World Factbook
Mongolia
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), blue, and red; centered on the left-side red band is the national emblem in yellow, the soyombo, which is an abstract representation of fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol meaning: blue stands for the sky, and red for progress and prosperity
Capital
name
Ulaanbaatar
etymology
the name means "red hero" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin SUKHBAATAR, leader of the partisan army that, with Soviet help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s
time zone note
Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC)
time difference
UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September
geographic coordinates
47 55 N, 106 55 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 13 January 1992, effective 12 February 1992
amendment process
proposed by the State Great Hural, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition submitted to the State Great Hural by the Constitutional Court; conducting referenda on proposed amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the State Great Hural; passage of amendments by the State Great Hural requires at least three-quarters majority vote; passage by referendum requires majority participation of qualified voters and a majority of votes
Country name
former
Outer Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic
etymology
name comes from the Mongol people, whose name derives from the Mongol root word mengu or mongu , meaning "brave" or "unconquered;" the Mongolian name Mongol Uls translates as "Mongol State"
local long form
none
local short form
Mongol Uls
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Mongolia
Independence
29 December 1911 (independence declared from China; in actuality, autonomy attained); 11 July 1921 (from China)
Legal system
civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of the Chief Justice and 24 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tsets (consists of the chairman and 8 members)
subordinate courts
aimag (provincial) and capital city appellate courts; soum, inter-soum, and district courts; Administrative Cases Courts
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court chief justice and judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the General Council of Courts -- a 14-member body of judges and judicial officials -- to the State Great Hural; appointment is for life; chairman of the Constitutional Court elected from among its members; members appointed from nominations by the State Great Hural - 3 each by the president, the State Great Hural, and the Supreme Court; appointment is 6 years; chairmanship limited to a single renewable 3-year term
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet directly appointed by the prime minister
chief of state
President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021)
election results
2021: Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH elected president in first round; percent of vote - Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (MPP) 68%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (RPEC) 20.1%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (DP) 6% 2017: Khaltmaa BATTULGA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA (DP) 38.1%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD (MPP) 30.3%, Sainkhuu GANBAATAR (MPRP) 30.2%, invalid 1.4%; percent of vote in second round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA 55.2%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD 44.8%
head of government
Prime Minister Gombojavyn ZANDANSHATAR (since 13 June 2025)
most recent election date
9 June 2021
election/appointment process
presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for one 6-year term; following legislative elections, the State Great Hural usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
expected date of next election
2027
National holiday
Naadam (games) holiday, 11-15 July; Constitution Day, 26 November (1924)
note: the first holiday commemorates independence from China in the 1921 Revolution, and the second marks the date that the Mongolian People's Republic was created under a new constitution
National color(s)
red, blue, yellow
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
6 (4 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Uvs Nuur Basin (n); Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape (c); Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai (c); Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and surrounding sacred landscape (c); Landscapes of Dauria (n); Deer Stone Monuments and Related Bronze Age Sites (c)
Political parties
Democratic Party or DP Mongolian People's Party or MPP National Coalition (consists of Mongolian Green Party or MGP and the Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP) National Labor Party or HUN Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
126 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
legislature name
State Great Hural (Ulsiin Ih Hural)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
6/28/2024
expected date of next election
June 2028
percentage of women in chamber
25.4%
parties elected and seats per party
Mongolian People's Party (MPP) (68); Democratic Party (DP) (42); HUN Party (8); Other (8)
National anthem(s)
title
"Mongol ulsyn toriin duulal" (National Anthem of Mongolia)
history
music adopted 1950, lyrics adopted 2006; lyrics altered on numerous occasions
lyrics/music
Tsendiin DAMDINSUREN/Bilegiin DAMDINSUREN and Luvsanjamts MURJORJ
National symbol(s)
Soyombo character (from the Soyombo writing system)
Administrative divisions
21 provinces ( aymguud , singular - aymag ) and 1 municipality* ( hot ); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan), Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 298-9227
chancery
2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone
[1] (202) 333-7117
chief of mission
Ambassador BATBAYAR Ulziidelger (since 1 December 2021)
consulate(s) general
New York, San Francisco
email address and website
washington@mfa.gov.mn http://mongolianembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[976] 7007-6174
embassy
Denver Street #3, 11th Micro-District, Ulaanbaatar 14190
telephone
[976] 7007-6001
mailing address
4410 Ulaanbaatar Place, Washington DC 20521-4410
chief of mission
Ambassador Richard L. BUANGAN (since November 2022)
email address and website
UlaanbaatarACS@state.gov https://mn.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction