Ulaanbaatar's 2026 population is now estimated at 1,682,636. In 1979, the population of Ulaanbaatar was 396,300. Ulaanbaatar has grown by 45,652 in the last year, which represents a 2.79% annual change. These population values and projections come from Mongolia city census/estimate series 1979-2021 via CityPopulation official attribution, NSO Mongolia PxWeb resident population by soum/district (direct) and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Ulaanbaatar is a city that is located in Mongolia. It is not just the capital but it is also the largest city by population. Its total population is over 1.3 million, which is over half of the total population of Mongolia.
The city covers over 1,800 square miles and has a population density of 704 people per square mile.
The city was established in 1639, although it wasn’t settled in its permanent and current location until 1778. Ulaanbaatar was the site of demonstrations that led to Mongolia’s transition to democracy and market economy in 1990. Ulaanbaatar is the coldest national capital in the world.
Ethnic Mongolians make up the majority of the population. The language spoken in Ulaanbaatar is Mongolian, and English is the most commonly used foreign language. Russian is also spoken by some residents, as well as German, Japanese and Korean.
Ulaanbaatar has experienced steady growth in its population since the 1920s, mostly because of migration, primarily from the rural areas around the city. The city has grown nearly 1,000 times over the last 88 years to reach its current population. Based on these statistics, Ulaanbaatar’s population is expected to continue to grow.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Ulaanbaatar | 1,682,636 | 2.79% |
| Erdenet | 112,520 | 1.95% |
| Bayankhongor | 93,276 | 0.72% |
| Darkhan | 93,028 | 1.21% |
| Choibalsan | 52,102 | 2.01% |
| Moron | 51,749 | 4.05% |
| Olgii | 47,523 | 3.66% |
| Nalaikh | 40,146 | 0.62% |
| Arvaikheer | 39,257 | 2.55% |
| Khovd | 38,738 | 3.91% |
| Dalanzadgad | 36,525 | 4.83% |
| Ulaangom | 35,557 | 1.56% |
| Sainshand | 32,063 | 3.19% |
| Baganuur | 29,892 | 0.31% |
| Ondorkhaan | 25,944 | 1.47% |
| Baruun-Urt | 25,458 | 5.12% |
| Sukhbaatar | 22,124 | -0.26% |
| Tsetserleg | 22,086 | 1.13% |
| Altai | 19,205 | 1.86% |
| Zuunmod | 18,872 | 1.74% |
| Zamyn-Uud | 18,401 | -0.64% |
| Uliastai | 17,526 | 1.11% |
| Mandalgovi | 16,713 | 5.09% |
| Choir | 13,098 | 3.87% |
| Zuunkharaa | 6,520 | 1.51% |
| Khatgal | 4,780 | 5.12% |
| Bagakhangai | 4,439 | -0.09% |
| Bugant | 3,993 | 4.15% |
| Bulgan | 3,057 | 1.66% |
| Berkh | 2,914 | 4.15% |
| Khyalganat | 2,679 | -2.08% |
| Nomgon | 2,090 | 1.01% |
| Dulaankhaan | 2,068 | 2.78% |
| Orkhontuul | 1,987 | 1.38% |
| Tsagaannuur | 1,872 | 2.41% |
| Gurvanbayan | 1,086 | 2.36% |
| Guulin | 742 | 0.54% |
| Bayantooroi | 719 | -1.64% |
| Kherlenbayan-Ulaan | 503 | -0.98% |
