In this paper, we consider the effects of desertification in Mongolia, where the area of degraded land has increased significantly in the recent decade. Currently, almost the entire territory of the country is subject to varying degrees of degradation. The intensity of the desertification processes in different natural zones is influenced by both natural climatic and anthropogenic factors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of desertification on environmental and socio-economic living conditions, as well as on living standards of the local population. In this work, for the first time, the socio-economic aspects of desertification have been studied on a common methodological basis in different Mongolian aimags over a ten-year period. In order to carry out in-depth research, we used the submeridional and sublatitudinal principles for selecting the model study areas, as well as specific criteria and expert assessment. We used a sociological survey as the main method, based on a designed questionnaire, which was translated into Mongolian. The questionnaire includes questions regarding the influence of desertification on traditional nomadic farming, health of family members, water supply of households, water quality, living standards, etc. The results of the sociological surveys made it possible to draw conclusions on the impact of desertification on households, to identify the main problems of local people, and to describe the dynamics of the socio-economic status of the population living in the model areas. Our studies have demonstrated the intensification of the impact of desertification processes in different natural zones, administrative-territorial units and settlement systems in Mongolia.

The article presents an analysis of the existing objective conditions and patterns of population distribution on the territory of the China – Mongolia – Russia economic corridor. The study area covers the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China (Inner Mongolia), the central aimags of Mongolia and the Baikal region (Russia). The settlement system of adjacent regions is highly differentiated in terms of natural and geographical conditions, the level of production development, socioeconomic development, and the state of infrastructure. The average population density of the study area is 10.1 people per km²: there are relatively low indicators in the Baikal region, 2.8 people per km²; 4.2 people per km² are in the central regions of Mongolia, and 21.2 people per km² are in Inner Mongolia. The highest population density is observed in areas where highways and railways pass. During the period under review (from 2000 to 2018), the indices of population change in adjacent regions amounted to 93.7% in Russia, 129.0% in Mongolia and 106.7% in China. In the study regions, the population lives mainly in cities and large settlements. In the Baikal region, the level of urbanization is 68.6%, in Mongolia – 67.8% and in Inner Mongolia – 62.7%. The growth of cities is mainly due to internal migration, especially in the Russian and Mongolian territories; the process of depopulation of the countryside is taking place.

We analysed the characteristics of foreign trade for the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor’ regions. We also examined the commodity and geographic structure of exports and imports of the Economic Corridor regions: the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Mongolia, and the Baikal region of Russia. A large share of Russian and Mongolian exports is made up of raw materials, such as minerals, metals and their low value-added products. Products of the chemical industry, ferrous metals and their products prevail in the commodity structure of the export of Inner Mongolia. The priority in cooperation of these regions is to upgrade transport and cross-border infrastructure to increase transit potential in freight transportation along the planned China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Through the Economic Corridor project, these regions can significantly strengthen foreign economic cooperation.