Tibet is the only autonomous region in China, it was opened to tourists not so long ago - in the 70s of the last century, and some areas became accessible to foreigners just a decade ago. Tibet impresses with its color, unique culture and traditions, as well as the atmosphere of tranquility prevailing there.
Geographical location of Tibet
Tibet is located in Central Asia, occupying the southwestern edge of China. In the northeast and east, this autonomous region borders on the provinces of Sy-Chuan, Yun-nan and the Kuku-nor region, in the west and south-west it neighbors with Kashmir, Ladakh and India, and in the south with Burma and Nepal. The territory of Tibet reaches 1.2 million square meters. km.
Historic Tibet is twice the size of today's Tibet Autonomous Region, as many of its provinces lack autonomy.
The average height of the Tibetan plate reaches 4000 meters above sea level, and the highest point is at an altitude of over 8000 meters. On three sides, it is bounded by high and incredibly beautiful mountains. So, in the south of Tibet are the Himalayas, in the West - the Karakorum, and in the north - the Tangla and Kunlun mountains. In the east, the land of Tibet is interrupted by deep gorges and low mountain ranges, and also meets the low-lying provinces of China - Yannan and Sichuan.
Tibet has the highest mountain in the world - Everest (Chomolungma), whose height reaches 8848 meters.
Many of the great rivers of Asia originate from the Tibetan plateau. To the east, through southern Tibet, the Tsangpo River flows into the Bay of Bengal. Near the sacred mountain Kailash in the western part of the plateau, the Sutley and Indus rivers originate, which then unite on the plains of Pakistan. And in the east of the Tibetan land, the Salvin and Mekong rivers begin their journey to South Asia.
Climate of Tibet
This unique geographic location has given rise to the specific climate of Tibet. The average temperature in winter reaches -4 ° C, in summer - 14 ° C with a plus sign. There quite often suddenly there is a squally wind and dust storms. There may be sudden changes in temperature at night, especially in western Tibet. Average rainfall varies by region of Tibet. In the eastern regions, it rains most often in January and July, and in the western regions - in July-August.
Population, religion and landmarks of Tibet
The population of the Tibet Autonomous Region today reaches about 5 million people. Another 140 thousand are abroad, most of them are in India, this happened due to the occupation of Tibet by China in 1959.
It is noteworthy that 90% of the population of Tibet profess the state religion of this area - Buddhism. A small number of adherents of Islam and Christianity live in some areas.
Buddhism in Tibet is closely intertwined with cultural heritage - most of the attractions in this area reflect the state religion. In Tibet, you can see unique Buddhist temples and monasteries, many of which are outstanding architectural structures. Tourists are also notable for the unique natural landscape of Tibet.
