Tibet lies at the centre of Asia, with an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. The earth’s highest mountains, a huge infertile plateau and great river valleys make up the physical motherland of 6 million Tibetans. It has an average altitude of 13,000 feet above sea level. Tibet is comprised of the three provinces of Amdo (now split by China into the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu & Sichuan), Kham (largely incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Qinghai), and U-Tsang (which, together with western Kham, is today referred to by China as the Tibet Autonomous Region).The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) comprises less than half of historic Tibet and was created by China in 1965 for administrative reasons. It is important to note that when Chinese officials and publications use the term “Tibet” they mean only the TAR.
Land Size: | 2.5 million square kilometers, which includes U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo provinces consisting of U-Tsang and a small portion of Kham, consists of 1.2 million square kilometers. The size of Tibet lies outside the TAR. |
Capital: | Lhasa |
Population: | 6 million Tibetans and an estimated 7.5 million Chinese, most of who are in Kham and Amdo. |
Language: | Tibetan (of the Tibeto-Burmese language family). The official language is Chinese. |
Staple Food: | Tsampa (roasted barley flour) |
National Drink: | Salted butter tea |
Typical Animals: | Wild yak, Bharal (blue) sheep, Musk deer, Tibetan antelope, Tibetan gazelle, Kyang (wild ass), Pica, Panda |
Typical Birds: | Black necked crane, Lammergeier, Great crested grebe, Bar-headed goose, Ruddy shel duck, Ibis-bill |
Average Altitude: | 4,000 meters or 13,000 feet above sea level. |
Highest Mountain: | Chomo Langma (Mt. Everest) 29,028 ft. |
Average Rainfall: | Varies widely. In the west it is 1 mm in Jan. to 25 mm in July. In the east, it is 25-50 in Jan. and 800 in July |
Average Temperature: | July–14.5 degrees celcius (58 F) January–minus 16.5 degrees celcius (24 F) |
Mineral Deposits: | Borax, uranium, iron, chromite, gold |
Economy: | Tibetans: mostly in agriculture and animal husbandry. Chinese: mostly in government, commerce and the service sector. |
Provinces: | U-Tsang (Central Tibet), Amdo (N.E. Tibet), Kham (S.E. Tibet) |
Bordering Countries: | India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, China |
National Flag: | Snow lions with red and blue rays. Outlawed in Tibet |