History of Mongolia in Timeline

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia and China. It's the 18th largest country in the world but has a very low population density of 3.5 million. Mongolia features diverse geography, including grassy steppes, mountains, and the Gobi Desert. Ulaanbaatar is its capital and largest city, housing about half of the nation's population.

1904: Construction of Choijing Lamiin Sume

The lamasery Choijing Lamiin Sume, an example of a temple built in the Chinese tradition, was constructed in 1904; it serves as a museum today.

1911: Head of Church Also Khan

From 1911 on, the head of the Mongolian Buddhist Church had also been the Khan of the country.

1911: Collapse of the Qing dynasty and declaration of independence

In 1911, following the collapse of the Qing dynasty, Mongolia declared its independence.

1911: Qing Dynasty Control

Until 1911, the Qing dynasty maintained control of Mongolia through alliances, intermarriages, and military and economic measures.

1918: First Census of the 20th Century

The first census in the 20th century was carried out in 1918 and recorded a population of 647,500.

1919: Chinese troops occupied Mongolia

In 1919, after the October Revolution in Russia, Chinese troops led by warlord Xu Shuzheng occupied Mongolia.

October 1920: Ungern led troops into Mongolia

In October 1920, White Russian Lieutenant General Baron Ungern led his troops into Mongolia during the Russian Civil War.

1920: Beginning of Mongolian Press

Mongolian press began in 1920 with the establishment of the Unen newspaper, closely tied to the Soviet Union under the Mongolian Communist Party.

February 1921: Ungern defeated the Chinese forces

In early February 1921, Baron Ungern defeated the Chinese forces in Niislel Khüree (now Ulaanbaatar) with Mongol support.

March 1921: Mongolian army took Kyakhta from Chinese forces

On 18 March 1921, the Mongolian army took the Mongolian part of Kyakhta from Chinese forces.

July 1921: Independence declared again

On 6 July 1921, Russian and Mongolian troops arrived in Khüree, and Mongolia declared its independence again on 11 July 1921.

1921: Achievement of actual independence

In 1921, Mongolia achieved actual independence from the Republic of China.

1921: People's Party Forms Government

In 1921, the People's Party formed the government and remained in power until 1996.

1921: Early leaders of the Mongolian People's Republic

The early leaders of the Mongolian People's Republic (1921-1952) had pan-Mongolist ideals.

1924: Establishment of the Mongolian People's Republic

In 1924, after the Bogd Khaan died, the Mongolian People's Republic was established.

1924: Party Name Change

In 1924, the People's Party changed its name to the People's Revolutionary Party.

1924: Monk Population Count

In 1924, the number of Buddhist monks in Mongolia was 100,000.

1928: Rise of Khorloogiin Choibalsan

In 1928, Khorloogiin Choibalsan rose to power in Mongolia.

1930: Soviet Union stopped Buryat migration

In 1930, the Soviet Union stopped Buryat migration to the Mongolian People's Republic.

1931: Japanese invasion of Manchuria

In 1931, Mongolia was threatened after the Japanese invasion of neighboring Manchuria.

1937: Start of Stalinist purges

The Stalinist purges in Mongolia began in 1937, resulting in numerous deaths.

1938: Disassembly of Temple of Maitreya

In 1938, the temple of Maitreya, an example of Tibeto-Mongolian architecture, was disassembled.

1939: Stalinist purges

Choibalsan organized Stalinist purges in Mongolia between 1937 and 1939.

1939: Soviet-Japanese Border War

During the Soviet-Japanese Border War of 1939, the Soviet Union defended Mongolia against Japanese expansionism.

February 1945: Yalta Conference

In February 1945, the Yalta Conference provided for the Soviet Union's participation in the Pacific War, with a condition that Outer Mongolia would retain its independence after the war.

August 1945: Mongolia fought against Japan

In August 1945, Mongolia fought against Japan during the Soviet-Japanese War to liberate Inner Mongolia from Japan and Mengjiang.

October 1945: Referendum on Independence

On 20 October 1945, a referendum took place where reportedly 100% of the electorate voted for independence.

1948: Start of amateur boxing

Amateur boxing has been practiced in Mongolia since 1948.

October 1949: Mutual recognition confirmed with China

On 6 October 1949, after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, both countries confirmed their mutual recognition.

January 1952: Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal took power

On 26 January 1952, Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal took power in Mongolia after the death of Choibalsan.

1952: Illiteracy Virtually Eliminated

By 1952, illiteracy was virtually eliminated in Mongolia, in part through the use of seasonal boarding schools for children of nomadic families.

1952: Choibalsan's death

In 1952, Choibalsan, who led a dictatorship, died suspiciously in the Soviet Union.

1952: Early leaders of the Mongolian People's Republic

The early leaders of the Mongolian People's Republic (1921-1952) had pan-Mongolist ideals.

1955: Republic of China vetoed Mongolian UN admission

In 1955, the Republic of China used its Security Council veto to stop the admission of the Mongolian People's Republic to the United Nations.

1958: Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling has been practiced since 1958 in Mongolia.

1960: Foundation of Olympic boxing national team

The Mongolian Olympic boxing national team was founded in 1960.

October 1961: Mongolia admitted to the UN

On 27 October 1961, Mongolia was finally admitted to the UN after a deal between the Soviet Union and other African countries where ROC relented.

1961: Climate data collection

Between 1961 and 1990, the highest annual precipitation was measured in the forests of Bulgan Province.

1964: Ban on Boxing

From 1964 to 1967, the Communist government of Mongolia banned boxing.

1967: End of Ban on Boxing

In 1967 the Communist government of Mongolia ended the ban on boxing.

1970: Fertility Rate Estimation

In 1970-1975, Mongolia's fertility rate was estimated to be 7.33 children per woman.

1975: Fertility Rate Estimation

In 1970-1975, Mongolia's fertility rate was estimated to be 7.33 children per woman.

1981: Eradication of diseases

Smallpox, typhus, plague, poliomyelitis, and diphtheria were eradicated in Mongolia by 1981.

August 1984: Tsedenbal's retirement

In August 1984, while Tsedenbal was visiting Moscow and suffering from severe illness, the parliament announced his retirement and replaced him with Jambyn Batmönkh.

1989: Anti-communist revolutions

In 1989, in the wake of anti-communist revolutions, Mongolia began its own transition.

1989: Number of Christians in Mongolia

In 1989, there were only four Christians in Mongolia.

January 1990: Peaceful Democratic Revolution

In January 1990 Mongolia undertook the peaceful Democratic Revolution.

1990: Climate data collection

Between 1961 and 1990, the lowest annual precipitation was measured in the Gobi Desert.

1990: Number of Buddhist Monks

By 1990, the number of Buddhist monks in Mongolia had decreased to 110 due to religious repression.

1990: End of One-Party System

In 1990, the one-party system ended in Mongolia.

1990: Peaceful democratic revolution

In early 1990, Mongolia experienced a peaceful democratic revolution.

1990: English supplants Russian as the most popular foreign language

Since 1990, English has increasingly replaced Russian as the most popular foreign language in Mongolia, following a shift in the education system and government policy.

1990: Improvement in health indicators

Since 1990, key health indicators in Mongolia like life expectancy and infant and child mortality have steadily improved, both due to social changes and to improvement in the health sector.

1990: Revival of Historic Mongolian Script

Since the 1990 revolution, there has been a minor revival of the historic Mongolian script.

1991: Restoration of Public Religious Practice

In 1991, the fall of communism in Mongolia led to the restoration of public religious practice, with Tibetan Buddhism regaining prominence.

1991: Establishment of Mongolian Stock Exchange

The Mongolian Stock Exchange was established in 1991 in Ulaanbaatar.

1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 strongly influenced Mongolian politics and youth.

1991: End of Religious Repression

The end of religious repression in the 1990s also allowed for other religions to spread in the country. Seventh-day Adventists had zero members in 1991.

February 1992: Adoption of the new Constitution of Mongolia

On February 13, 1992, the new Constitution of Mongolia was adopted, officially naming the state "Mongolia".

1992: New constitution

In 1992, Mongolia adopted a new constitution.

1992: Membership in The Forum of Small States

In 1992, Mongolia became a member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) since its founding.

1992: Sükhbataar's etymological proposal

In 1992, Sükhbataar proposed an etymology for the word "Mongol".

1992: Introduction of new constitution

In 1992, a new constitution was introduced in Mongolia, and the term "People's Republic" was dropped from the country's name.

1993: Increase in students

Between 1993 and 2010, there was a six-fold increase in the number of students attending university in Mongolia.

1993: First election victories for non-communist parties

In 1993, the first election victories for non-communist parties came in the presidential elections.

1996: Parliamentary elections

In 1996, Mongolia saw first election victories for non-communist parties in parliamentary elections.

1996: End of One-Party System

In 1996, the People's Party's long reign ended, marking the shift from a one-party system.

1997: Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization

In 1997, Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization.

August 1998: Drafting of Press Freedom Law

In August 1998, a new law on press freedom was drafted in Mongolia, with assistance from international NGOs.

January 1999: Enactment of Press Freedom Law

On January 1, 1999, the law on press freedom was enacted in Mongolia, paving the way for media reforms.

2000: People's Party Returns to Power

In 2000, the People's Party returned to power and governed until 2004.

2000: Decline of fertility rate

In 2000-2005 Mongolia's fertility rate declined to about 2.1 children per woman.

2003: Support for Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Mongolia supported the invasion of Iraq and sent troops.

2003: First Catholic Bishop

In 2003, a missionary from the Philippines was named Mongolia's first Catholic bishop.

2004: Coalition Government Formed

From 2004 to 2006, the People's Party was part of a coalition with the Democrats and two other parties.

2004: Mongolia Invited as OSCE Partner

In 2004, Mongolia was invited by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as its newest Asian partner.

November 2005: Visit of US President George W. Bush

On November 21, 2005, George W. Bush became the first sitting US president to visit Mongolia.

2005: Decline of fertility rate

In 2000-2005 Mongolia's fertility rate declined to about 2.1 children per woman.

2005: Conversion of State-Run Media

In 2005, Mongolia's state-run radio and TV provider converted to a public service provider.

2006: Dominant Party in Coalitions

After 2006, the People's Party was the dominant party in two other coalitions.

2006: English taught in all secondary schools

As of 2006, English is taught in all secondary schools across Mongolia, beginning in fourth grade.

2006: Troop Deployment in Kosovo

From 2005 to 2006, about 40 troops were deployed with the Belgian and Luxembourg contingents in Kosovo.

2006: Improving Media Environment

Since 2006, the media environment in Mongolia has been improving with the government debating a new Freedom of Information Act.

May 2007: Tsogbadrakhyn Mönkhzul Ranked Third

As of May 2007, Tsogbadrakhyn Mönkhzul was ranked third in the world in the 25-meter pistol event.

2007: World Bank Report

A 2007 World Bank report highlighted Mongolia's relatively strong health indicators despite its low per capita income, attributed to significant health gains achieved during the socialist period.

2007: Population Growth Rate

Mongolia's population growth rate was estimated at 1.2% in 2007.

2008: Number of Christians in Mongolia

As of 2008, the number of Christians in Mongolia grew to around 40,000 according to the Christian missionary group Barnabas Fund.

2008: Gündegmaa wins Olympic silver

Otryadyn Gündegmaa won a silver medal in pistol shooting at the 2008 Olympic Games.

2008: Transition to 12-Year System Begins

Since the 2008–2009 school year, new first-graders in Mongolia started using the 12-year system, beginning the transition from the previous 10-year system.

May 2009: Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj Elected President

On May 24, 2009, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was elected as president after defeating incumbent Nambaryn Enkhbayar.

July 2009: Deployment to Chad

In July 2009, Mongolia decided to send a battalion to Chad in support of MINURCAT.

October 2009: Batbold Sukhbaatar Nominated as Prime Minister

In October 2009, the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (2010) (MPRP) nominated Batbold Sukhbaatar as the new Prime Minister.

2009: Agreement to Develop Oyu Tolgoi Deposit

In 2009, the Mongolian government negotiated an agreement with Rio Tinto and Ivanhoe Mines to develop the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold deposit.

2010: Increase in students

Between 1993 and 2010, there was a six-fold increase in the number of students attending university in Mongolia.

2010: Fertility Rate Increase

In 2005–2010, the fertility value increased to 2.8 in 2013.

2010: Mining Revenue

In 2010, fiscal revenues from mining represented 21% of government income.

2010: Party Name Change

In 2010, the People's Revolutionary Party changed its name back to the People's Party.

2010: Promising Growth Prospects

In 2011, Citigroup analysts determined Mongolia to be one of the "global growth generating" countries, which are countries with the most promising growth prospects for 2010–2050.

2010: Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP)

The ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party in 2010 nominated Batbold Sukhbaatar as new Prime Minister in October 2009.

2011: Ulaanbaatar Pollution Levels

According to a 2011 study by the World Health Organization (WHO), Mongolia's capital city, Ulaanbaatar, had the second highest level of fine particle pollution of any city in the world.

2011: Global Growth Generating Country

In 2011, Citigroup analysts determined Mongolia to be one of the "global growth generating" countries.

2011: Silver Medal at Asian Winter Games

In 2011, Mongolia's national bandy team captured the silver medal at the Asian Winter Games, the country's highest finish in the event.

2011: Visit of US Vice President Joe Biden

In 2011, then Vice President of the US, Joe Biden, visited Mongolia supporting Mongolia's third neighbor policy.

2011: Proposed Partnerships Failed

Mongolian lawmakers have also attempted to finance the development of the Tavan Tolgoi area, the world's largest untapped coal deposit, However, proposed international partnerships failed in 2011 and 2015.

June 2012: National Assembly Election Results

In June 2012, an election of deputies to the national assembly resulted in no party having an overall majority. The Democratic Party won the largest number of seats.

August 2012: Appointment of Prime Minister

On August 10, 2012, Norovyn Altankhuyag, leader of the Democratic Party, was appointed prime minister after the Democratic Party won the largest number of seats in the national assembly.

2012: Highest-ranking Lama Position Vacant

Since the 9th Jebtsundamba's passing in 2012, the highest-ranking lama of Buddhism in Mongolia has been vacant, with the search for the next Jebtsundamba Khutuktu complicated by Beijing's influence.

May 2013: LDS Church Cultural Program

In May 2013, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) held a cultural program to celebrate twenty years of LDS Church history in Mongolia, with 10,900 members and 16 church buildings.

June 2013: Elbegdorj Re-elected as President

On June 26, 2013, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was re-elected as president.

July 2013: Elbegdorj Inaugurated for Second Term

On July 10, 2013, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was inaugurated for his second term as president.

2013: Fertility Rate Increase

In 2005–2010, the fertility value increased to 2.8 in 2013.

2013: Paved Roads Completed

In 2013, 1,800 km (1,100 mi) of paved roads were completed in Mongolia.

2013: World Press Freedom Index Ranking

In its 2013 World Press Freedom Index report, Reporters Without Borders classified the media environment as 98th out of 179, with 1st being most free.

2014: Main Source of Information

According to a 2014 Asian Development Bank survey, 80% of Mongolians cited television as their main source of information.

2014: Most popular foreign languages in specialized language courses

As of the 2014-2015 academic year, the most popular foreign languages in specialized language courses in Mongolia were English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, and Korean.

2014: Chimediin Saikhanbileg Appointed Prime Minister

In 2014, Chimediin Saikhanbileg replaced Norovyn Altankhuyag as Prime Minister.

2014: English most popular language in schools

In the 2014-2015 academic year, 59% of students in Mongolian public secondary schools studied English.

January 2015: Davaajargal Top Division Championship

In January 2015, Mönkhbatyn Davaajargal took his 33rd top division championship, giving him the most in the history of sumo.

2015: Annual Marathon in Ulaanbataar

In 2015, Ulaanbaatar held its sixth annual marathon, organized by Ar Mongol. The race starts at Sukhbataar Square.

2015: Gold Production

Mongolian's gold production in 2015 is 15 metric tons.

2016: World Press Freedom Index Ranking

In 2016, Mongolia was ranked 60th out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index.

2016: Release of The Eagle Huntress

In 2016, The Eagle Huntress, an internationally co-produced Kazakh-language documentary film directed by Otto Bell, was released.

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2016: MPP Victory and New Prime Minister

In 2016, the MPP won a landslide victory in the elections, and Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh became the next prime minister.

June 2017: Khaltmaagiin Battulga Wins Presidential Election

In June 2017, opposition Democratic Party candidate Khaltmaagiin Battulga won the presidential election.

July 2017: Battulga Inaugurated as President

On July 10, 2017, Khaltmaagiin Battulga was inaugurated as president.

2017: Seventh-day Adventists Members

In 2017, Seventh-day Adventists reported 2,700 members in six churches in Mongolia.

2017: Bronze Medal at Bandy World Championship

Mongolia won the bronze medal of the B division at the 2017 Bandy World Championship after which the then President of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, held a reception for the team.

2018: Mining Revenue

In 2018, fiscal revenues from mining represented 24% of government income.

2019: Constitutional Amendment

In 2019, Mongolia amended its constitution, transferring some powers from the president to the prime minister.

2019: Total Primary Energy Supply and Electricity Consumption

In 2019, Mongolia had a total primary energy supply (TPES) of 6.66 Mtoe and electricity consumption was 7.71 TWh.

2019: Full transition to the 12-year system

The full transition to the 12-year education system was completed in the 2019–2020 school year in Mongolia.

June 2020: MPP Victory in Election

In June 2020, the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) won a landslide victory in the election, securing 62 seats while the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) won 11 of the 76 seats.

2020: National Census Religion Statistics

According to the 2020 National Census, among Mongolians aged 15 and above, 51.7% were Buddhists, while 40.6% were non-religious.

2020: Fertility Rate Stabilization

Around 2020, Mongolia's fertility rate stabilized at about 2.5-2.6 children per woman.

2020: Population Distribution

As of 2020, 47.6% of Mongolia's population lived in Ulaanbaatar.

2020: IPO Cancelled

Mongolia canceled an international initial public offering in 2020, citing financial and political difficulties.

January 2021: Prime Minister's Resignation and New Appointment

In January 2021, Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh resigned following protests. On January 27, 2021, Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene of MPP became the new prime minister.

June 2021: Ukhnaa Khurelsukh Elected President

In June 2021, former Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) was elected president.

2021: De la Vaissière's etymological proposal

In 2021, de la Vaissière proposed an etymology for the word "Mongol".

September 2022: Direct Rail Link to China

In September 2022, Mongolia built and launched a 233-km direct rail link to China.

2022: Poverty Rate and GDP Per Capita

According to the Asian Development Bank, 27.1% of Mongolia's population lived below the national poverty line in 2022. In 2022, GDP per capita was estimated at $12,100.

2022: Trade with China

As of 2022, 78% of Mongolia's exports went to the PRC, and the PRC supplied 36% of Mongolia's imports.

May 2023: Parliament approves constitutional amendment

On 31 May 2023, Mongolia's parliament approved a constitutional amendment that increased the number of seats and changed the electoral system.

2023: Parliament Seat Increase

In 2023, a constitutional amendment increased the number of seats in the State Great Khural from 76 to 126.

2023: English declared "first foreign language"

In 2023, the Mongolian government declared English the "first foreign language," mandating its instruction from the third grade onwards.

2023: Filming of Iron Winter

In winter 2023, Australian filmmakers Ben Golotta and Morgan Wright filmed two horse herders, Batbold and Tsagana, herding around 2000 animals across the Tsaikhir Valley, for the documentary film Iron Winter.

2023: GDP Growth Due to Coal Production

Mongolia's real GDP grew by 7% in 2023 due to record-high coal production, driven by strong demand from China.

2024: Autocratization

According to V-Dem Democracy Indices, Mongolia was autocratizing in 2024.

2024: Mongolian Stock Exchange Status

As of 2024, the Mongolian Stock Exchange has 180 companies listed with a total market capitalization of US$3.2 billion.

2024: Livestock Deaths Due to Zud

In the winter of 2024, over six million animals (9% of total livestock) were killed by extreme weather conditions called zuds.

2024: Mongolia's Total Population

Mongolia's total population in 2024 was 3,544,835, according to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia.

2024: Official Health Day

Since 2024 Mongolia has declared 7 April as Official Health Day, which is not a public holiday, but still is an Observance Day.

August 2025: Melbourne International Film Festival screening of Iron Winter

The documentary film, titled Iron Winter, was screened in the Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2025.

October 2025: Adelaide Film Festival screening of Iron Winter

The documentary film Iron Winter is being screened in the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2025.

2025: Use of Cyrillic and Traditional Mongolian Scripts

In 2025, Mongolia began using both the Cyrillic and traditional Mongolian scripts for legal papers and official documents.

2025: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2025, Mongolia was ranked 78th in the Global Innovation Index.

2025: Second place finish in Physical: Asia

In 2025, a Mongolian team of mixed athletes placed second in the first season of Physical: Asia.

2050: Promising Growth Prospects

In 2011, Citigroup analysts determined Mongolia to be one of the "global growth generating" countries, which are countries with the most promising growth prospects for 2010–2050.