Tibet

Tibet At Glance
Tibet, also known as the “Roof of the World” is the highest region on earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres. Historically, it has remained as an independent country for various intervals of time but now it is an autonomous region of China. Secluded from the outer world for most part of the history, the Tibet has maintained its culture and tradition even after its invasion by China on 1951. It still remains as one of the most interesting and remote regions of the world.
In recent times tourism industry has developed gradually in this region. The mountainous terrains of the plateau offer extreme challenge to the trekkers, climbers and adventure-seekers whereas the numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries with their distinctive architecture attract researchers and admirers from all around the world.
It is the land of ancient Buddhist culture that has influenced the culture of not only its inhabitants but has reached beyond its boundaries to Bhutan in the east and China and as far as Mongolia to the north. Potala Palace of Lhasa, the historical residence of Dalai Lama is one of the major attractions in Tibet. There are numerous glacial lakes, canyons and mountains such as Qomolangma (Mount Everest) and Mount Kailash for nature lovers.

Area: 1,228,400 sq km (474,300 square miles)

Population: 3,002,166

Geographic Location: Tibet autonomous region is surrounded by the Chinese provinces Xinjiang, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan to the north, northeast, east and southeast respectively. There are some border disputes with the Republic of India in south and west. Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan are other countries to the south of Tibet.

Language: Tibetan is the primary language spoken by majority of the residents. Mandarin Chinese is also spoken widely, mostly after the influx of Han Chinese people to the region following the invasion.

Climate: Being the roof of the world, the weather in Tibet remains mostly alpine. But it varies to some extent from place to place. The southeastern Tibet is gentle with average temperature of eight degrees (Celsius) whereas the temperature in the western part remains usually below the freezing point. The central part of Tibet including Lhasa has got gentle and normal climate, not too cold neither too hot. The summer spanning from March to October is considered the best season for traveling. The precipitation occurs during May to September, mostly at nights in Lhasa and the surrounding area.

People and Religion: The majority of local people are the ethnic Tibetans. There are other ethnic groups such as Menba, Luoba and Nu that differ slightly in their customs and traditions. The Luoba people consists of over 20 tribes. Tibetan people traditionally  wear Guoxiu, a long shawl and Gongbu hat and boots. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation but tourism has flourished in recent years and growing steadily.
Tibetan Buddhism is the main religion, formed as a fusion of Bon, the indigenous religion and Buddhism that entered Tibet during the 8th century. Tibetan Buddhism has now spread beyond Tibet into mainland China, Bhutan, Nepal and Mongolia.
Before the invasion of China, there were around 6000 monasteries some of which still survive while some others have been reconstructed. A small population of Muslims is scattered throughout Tibet. There is also a minority group of people practicing Christianity. There are four mosques and a Catholic church in Tibet.

Currency: Chinese Renminbi (RMB) or Yuan.

Tibet