Tibet Facts

Name:

Official Name: Xizang Zizhiqu

Short form: Xizang

Int'l long form: Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)

Int'l short form: Tibet

Etymological: the name Tibet is derived from the Sanskrit word Trivistapa which means "heaven." Tibetans called their homeland Bod.

Geography:

Location: Asia, north of India , located on the Tibetan Plateau, the world's highest region.

Area: 1.2m sq km (471 700 sq miles), Bod: 2.5 million sq. km, approximately the size of Western Europe .

Terrain: 70% Grassland; from high plateau to tropical forest

Climate: Average temperture 28 degrees Celsius (Summer) -15 degrees Celsius (in Winter), extremely dry except during rainy season (July-August). Click here to know the best time to visit Tibet .

History:

Tibetan history can be traced thousands of years back. Tibet 's history can be diveded into four period: The Tsanpo's Period, The period of Decentrailzation, The period of Sakya, Pagdu, and Karmapa's Rule, and The period of the gandan Podrang's Administration. Read More...

People:

Population: 2.62 million

Ethnic Groups: primarily ethnic Tibetans; Menba, Lhoba, Mongols, Hui and a growing number of Han Chinese.

Religions: Tibetan Buddhism, Animism.

Culture: Wedding, Funeral

Languages: Tibetan, Chinese.

Festivals: Tibetan New Year, Shoton Festival, Bathing Festival.. Click to see more Fesitivals celebrated in Tibet .

Natural resources: Forests, wildlife, mineral resources, uranium (world's largest uranium reserve), hydro-, geothermal energy.

Agriculture products: Livestock and livestock products.

Industries: Mining, wool spinning, carpets, forestry, food processing, printing, building materials and machinery, tourism.

Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY)

Time:

Local Time = UTC +8h

Actual Time: Thu-Aug-25 15:35

Government:

Type: Communist party-led state (People's Republic of China )

The Tibet Autonomous Region was founded on 9 September 1965.

Regions and Cities:

Tibet Autonomous Region is gifted with grand natural scenery and diversified cultural heritage, which bestow the region with rich resources. It is hard to count how many number-ones that Tibet has when compared with the rest of China, or in Asia and the whole world .Tibet has three world cultural heritage sites, five 4A -grade State tourism regions(or spots),three State nature reserves, one State scenic region, one State scenic region, one State forest park and one State geological park, the history and cultural famous city of Lhasa and over 100 cultural relic protection units. Tibet fascinates tourists from home and broad with its grandiose natural scenery, vast plateau landscape, charming holy mountains and sacred lakes, numerous ancient architectures and unique folk cultures. Tibet Autonomous Region lies in the southwestern part of China ,at a geological location within 2 6 ° 50' -36 ° 53' north latitude and 78 ° 25' -99 ° 06' east longitude .Covering an area of over 1.2 million square kilometers ,the autonomous region takes up about one-eighth of China . Among all the provinces and autonomous regions of the country. Tibet is the second largest following the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Its area equals the combination of Great Britain , France , Germany , The Netherlands and Luxembourg . To the north, it neighbors Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province ; on the east and southeast, it is adjacent to Sichuan and Yunnan province; on the south and west, it borders Myanmar , India , Sikkim , Bhutan and Nepal , as will as Kashmir on a border line of 4000 kilometers stretching from east to west.

Tibet Autonomous Region has six regions :Shannan, Nyingchi, Ngari, Xigaze,Nagqu and Qamdo. Besides the two cities, Lhasa (prefecture level) and Xigatze (county level),there are 71 counties in Tibet . Some of the famous cities or towns in Tibet include Zedang, Bayi, Nagqu, Shiquanhe, Gyangze, Zhangmu and others. The capital of Tibet Autonomous Region is Lhasa .

According to the fifth national population census conducted in November 2000, Tibet Autonomous Region has a population of 2.6163 million, with 92.2 percent (2.4111 million) belonging to the ethnicTibetans,5.9 percent (155,300) being Han nationality, and the remaining 1.9 percent(49,9000) being consisted of Mnoba, Lhoba, Hui, Naxi and other ethnic minorities. Compared to the fourth national population survey in 1990, the population of Tibet increased by 420,300 at a percentage of 19.1 percent, with the Tibetan people increasing at 15.1 percent, While that of other ethnic minorities increased by 169.7 percent. Among all the people living in Tibet , 18.9 percent lice in cities of towns, 81.1 percent dwell in rural areas. Tibet has the smallest population and the lowest population concentration in China .

Sitting on a highland, Tibet 's climate is rather cold with sharply different temperatures between day and night. But due to long time of sunshine, winter is not unbearable. The annual temperature in southern Tibet is 8 ° C ,while that of northern Tibet is below 0 °C . The middle part of Tibet has neither cold winter nor hot summer. From March till October, it is the best time to journey across Tibet .

The transportation in Tibet has been greatly improve. A network of roads has come into being with Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Yunnan - Tibet Highway and China-Nepal Road as well as their branches. For air transportation, besides the Gonggar Airport of Lhasa and Bangda Airport of Qamdo which are in function now, the Peace Airport of Xigaze, the Nyingchi Airport and Ngari Airport are under construction of being enlarged. As for railway, the second phase of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Golmud of Qinghai Province to Lhasa of Tibet is under construction and will be ready for transportation in 2007

Tibet is a renowned heaven for tourists.Every visitor to this vast plateau will make his of her own discoveries and hate leave when the day of departure comes. The Potala Palace , Jokhang Monastery and Norbulingka have been included in the UNESCO,s World Cultural Heritage List. The Potala Palace , Jokhang Monastery, Norbulingka and Tibet Museum of Lhasa as well as Basum Co of Nyingchi were ranked at 4A level scenic spots by the State Tourism Bureau in 2001. Across Tibet , transportation, sightseeing, shopping, lodge and entertainment facilities are steadily improving. There is a great prospect in developing the natural scenery and cultural aspects for tourism. Many scholars in the field of tourism believe that Tibet may one day become an international tourism centre.