Implications of Economic Growth, Poverty and Inequality in Mongolia over the Period of 2008-2012

The Northeast Asian Economic Review

Gan-Ochir Doojav and Ariun-Erdene Bayarjargal

I32, O15, E25

growth incidence curve and Mongolia, income inequality, poverty, Growth

This paper empirically examines Mongolia's growth performance from the perspective of its poverty-reducing and distributional characteristics over the period 2008-2012. The main findings are (i) absolute poverty in Mongolia has fallen, and poverty reduction has accelerated in boom years (2010-2012), (ii) Inequality has fallen in the period, but the inequality has stagnated during the boom, (iii) the poorer people have not suffered during the economic slowdown years (2007/8-2009) due to safety net programs of the government, including the cash transfer program, while the richer people have been more vulnerable to the economic condition, and (iv) the growth has been in general pro-poor.