Статистические ежегодники стран-членов Совета экономической взаимопомощи как источник по истории сельского хозяйства Монголии

Abstract

Introduction. Statistical yearbooks of COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) member countries to have resulted from intergovernmental cooperation are still explored by researchers for various aspects of socialist Mongolia’s socioeconomic development. Goals. The article aims to characterize statistical yearbooks of COMECON member countries as a source on the history of agriculture in Mongolia. Materials and methods. The paper analyzes the mentioned statistical yearbooks published between 1970 and 1990. The main research methods employed are the historical descriptive, comparative, and analytical ones. Results. The agricultural section of yearbooks includes an impressive number of indicators grouped into various categories. The quantitative and qualitative composition of indicators remained virtually unchanged from 1970 to 1989, while the 1990 yearbook witnessed significant structural changes. Conclusions. The statistical yearbooks of COMECON member countries are consolidated statistical digests with a fairly voluminous nomenclature of indicators, extensive time coverage, and a well-defined structure. The main advantage of theirs over national statistical materials is that they grant an opportunity to conduct a comparative analysis of various indicators, including in the agricultural sector. The most important data are specific indicators and average values that can primarily attest to actual agricultural production intensification degrees in Mongolia in 1960–1989. All this characterizes statistical yearbooks of COMECON member countries as a very important and useful source on the history of agriculture in Mongolia.