Tibet At a Glance

Location: Southwest China.

Name: Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). Capital: Lhasa.

Area of TAR: 1.23 million square kilometers.

Population: 6 million Tibetans (2.7 million inhabit the TAR) & 7.5 million Chinese.

Borders: Nepal, Bhutan, India and Myanmar in the South and Kashmir (India) in the West.

Provinces: U & Tsang (Central Tibet), Kham (Eastern Tibet) & Ngari (Western Tibet).

Average Altitude: 4500m above sea level.

Language: Tibetan (of the Tibeto-Burmese language family). The official language is Chinese after Chinese occupation in 1959.

Religion: Tibetan Buddhism is practiced by 99% of the population.

People: The vast majority of Tibet's people live in rural areas, and a large but diminishing part of the population is nomadic or semi-nomadic. Although the majority of people in Tibet are believed to be ethnic Tibetans a large number of migrant Han Chinese who have come to Tibet in search of work from mainland China have not officially registered as residents. Therefore the earlier census records may not apply at present. There are also smaller populations of ethnic Lhoba, Moinba, Deng, Xiaerba, and Hui (Chinese Muslims).

Religion: Tibetan Buddhism which was originally introduced in the 7th century, and then reintroduced in the 11th century is the religion of the overwhelming majority of the population. Many Tibetan monasteries and other religious buildings which had been destroyed during the Chinese Cultural Revolution have been renovated and rebuilt and monks and nuns are still practicing their religion. A paramount objective of Tibetan culture has been the cultivation of a good heart, a calm and clear mind. Tibetan Buddhism evolved into four sects: the Nyingma, the Kagyu, the Sakya and the Gelugpa. The Dalai and Panchen Lamas belong to the Gelugpa sect. The only educational system was religious, all cultural and intellectual activities were centered on religious beliefs.

Climate: Tibet has a dry and generally cold climate receiving only 18 inches of rain annually. Spring, early summer and autumn are probably the best times to be in Tibet although strong winds are common the year round. Lhasa and central Tibet have an average temperature of 0°C (32°F) in December and an average of 17°C (60°F) in June. The daily temperature range is great. On a typical summer day, the temperature can rise from 3°C (37°F) before sunrise to 27°C (81°F) by mid-day. In general, temperatures in Tibet frequently drop suddenly after sunset.

Geography: The Tibetan plateau is one of the most isolated regions in the universe. It shares borders with India, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar. Much of Tibet is a harsh and uncompromising landscape best described as a high-altitude desert. Little of the Indian monsoon makes it over the Himalayan watershed and shifting sand dunes are a common sight along the Samye Valley and the road to Kailash.

History: Tibetans actually are believed to have originated from the nomadic warlike tribes known as the Qiang. Chinese records of these tribes date back as far as the 2nd century BC. Credible history records regarding the Yarlung Valley Dynasty do not emerge until the fledging kingdom entered the international arena from the 6th century by which time the Yarlung Kings, through conquests and alliances has unified much of central Tibet. A series of emperors ruled Tibet from the 7th to the 11th century. At times Tibetan rule extended as far south as Bengal and as far north as Mongolia.
But the emergence of Tibet as an important regional power came about only after the succession of Namri Songtsen’s son, Songtsen Gampo. Songtsen Gampo is regarded as the most famous King in Tibetan history because of his policy of expansion and moreover, since his two foreign wives, Wen Cheng and Bhrikuti, were immensely responsible for bringing about the introduction of Buddhism in Tibet.

Time: 08 hrs ahead of GMT ( 2 hrs & 15 mins ahead of Nepal Standard Time).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 cycles AC.