Mongolians in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Mongolians in the United Kingdom (also known as Mongols
) are a relatively small but fast emerging ethnic group, including both Mongolia
n-born people in the UK
alongside their British-born descendants.
due to strong ties with each respective nation. However after 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and began to form a democratic nation, migration trends from Mongolia began to change and the movement of Mongolians to other parts of the world (including the UK) became much more evident. Following these major changes to the political composition of Mongolia, many citizens of the nation found that they struggled in the new economy, many subsequently left the country in search of new lives in the United States
and Western Europe
. Migration to the UK specifically began in the 1990s and has continued ever since, the majority of Mongolians who came to the UK in the 1990s were economic migrants who intended to earn money to support themselves and their family back home, in contrast to this most migrants who came to the UK prior to the year 2000 were largely students seeking better standards of higher education. Evidence of a more established community has come to light in the increasing number of Mongolian-run bars, cafés, shops and organisations in the UK.
The 2001 UK Census showed that a meer 299 Mongolian-born people were residing in the UK, however this figure of a few hundred is thought to have increased to several thousand in the space of a decade. To be precise, community leaders and the Mongolian Embassy have put the figure at between 5,000 and 7,000. Within the UK, the overwhealming majority of Mongolians reside in Greater London
with 2009 estimates placing at least 5,000 Mongolians in the British capital, the Mongolian community of Manchester
follows which is 400 to 500 members strong (up from 72 Mongolian-born residents in 2001). Newcastle upon Tyne
is thought to be home to 100 Mongolians whilst between 60 and 70 reside in Leicester
and no greater than 60 call Bradford
home. An investigation by the International Organization for Migration
also found evidence of a number of Mongolians also residing in Brighton
, Liverpool
, Milton Keynes
, Nottingham
and the university towns of Cambridge
, Oxford
, Dundee
and Cardiff
.
' takes place every July in Islington
's Highbury Fields
(the same time a much larger similar festival takes place in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar
). also known as the Mongolia Charity Rally, the event is attended by Mongolians from across the country who come together and enjoy wrestling
, archery
, food
and traditional music
.
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
) are a relatively small but fast emerging ethnic group, including both Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n-born people in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
alongside their British-born descendants.
History and settlement
Migration from Mongolia to the United Kingdom is a fairly recent phenomenon that is directly connected to the political and social changes that have taken place in Mongolia in the late 20th/ early 21st century. During the mid-1900s the only significant Mongolian diaspora existed in the former Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
due to strong ties with each respective nation. However after 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and began to form a democratic nation, migration trends from Mongolia began to change and the movement of Mongolians to other parts of the world (including the UK) became much more evident. Following these major changes to the political composition of Mongolia, many citizens of the nation found that they struggled in the new economy, many subsequently left the country in search of new lives in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Migration to the UK specifically began in the 1990s and has continued ever since, the majority of Mongolians who came to the UK in the 1990s were economic migrants who intended to earn money to support themselves and their family back home, in contrast to this most migrants who came to the UK prior to the year 2000 were largely students seeking better standards of higher education. Evidence of a more established community has come to light in the increasing number of Mongolian-run bars, cafés, shops and organisations in the UK.
Demographics and population
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with 2009 estimates placing at least 5,000 Mongolians in the British capital, the Mongolian community of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
follows which is 400 to 500 members strong (up from 72 Mongolian-born residents in 2001). Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
is thought to be home to 100 Mongolians whilst between 60 and 70 reside in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and no greater than 60 call Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
home. An investigation by the International Organization for Migration
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
also found evidence of a number of Mongolians also residing in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and the university towns of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Culture and community
There are currently no Mongolian-run publications (including television networks, radio stations or newspapers) in the UK, an IOM investigation showed that most Mongolians in the UK that wish to access news from their homeland do so via the internet. To reflect the rapid increase of the size of the UK's Mongolian community, numerous community groups have been set up in hope of bringing Mongolians in the UK together as well as acting as a helpful aid in adjusting to the British lifestyle. An annual Mongolian 'NaadamNaadam
Naadam is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the midsummer holidays...
' takes place every July in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
's Highbury Fields
Highbury Fields
Highbury Fields is an open space in Highbury, in the London Borough of Islington, England. At 11.75 hectares , it is the largest open space in the borough.It extends north from Highbury Corner almost as far as Highbury Barn...
(the same time a much larger similar festival takes place in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar
Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million....
). also known as the Mongolia Charity Rally, the event is attended by Mongolians from across the country who come together and enjoy wrestling
Mongolian wrestling
Mongolian wrestling, known as Bökh , is the folk wrestling style of Mongols in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and other regions...
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, food
Mongolian cuisine
Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and Mongolian styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited...
and traditional music
Music of Mongolia
Music is an integral part of Mongolian culture. Among the unique contributions of Mongolia to the world's musical culture are the long songs, one of the greatest features of the Mongolian music, overtone singing and morin khuur, the horse-headed fiddle...
.