The Narantuul Market () or the Black Market is a
marketplace
A marketplace, market place, or just market, is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a ''souk'' (from ...
in
Bayanzürkh District,
Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...
,
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's List of countries and dependencies by po ...
. It is the largest outdoor market in the country.
History
The market was established in 1993. It moved to its current site in 1999.
In January 2013, it was reported that Narantuul Market was under investigation due to alleged irregularities in its land license. The market, owned by politician
Saikhansambuu Shinensambuu, was reportedly granted a 25-year public service land license, despite city regulations limiting such licenses to five years. While authorities deemed the extended license illegal, the Ulaanbaatar City Administration was reluctant to revoke it, citing the livelihoods of thousands of vendors dependent on the market.
In August 2013, a fire severely damaged the grocery section of Narantuul Market, affecting over 300 shops. The damaged section, in operation since 1999, was found to be structurally substandard and lacked state approval.
Architecture
The market spans over an area of 22.2 hectares. It is the largest outdoor market in Mongolia.
Business
Narantuul Market accommodates vendors conducting both
wholesale
Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In ...
and
retail
Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is the sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholes ...
business. In 2021, it was reported that over 8,000 vendors operated shops and stalls in the market, drawing between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors daily.
The market offers household necessities and secondhand goods. The sale of illegal items, including unlicensed prescription drugs, animal products such as furs, feathers, pelts, and traps, as well as bullets, hunting equipment, and rare herbs, has been reported by authorities.
See also
*
Economy of Mongolia
The economy of Mongolia has traditionally been based on agriculture and livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assista ...
References
{{commons category
1993 establishments in Mongolia
Bayanzürkh
Buildings and structures completed in 1999
Buildings and structures in Ulaanbaatar
Retail markets