What writing system is used in Mongolia?
Mongolia primarily uses the Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet since the Soviet era. Traditional Mongolian script (Mongol bitchig) persists in Inner Mongolia (China) and is experiencing a gradual revival attempt in the Republic of Mongolia.
The Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet, official writing system
Since 1941, the Republic of Mongolia has used a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet adapted to the Mongolian language. This writing system has 35 letters compared to 33 in Russian, with specific characters such as Ө and Ү to transcribe Mongolian sounds.
Mongol bitchig, traditional writing
The Mongol bitchig (traditional Mongolian writing) is written vertically from top to bottom and from left to right. Developed in the 13th century, it remains used in Inner Mongolia (autonomous region of China) where it coexists with Chinese.
An ongoing transition
Since 2020, Mongolia has planned to gradually reintroduce traditional writing in education, while maintaining Cyrillic. This approach aims to strengthen Mongolian cultural identity and facilitate exchanges with Inner Mongolia.