Asia

Flag of Mongolia

Mongolia is a vast landlocked country in East Asia between Russia and China, and is the world's most sparsely populated sovereign state, with only about 3.3 million people spread across an area nearly four times the size of France. It was the centre of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan in the 13th century, the largest contiguous land empire in history. A significant portion of Mongolia's population still maintains a semi-nomadic lifestyle, living seasonally in traditional portable dwellings called gers.

CapitalUlaanbaatar
RegionAsia
Current flag since1992
Main coloursRed, Blue, Yellow
Populationabout 3.4 million
Areaabout 1,564,000 km²
GeographyLandlocked
Flags in history4

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Mongolia means

Blue stands for the “eternal blue sky” revered in Mongolian tradition, and red for progress and prosperity. The yellow Soyombo symbol combines fire, sun, moon, earth, water and the yin-yang, and stands for freedom and independence. The communist star above it was removed in 1992.

How to recognise it

Vertical red-blue-red with a golden Soyombo symbol on the left red stripe.

Did you know?

Mongolia has the lowest population density of any country in the world.

Flag history of Mongolia

Every flag that has flown over Mongolia, from today back through time.

1992–present

Flag of Mongolia

In 1992 the socialist star above the Soyombo was removed, leaving the red-blue-red triband with the golden Soyombo national symbol at the hoist.

1945–1992

Mongolian People's Republic

The classic socialist-era flag: a red-blue-red triband with the golden Soyombo on the hoist, topped by a gold communist five-pointed star.

1924–1940

Mongolian People's Republic (early)

Adopted after the founding of the MPR in 1924, with a centered Soyombo emblem.

1911–1921

Bogd Khanate of Mongolia

A yellow flag bearing the Soyombo symbol, used by the Buddhist theocratic monarchy after Mongolia declared independence from Qing China in 1911.

Related historical states

Empires, kingdoms and republics that once covered part of Mongolia.

1921–1924

Bogd Khanate of Mongolia

After breaking from China, Mongolia was ruled by the Bogd Khan, a Buddhist theocrat, whose soyombo flag preceded the communist People's Republic proclaimed on his death in 1924.

1924–1940

Mongolian People's Republic (1924)

Asia's first communist state after the USSR flew a red flag bearing the national soyombo symbol, a fire-and-yin-yang emblem that still anchors the modern Mongolian flag.