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Mongolia


Map of Mongolia

Population: 2,5 million
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Official language:
Ethnic groups: Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, other 6%

Background: Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In 1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a national election and has attempted to establish a number of reforms to modernize the economy. However, many former communists retain key posts and implementation has been difficult.
(Source: WorldFackbook 2000 CIA)

More Background: BBC Country profile: Mongolia

Artists from Mongolia:

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Russia


Map of Russia

Population: 146 million
Capital: Moscow
Official language: Russian
Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Background: The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 broke up the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the communist period.
(Source: WorldFackbook 2000 CIA)

More Background: BBC Country profile: Russia

A lot of bad thing can be sayd about the Soviet regime. But the communists really did concerne about taking care of ethnic traditions (traditions of most ethnic groups, not all I'm afraid). Large Folklore ensembles was created. To play and concerve this traditions, like a "live" museum. This means that traditional music are less infuenced by modern time, than in the rest of the world.

Links:

Pure Natural Music Description: "Pure Nature Music promotes, records, and produces previously unknown folk groups from Central Asia and Siberia." (...)
"Within this considerably short period of time, the performers managed to attract attention and popularity among a multitude of audiences. The throat singers of Tuva, Altay and Khakassia presented their skills in many of the great cities of the world." (...) "The Pure Nature Music Company offers you the chance to experience the skill of throat singing and folk instruments of Central Asia. Teaching can be arranged with some of the most professional throat singers of Tuva, Altay, Khakasia, Kamchatka. We are willing to help you learn the musical techniques of this ancient vocal art."

Artists from Russia: