Mongolia 🇲🇳

Mongolia is a sovereign country in Eastern Asia, in the wider region of Asia. Unlike most entries, its formal name adds nothing to the short one. Government sits in Ulan Bator.

It is home to roughly 3.5 million people, placing it 133rd of 250 by population — between Eritrea above it and Uruguay below. Within Eastern Asia alone it is the 2nd largest of 8 and the 7th most populous.

It covers 1,564,110 km², which ranks it 20th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Iran and just ahead of Peru. For scale, it is a fraction smaller than Iran.

The lie of the land

Its reference point sits at 46.0° north and 105.0° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 5,121 km from the equator, in what geographers would call temperate latitudes.

Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Kazakhstan, France and Romania.

2 countries share a land border with it: China and Russia. The largest of them by area is Russia, while the most populous is China. Together those neighbours hold about 1.55 billion people.

This is one of the world's landlocked countries. That is true of 45 of the 250 entries here, which reliably raises the cost of trade, because port access depends on a transit agreement with a neighbour. You can see the full picture on the landlocked countries page.

Who lives in Mongolia

Density comes out at around 2.3 people per square kilometre, which makes it very thinly populated. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.

The demonym is Mongolian, so residents are Mongolians.

Mongolian is the only official language. No other entry in this dataset lists Mongolian, so on this list it stands alone.

Against Asia as a whole it is the 42nd most populous of 50 entries, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Eastern Asia.

The practical details for Mongolia

It uses the Mongolian tögrög (₮, MNT). That currency appears nowhere else on this list.

Ulan Bator is the seat of government and the answer most quizzes are looking for.

The top-level domain is .mn. Calls from overseas start with +976. In ISO terms it is mn in two letters and MNG in three.

Mongolia is one of the 193 UN member states in this dataset. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Neighbouring countries

Mongolia shares borders with 2 countries:

• 🇨🇳 China
• 🇷🇺 Russia

Fun facts about Mongolia

• It is landlocked, one of 45 entries here with no coastline of its own.
• People from Mongolia are known as Mongolians.
• Websites based there use the .mn domain.
• Within Eastern Asia it is the 2nd largest of 8.
• It is 133rd of 250 by population, with about 3.5 million residents.
• Kazakhstan and France sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
• It lies about 5,121 km from the equator, in temperate latitudes.
• The Mongolian tögrög is used here and nowhere else on this list.

Mongolia — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Mongolia?

The capital of Mongolia is Ulan Bator.

How big is Mongolia?

Mongolia covers 1,564,110 km², ranking 20th of 250 by land area. That makes it a fraction smaller than Iran.

Which countries border Mongolia?

Mongolia borders 2 countries: China and Russia. Russia is the largest of them by area.

What language is spoken in Mongolia?

The official language of Mongolia is Mongolian. No other entry on this list gives it official status.

Is Mongolia landlocked?

Yes. Mongolia has no sea coast, which makes it one of 45 landlocked entries in this dataset. Everything it imports or exports by sea has to cross a neighbour's territory first, and that transit dependency is a well-documented drag on trade costs.

What currency does Mongolia use?

Mongolia uses the Mongolian tögrög, written ₮ (currency code MNT). No other entry in this dataset uses it.

Where is Mongolia located?

Mongolia is in Eastern Asia, part of Asia. Its reference coordinates are 46.0° north and 105.0° east, roughly 5,121 km from the equator in temperate latitudes.

Is Mongolia a country?

Yes. Mongolia is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.

What is the population of Mongolia?

Mongolia has a population of about 3.5 million, which makes it the 133rd most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Eritrea sits just above it and Uruguay just below.