Managing Urban Expansion in Mongolia : Best Practices in Scenario-based Urban Planning

The sustainable development of ger areas in Ulaanbaatar (UB), the capital city of Mongolia, is one of the critical development issues facing the country. The transitions to a market economy and a series of severe winters (called zud) have resulted in the large-scale migration of low-income families into the ger areas of UB. The city represents 40 percent of the nation's population and generates more than 60 percent of Mongolia's gross domestic product (GDP). This migration pattern has led to an unprecedented expansion of the ger areas. The traditional built-up areas of the city center comprise some 130 k