The

national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and national symbol, symbolizes a given nation. It is Fly (flag), flown by the government of that nation, but can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanin ...

Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's List of countries and dependencies by po ...

is a vertical triband with a red stripe at each side and a blue stripe in the middle, with the Mongolian Soyombo symbol centering on the leftmost stripe. The blue stripe represents the eternal blue sky, and the red stripes thriving for

eternity Eternity, in common parlance, is an Infinity, infinite amount of time that never ends or the quality, condition or fact of being everlasting or eternal. Classical philosophy, however, defines eternity as what is timeless or exists outside tim ...

. The Soyombo symbol is a geometric abstraction that represents fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and a symbol representing two fish as in Mongol mythology fish never sleep thus symbolizing that the spirit of the Mongol people never sleeps. The current flag was adopted on 12 January 1992, with the current official colour standards being set on 8 July 2011. Until 1992, the flag had a communist star above the Soyombo, during the final 47 years of the

Mongolian People's Republic The Mongolian People's Republic (MPR) was a socialist state that existed from 1924 to 1992, located in the historical region of Outer Mongolia. Its independence was officially recognized by the Nationalist government of Republic of China (1912� ...

. The flag was originally designed by artist Dodiin Choidog (). It has become common practice among Mongolians in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to hang the Mongolian flag, although the

Chinese government The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a Unitary state, unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's ...

is allegedly against public displays of Mongolian national or cultural symbols due to concerns of

separatism Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, regional, governmental, or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seekin ...

Historical flags

} , - , , , 1911–1919 , , Following the 1911 Mongolian declaration of independence during the fall of the Chinese

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

, the

Bogd Khanate of Mongolia The Bogd Khanate of Mongolia was a country in Outer Mongolia between 1911 and 1915 and again from 1921 to 1924. By the spring of 1911, some prominent Mongol nobles including Prince Tögs-Ochiryn Namnansüren persuaded the Bogd Khan, Jebstundamb ...

adopted a national flag as symbol of this independence. The decision to adopt a national flag was also made to follow the international standard at the time in order to promote the image of a modern independent state. A decree established the colours and dimensions of the flag; a yellow oblong rectangle with religious prayer text, in the middle of which was a Soyombo, lotus flower, and the letters "E" and "Bam". From this rectangle flowed red silk tails containing the letters "Om", "Ah", and "Hum". Larger flags were intended for government use while smaller versions were intended for ordinary people. Surviving flags can be seen with minor individual differences of the complex design. , - , , , 1920–1921 , , In late 1919 Chinese troops began occupying Mongolia. On 1 January 1920 a ceremony was held which revoked Mongolian autonomy and reincorporated it into China, raising the five-striped flag of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. , - ,

, , 1921–1924 , , Following the communist Revolution of 1921 Mongolian independence was restored. The country was formally still a monarchy and its flag remained, which had been carried by many of the revolutionary soldiers. , - ,

, , 1924–1940 , , Following the death of the

Bogd Khan Bogd Khan (13 October 1869 – 20 May 1924) was the khan of the Bogd Khanate of Mongolia from 1911 to 1924, following the state's ''de facto'' independence from the Qing dynasty of China after the Xinhai Revolution. Born in Tibet, he was the ...

in 1924, the

was proclaimed. The new republic's first constitution was adopted on 26 November 1924 and described its new flag. The flag's exact shape and design was not completely standardised and only defined as "the flag is red with the state emblem at the center." It can therefore be seen with some variations, such as without any text or using a rectangular shape without the three tails.Манжуурын хэлэлцээр
Photo from the Manzhouli conference (1935-1936) which shows the flag of Manchukuo and Mongolia , - , , , 1940–1945 , , In November 1939 Mongolian leader

Khorloogiin Choibalsan Khorloogiin Choibalsan (8 February 1895 – 26 January 1952) was a Mongolian politician who served as the leader of the Mongolian People's Republic as the Prime Minister of Mongolia, chairman of the Council of Ministers (premier) from 1939 unt ...

discussed the adoption of a new constitution with the leadership of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

while visiting there. On 30 July 1940 the second constitution of the Mongol People's Republic was adopted, and with it, the second flag. After having reviewed a draft of the new state emblem,

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

advised that "in order to show that there are many animals, the coat of arms should have a man with a horse in the middle and various animal figures around him". This new emblem, stripped of any remaining religious symbolism, was present on the new flag which was described as "consisting of 1:2 sized red cloth with the state emblem in the center and "Mongol People's Republic" written on either side". , - , , , 1945–1992 , , At the

Yalta Conference The Yalta Conference (), held 4–11 February 1945, was the World War II meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union to discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe. The three sta ...

, towards the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, it was agreed to preserve the status quo of Mongolia's existence. A new flag with national symbolism was considered necessary for the success of Soviet and Mongolian attempts to convince the Chinese to recognize Mongolian independence. Choibalsan brought up the issue of adopting a new flag at the 43rd meeting of the Presidium of the State Conference on 10 July 1945, where the new flag's design was approved. Choibalsan chose to restore the Soyombo as a national symbol on the flag and described its adoption as a high celebration of Mongolia's independence. The new flag was amended into the constitution in 1949 and was included from the beginning in the constitution adopted in 1960. The flag was used until the adoption of the democratic constitution and a new flag in 1992. , - , , , 1992–2011 , ,

Other flags of Mongolia

Administrative divisions

File:Flag of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.svg , Flag of

Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...

File:Mn flag arkhangai aimag 2014.svg , Flag of

Arkhangai Province Arkhangai Province () is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia. It is located slightly west of the country's center, on the northern slopes of the Khangai Mountains. It is composed of 19 districts. History The province was founded in 1931. Admi ...

File:Mn flag bayankhongor aymag.png , Flag of Bayankhongor Province File:Mn flag bayan olgiy aymag.svg , Flag of

Bayan-Ölgii Province Bayan-Ölgii ( ) is the westernmost of the 21 Aimags of Mongolia, aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. The country's only Islam in Mongolia, Muslim and Kazakh people, Kazakh-majority aimag, it was established in August 1940. Its capital is Ölgii (cit ...

File:Mn flag bulgan aimag 2022.svg , Flag of

Bulgan Province Bulgan Province () is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia, located in the north of the country. Its capital is also named Bulgan. History Bulgan Province was established in 1937 after being separated from Selenge Province. In 1994, Orkhon Pr ...

File:Mn_flag_darkhan_uul_aymag.svg , Flag of Darkhan-Uul Province File:Mn_flag_dornod_aimag_2001.svg , Flag of

Dornod Province Dornod (, ; ) is the easternmost of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. Its capital is Choibalsan. Population Halh are the ethnic majority of the Dornod aimag. The Buryat ethnic group makes up 22.8% of the total population (17,196 in 20 ...

File:Mn_flag_dornogovibi Province File:Mn_flag_govi-altai_aimag_2011.svg , Flag of

Govi-Altai Province Govi-Altai ( ) is a province in western Mongolia. Transportation The Altai Airport (LTI/ZMAT) has one paved runway and is served by regular flights to Arvaikheer, Bayankhongor and Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capi ...

File:Mn_flag_govisümber_aimag.svg , Flag of Govisümber Province File:Khentii_aimag_Flag.svg , Flag of Khentii Province File:Khovd_stars_flag.svg , Flag of

Khovd Province Khovd (; ), alternatively romanized as Khobhd, is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia, located in the west of the country. Its capital is also named Khovd. Khovd province is approximately 1,580 km from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's cap ...

File:Mn_flag_khövsgöl_aimag_2014.svg , Flag of

Khövsgöl Province Khövsgöl () is the northernmost of the 21 Aimags of Mongolia, aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. The name is derived from Lake Khövsgöl. Geography and history The round-topped Tarvagatai (Khangai), Tarvagatai, Bulnain and Erchim sub-ranges of th ...

File:Orkhon_Aimag_Flag.svg , Flag of

Orkhon Province Orkhon Province () is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, ma ...

File:Mn_flag_selenge_aimag_1999.svg , Flag of

Selenge Province Selenge () is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, ...

File:Mn_flag_sükhbaatar_aimag.svg , Flag of Sükhbaatar Province File:Tov_aymag_flag.svg , Flag of

Töv Province Töv Province (from Mongolian ''төв'' 'centre') is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia. The national capital Ulaanbaatar is located roughly at its center, but the city itself is administered as an independent municipality. Geography The pr ...

File:Mn_flag_ömnögovi_aimag_2011.svg , Flag of

Ömnögovi Province Ömnögovi ( ''Ömnögovǐ'', ''South Gobi'') is an aimag (province) of Mongolia, located in the south of the country, in the Gobi Desert. Ömnögovi is Mongolia's largest aimag. The capital is Dalanzadgad. The province is rich in mineral dep ...

File:Uvs_Aimag_Flag.svg , Flag of Uvs Province File:Mn_flag_Ovurhangai_aymag.svg , Flag of

Övörkhangai Province Övörkhangai (; " South Khangai") is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. Its capital is Arvaikheer. The Shankh Monastery, one of the oldest and most important monasteries, is located in this province, as well as Erdene Zuu monast ...

File:Mn_flag_zavkhan_aimag.svg , Flag of Zavkhan Province

Colours

Official colour standards for the flag were approved in July 2011.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mongolia, Flag of

Flag A flag is a piece of textile, fabric (most often rectangular) with distinctive colours and design. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and fla ...