Mongolia

In brief

Mongolia is a country in East Asia. Its capital is Ulan Bator. With 3.6 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 131st in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 1,564,110 km². Landlocked, it shares land borders with China and Russia.

GDP per capita stands at $7,108 (2025), 99th in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 72.4 years (2024). 71% of the population lives in cities.

History of Mongolia

In 1206 Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes and launched conquests that formed the largest contiguous empire in history; his grandson Kublai ruled China. After the empire fell, Mongolia came under the Chinese Qing dynasty from the 17th century. It declared independence in 1911 and in 1924 became the world’s second communist state, after the USSR. A peaceful revolution brought democracy in 1990.

Geography of Mongolia

Wedged between Russia and China with no sea access, Mongolia is the least densely populated sovereign country in the world. Steppes cover the centre, the Gobi Desert the south and the Altai Mountains the west. Half the population lives in Ulaanbaatar, the coldest capital in the world.

Map of Mongolia

Download the map (SVG)Interactive world map

Flag of Mongolia

The flag of Mongolia is red, blue and yellow. Its official proportions are 1:2 (height to width).

• Red60%
• Blue33%
• Yellow7%

Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.

What the flag stands for

Red, blue and red, with the soyombo on the left band, a yellow national symbol combining fire, sun, moon, earth and water. Blue evokes the “eternal sky” revered by the Mongols.

Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Mongolia” and “Flag of Mongolia”.

Download the flag (SVG) All 10 red, blue and yellow flags All the flags of the world

Fact file

Economy and society