Vegetarians in Mongolia: Putting og in the yurt | The Economist: "Though Mongolia is predominantly Buddhist, its brand of the creed—like Tibet’s—does not proscribe meat. The country’s population of about 3m is outnumbered by livestock by roughly 12 to one. Nomadic herding has long been at the core of Mongolia’s culture and economy, with meat and dairy products the mainstay of the national diet. Most of the vegetables consumed in Mongolia are imported from China.
In restaurants a request for meatless fare still generally causes quizzical bemusement. But not at Loving Hut, a worldwide vegan chain with several outlets in Ulaanbaatar. The patrons are mostly local, young and English-speaking, though not all are vegetarians.
The nascent trend for eschewing meat is part of Mongolia’s broader shift towards a more urbanised, international society. Last month the UB Post, a Mongolian newspaper, estimated there were 2,500 vegans in the country. Vegetarians may number above 30,000, according to other reports."
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