Colors and the Meaning of the Mongolia Flag
The Mongolia flag consists of 3 equal vertical bands. The left and right strips are red and the middle stripe is blue. On the left side of the flag, there is the national emblem of the country called soyombo. This emblem consists of geometric drawings of fire, sun, moon, earth, water and yin-yang symbols.
Blue represents the traditional Mongolian color and sky. At first, the red stripe represents the socialist beliefs of Mongolia. But in a modern interpretation, it means freedom and progress. Soyombo is a national emblem containing individual symbolism. The fire on it represents welfare, satisfaction, and regeneration. Three flames represent yesterday, today and tomorrow. The sun and the moon symbolize the universe and represent the Mongols’ mother (sun) and the nation’s father (bear).
The triangular arrowheads pointing towards the ground indicate their willingness to protect their nation. Horizontal rectangles stand for honesty, fairness, and truth. The circle in the middle is considered the symbol of the Buddhist yin and yang and characterizes the opposing forces that complement each other in the universe. In addition, this symbol represents two fishes that never close their eyes, which means symbolizing the vigilance of the Mongols. The vertical rectangular columns symbolize strength, stability, and stiffness.
History of the Mongolia Flag
The history of the Mongolia flag dates back to the Bogd Khan Kingdom, which gained independence from China in 1911. He used the symbol Soyombo in the kingdom flag. Soyombo symbol has been changed from this period to present-day Mongolia Flag.
Between 1921-1924 the flag was changed. On the left side of the flag on the red background, only the sun and moon were used from the soyombo symbol. In 1924, the flag was completely reused. On this flag, soyombo was on the right side of the flag, and its color was dark blue, and this flag was used until 1940.
By 1940, the present-day Mongolian flag was first introduced. In addition to the current flag, there was a star above the soyombo symbol on the flag. That star represented socialism. The current flag was adopted on February 12, 1992, after Mongolia moved to liberal democracy.
Soyombo Symbol
There are ten elements of Soyombo’s geometric symbols and patterns. These are fire, sun, moon, two triangles, two horizontal rectangles, yin and yang, and two vertical rectangles. The explanations of these elements are as follows;
Fire: Fire is a general symbol of endless growth, wealth and success. It represents past, present and future.
Sun and Moon: It symbolizes that the Mongol nation exists for eternity in the eternal blue sky.
The Two Triangles: Indicates an arrow or spear. They are pointing downwards to announce the defeat of internal and external enemies.
Two Horizontal Rectangles: The rectangles give stability to the round shape. The rectangular figure represents the honesty and justice of the people of Mongolia, whether they are at the top or at the bottom of society.
Yin Yang: Symbol represents the opposite poles. In socialist times, as an alternative, it was interpreted as two fish, symbolizing alertness, because the fish never closed their eyes.
Two Vertical Rectangles: Rectangles can be interpreted as the walls of a castle. They represent unity and power according to a Mongol saying.
Neighboring Countries of Mongolia
Main Characteristics of Mongolia
Mongolia is an Asian country consisting of wide and long plains. The capital of the country is Ulan Bator. 38 percent of the population lives in this city. The official language is Mongolian. Turkish, Russian and Chinese are the languages spoken by a small part of the people. Tögrög is used as currency.
The country has a harsh climate with few precipitations and large temperature changes. The average temperature in January in Ulaanbaatar is -28 degrees Celsius, while it is 18 degrees in July. Winter rivers and lakes freeze.
The main foods that make up the country cuisine are meat, flour, potatoes, and dairy products. They use meat in almost every meal.
| Country | Mongolia |
| Code | MN (MNG) |
| Calling Code | 976 |
| Capital City | Ulaanbaatar |
| Currency | mongolian tögrög (MNT) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇲🇳 |
| Highest Point | Khüiten Peak (Huyten Orgil) (4,374 m) |
| Internet TLD | .mn |
| Population(2018) | 3,121,772 |
| Total Area | 1,564,120 km2 |