From ancient nomadic culture to one of the world’s greatest empires, these are the most interesting facts about Mongolia
Fast facts
Official name: Mongolia
Capital city: Ulaanbaatar
Population: 3.47 million
Area: 1,564,116 sq km
Major languages: Mongolian, Turkic, Russian
Time zone: UTC+7/+8 (Hovd Time/Ulaanbaatar Time)
Interesting facts about Mongolia
1. Mongolia is the second largest landlocked country in Asia. A landlocked country is completely surrounded by land with no access to the sea. There are currently 45 such countries and five partially recognised states.
2. The most famous Mongolian is Genghis Khan. Between 1206 and 1263 he united the Mongol tribes and launched a campaign of conquest.
3. He founded the Mongol Empire (later known as the Golden Horde) which, at its peak, controlled up to 12 million sq miles (31,079,857 sq km). It was the largest contiguous territory in history and is the second-largest kingdom of all time.
4. Following the collapse of the Golden Horde. Mongolia was ruled by the Qing dynasty of China from 1636 until 1911.
5. For much of the 20th century, Mongolia was under strict Soviet influence. It wasn’t until 1990, following the collapse of the USSR, that the country abandoned its Soviet-style one-party system.
6. The Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue is the world’s largest equestrian statue is in Mongolia. Measuring 40m (131ft), the statue features Genghis Khan riding a horse on top of a coliseum of 36 columns.
7. The largest desert in Asia, the Gobi Desert, covers part of Mongolia. In Mongolian, gobi means ‘waterless place’.
8. Mongolian horsemen are alleged to have invented ice cream. They used to take cream in containers made from animal intestines for supplies during long journeys across the Gobi desert in winter. When they galloped, the cream was vigorously shaken, while it simultaneously froze in the sub-zero temperatures.
9. Mongolia is home to the endangered snow leopard. Mongolia’s first-ever national survey confirmed approximately 953 snow leopards in 2020.
10. Mongolia is also home to the two-humped Bactrian camel. As the only truly wild camel in the world, herds survive in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China.
11. Every October an eagle-hunting festival takes place in Mongolia. During the Ölgii’s Eagle Festival, or ‘Golden Eagle Festival’, various competitions and displays are staged over a weekend.
12. Nomadic herding has been a way of life many Mongolians. However, more and more people have been moving to the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, since the 1990s. Currently, 70% of the nation’s 3.3 million people live in urban areas.
13. Climate change has significantly impacted Mongolia’s nomadic communities. Over the last 70 years, the average temperature in Mongolia has risen by 2.07°C, compared to the average global increase of 0.85°C over the last century. This has threatened their traditional way of life as pastures degrade, leading to overgrazing, livestock mortality during severe winters (‘dzud’), and the collapse of support systems due to economic shifts.
14. The world’s longest horse race is in Mongolia. The Mongol Derby is raced 1,000km across the vast Mongolian Steppe following Ghengis Khan’s ancient postal system route.
15. Every year the Naadam Festival is held in Mongolia. Nadaam means ‘games’ and the traditional festival focuses on “three manly sports” of wrestling, horseracing and archery. However, it is also a celebration where friends and family have fun, eat and drink together.
16. Known as airag, fermented mare’s (horse) milk is Mongolia’s national drink. It has an alcohol content of around 0.5% to 2.5%.
17. Mongolia is one of the least, if not the least, densely populated countries in the world, with an estimated 2 people per sq. km. Greenland and Falkland Islands also rank among the countries with the lowest population density.
18. In 1981, Mongolia sent Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa, the country’s first cosmonaut, into space aboard a Soviet spacecraft. He spent several days in orbit.
19. Mongolia did not win an Olympic Gold medal until the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China. Naidangiin Tüvshinbayar won gold in the half-heavyweight men’s judo event.
20. The Mongolian flag consists of equal bars of red-blue-red, symbolising communism and Mongolian nationalism. It also features the soyombo, a traditional emblem consisting of a flame, sun, moon, yin-yang, triangles and bars. It represents the philosophical principles of Mongolian culture and religion.
21. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital and largest city means ‘Red Hero’.
22. At 1,528m Mongolia has one of the world’s highest average elevations – 13th overall.
23. Currently, over half of Mongolia’s population continues to reside in traditional tents, referred to as gers (yurts). In Ulaanbaatar, the capital, this accounts for 61%, while a significant 90% of those living in rural areas maintain this traditional way of life. The door of yurts should always face to the south as a yurt’s most sacred space is to the north.
24. The Mongolian traditional art of Khöömei or ‘throat singing’ involves mimicking sounds of nature by simultaneously emitting two distinct vocal sounds along with a continuous drone.
25. The last of our interesting facts about Mongolia is how the government has tried to encourage population growth by awarding the honour of ‘First Order of Glorious Motherhood’ to women who bear six children or more.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.