built at the Erdenet open cast mine to break down and remove the copper from the rock mined at the coalface.
Old Soviet style apartment blocks. Ulan Bataar. September 2011
