Tibet Autonomous Region Map

Author: Jun Jia Min, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The Tibet Autonomous Region is located on the southwestern frontier of China and the southwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It borders the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province to the north, Sichuan Province to the east, and Yunnan Province to the southeast. To the south and west, it shares borders with countries such as Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Nepal, forming the entire or partial border line between China and these countries, spanning nearly 4,000 kilometers. The Tibet Autonomous Region extends from 26°52′N to 36°32′N latitude and from 78°24′E to 99°06′E longitude. It is approximately 1,000 kilometers north-south and 2,000 kilometers east-west in width. The total land area of the region is over 1.22 million square kilometers, accounting for about 12.8% of China's total area.
Terrain and Mountains
The Tibet Autonomous Region has an average elevation of over 4,000 meters and is the core part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, earning it the name "Roof of the World." The terrain is complex and can be divided into three major natural zones:
- The western part is the northern Tibetan Plateau, located between the Kunlun Mountains, Tanggula Mountains, Gangdise Mountains, and Nyenqingtanggula Mountains, covering two-thirds of the region's total area.
- The southern part is the southern Tibetan Valley, situated between the Gangdise Mountains and the Himalayas.
- The eastern part is the high mountain and gorge region, featuring a series of high mountains and deep valleys that gradually shift from east-west to north-south, part of the famous Hengduan Mountains.
The topography can be broadly classified into six types: extremely high mountains, high mountains, mid-high mountains, low mountains, hills, and plains, as well as periglacial, karst, desert, and volcanic landscapes. The Himalayas, winding along the southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, consist of a series of parallel mountain ranges. The main part of the Himalayas lies on the border between China, India, and Nepal, stretching 2,400 kilometers in length and about 200-300 kilometers in width, with an average elevation exceeding 6,000 meters. The world's highest peak, Mount Everest (elevation 8,848.13 meters), stands in the middle of the Himalayas. Within a 5,000-square-kilometer area surrounding it, there are four peaks over 8,000 meters and 38 peaks over 7,000 meters.
Rivers and Lakes
In the Tibet Autonomous Region, there are over 20 rivers with drainage areas larger than 10,000 square kilometers and more than 100 rivers with drainage areas exceeding 2,000 square kilometers. Famous rivers include the Jinsha River, Nujiang River, Lancang River, and Yarlung Tsangpo River. Tibet is also one of China's provinces with the most international rivers, as the sources of the world-famous Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Salween, and Irrawaddy rivers are all located here. The water sources of Tibetan rivers mainly consist of rain, snowmelt, and groundwater, resulting in abundant flow, low sediment content, and high water quality. The Yarlung Tsangpo River is Tibet's largest river, originating from the Jema Yangzong Glacier on the northern slope of the Himalayas in Zhongba County, Ali Prefecture. It is 2,057 kilometers long within China, with a drainage area of over 240,000 square kilometers and an average elevation of around 4,500 meters, making it the highest river in the world. After entering India, it is known as the Brahmaputra River.
The Tibetan Plateau has more than 1,500 lakes of various sizes, including Namtso, Siling Co, and Zhaixi Namu Co, which are larger than 1,000 square kilometers, and 47 lakes larger than 100 square kilometers. The total area of these lakes is approximately 24,000 square kilometers, accounting for about one-third of China's total lake area. The Tibetan Plateau is not only China's most densely concentrated lake region but also the world's highest, largest, and most numerous alpine lake region. Most of the lakes are saline, with only a few freshwater lakes. There are 17 lakes with elevations exceeding 5,000 meters.
Climate
The climate of Tibet has the following characteristics:
- Thin air, low pressure, and low oxygen content.
- Strong solar radiation and long daylight hours. Due to the high altitude, thin air, low and water vapor content, and high transparency of the atmosphere, sunlight loses less energy as it passes through, resulting in stronger radiation. Tibet receives the most solar radiation in the country, with Lhasa having a total radiation of 195 kilocalories per square centimeter per year, while Chengdu, at a similar latitude, only has 88 kilocalories per square centimeter per year, and Shanghai has 113 kilocalories per square centimeter per year. The number of sunshine hours in the Tibetan Plateau is also much higher than that of other regions at the same latitude in China. For example, Lhasa has 3,021 sunshine hours per year, while Chengdu has 1,186 hours and Shanghai has 1,932 hours.
- Lower temperatures with large diurnal temperature differences. Due to the high elevation of the Tibetan Plateau, temperatures are much lower than those in the Yangtze River Basin at the same latitude, and the diurnal temperature difference is significant.
- Distinct dry and rainy seasons. Under the alternating control of westerly winds in winter and southwestern monsoons in summer, the dry and rainy seasons in Tibet are very clear, with the dry season generally from October to the following April and the rainy season from May to September.
- Complex climate types with vertical variations. The Tibetan Plateau has an elevation gradient from around 5,000 meters in the northwest to hundreds of meters in the southeast. Climate types vary from southeast to northwest, including tropical, subtropical, alpine temperate, alpine subarctic, and alpine arctic climates. In the southeastern part of Tibet and the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to the increasing elevation, temperatures gradually decrease, resulting in vertical climate changes from tropical or subtropical to temperate, subarctic, and arctic climates. The phrase "One mountain has four seasons, ten miles differ in weather" is vividly reflected here.
Administrative Divisions
The Tibet Autonomous Region is one of the five autonomous regions of the People's Republic of China and is a national autonomous region dominated by the Tibetan people. It is divided into six prefectures, one prefecture-level city, one county-level city, and 76 counties. Lhasa City administers seven counties and one county-level urban district. The Changdu Prefecture administers 15 counties (four of which are temporarily unestablished), with its administrative office in Changdu County. The Shannan Prefecture administers 12 counties, with its administrative office in Zedang Town. The Shigatse Prefecture administers 17 counties and one county-level city, with its administrative office in Shigatse City. The Nagqu Prefecture administers 10 counties and one special district, with its administrative office in Nagqu County. The Ngari Prefecture administers eight counties (one of which is temporarily unestablished), with its administrative office in Shiquanhe Town. The Nyingchi Prefecture administers seven counties, with its administrative office in Bayi Town. The capital of the autonomous region, Lhasa City, is the political, economic, and cultural center of Tibet.
Population
The Tibet Autonomous Region has a population of over two million, making it one of China's least populous and least densely populated provinces. The Tibetan people account for 94.7% of the total population. The population distribution in Tibet is uneven. The southeastern Changdu, Nyingchi, Shannan, Shigatse, and Lhasa regions, which cover only 42% of the region's land area, have a population of 85% of the total. The northwestern Nagqu and Ngari prefectures, which cover 58% of the land area, have only 15% of the population. Since the peaceful liberation in 1951, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council have formulated relevant population development policies based on the actual conditions of Tibet and vigorously developed the economy and medical and health services, leading to an annual increase in Tibet's population.
Tibet is renowned for its magnificent, vast, and mystical landscapes. It has a long history, magnificent rivers and mountains, unique ethnic customs, and fairy-like natural scenery. If you step onto this unfamiliar and magical land, follow the footsteps of pilgrims, and explore the ancient and distant past, visit the splendid monasteries and temples, appreciate the brilliant culture and art, and enjoy the magnificent mountains and lakes, you will be captivated by the unique customs and traditions of the plateau. The towering ice peaks and snow-capped mountains will leave you in awe and amazement.
Located on the southwestern frontier of the motherland, Tibet borders India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Myanmar abroad, and borders Qinghai, Xinjiang, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces and regions inwardly. Tibet currently has a population of over 2.4 million, with the Tibetan people accounting for 94.7%, while the rest are Han, Monba, Loba, Hui, and Naxi ethnic groups. In this magical land of Tibet, there is a wealth of unique and world-class tourism resources. The region boasts towering mountains, star-like lakes, magnificent natural scenery, and rich and colorful ethnic customs. The blue sky over the grasslands, dense primeval forests, splendid monasteries and temples, vast and pure land—all of these have attracted worldwide attention.
With its extraordinary natural and cultural landscapes, Tibet is increasingly becoming a world-class tourist destination and a paradise for all tourism enthusiasts. Tibet's tourism resources are diverse and of the highest quality, which can be broadly divided into three categories:
First Category – Alpine Natural Landscapes
As the "Roof of the World," Tibet offers a rich three-dimensional landscape, including high mountains, grasslands, forests, rivers, glaciers, valleys, lakes, and rare flora and fauna, most of which are top-tier attractions. For example, the Himalayas, known as the "Third Pole of the Earth," feature more than 40 peaks over 7,000 meters, the youngest and highest mountain range on Earth; the world's highest peak, Mount Everest; the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the world's deepest gorge with an average depth of 5,000 meters; the unique three-river confluence of Nujiang, Lancang, and Jinsha in the eastern Changdu region; the vast northern Tibetan Plateau, covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers and home to numerous wildlife; and more than 1,500 lakes scattered across the plateau, and so on. All these landscapes offer an overwhelming impact with their extraordinary scale and an irresistible appeal due to their highly pure and pristine state.
Second Category – Historical, Religious, and Cultural Landscapes
Tibet is primarily inhabited by the Tibetan people, who have a long history. Under unique natural and social conditions, they have developed a profound culture, including religious culture. All historical, religious, and cultural traditions are systematically preserved and reflected in the numerous temples, palaces, manors, buildings, murals, sculptures, and other cultural relics scattered throughout Tibet. The world-famous Potala Palace is a prime example, and other equally important historical and cultural sites include the Three Great Monasteries of Lhasa, Tashilhunpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Jokhang Temple, and Samye Monastery.
Third Category – Alpine Ethnic and Folk Customs
The people of Tibet have long lived on the plateau and have adapted to its unique natural environment, forming distinctive customs and traditions. Tibet is known as the "ocean of songs and dances," and its cuisine, housing, clothing, handicrafts, and more are imbued with a strong plateau flavor. Among them, the rich and diverse traditional festivals are particularly captivating. Each festival vividly showcases the unique plateau customs with its strong traditional colors. The Shoton Festival in Lhasa and the Qiangtang Qaqing Horse Racing Festival in Nagqu are already well-known among many tourists. They comprehensively display the customs and cultures of urban, rural, and pastoral areas on the plateau in completely different styles.
With the reform and opening-up and the increasing expansion of exchanges, Tibet, like other parts of the country, hopes to attract more tourists. However, due to the special natural conditions of Tibet and the limited tourism management capacity of the region, the relevant policies need to be noted.
1. Tibet is a frontier region with a long international border, sharing borders with India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Myanmar. This is a geographical advantage for the development of international tourism in Tibet. However, for the sake of nature conservation, Tibet has not yet fully opened to the outside world, and the natural scenery or cultural relics in the unopened areas are not tourist attractions. Currently, Tibet's only international airport is the Lhasa Gonggar Airport, and the only national first-class border port is the Zhangmu Port. The Puren Port in Ngari Prefecture is a second-class port.
2. Due to natural conditions, Tibet's tourist season is relatively concentrated, with July, August, and September accounting for more than 90% of the annual tourist volume, which puts great pressure on our reception and transportation. Additionally, Tibet is vast, with scattered attractions, and the road conditions and climate are relatively harsh, requiring absolute safety guarantees for tourists. Therefore, foreign tourists, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan compatriots, must travel in groups and cannot be accommodated as individual tourists. They must also obtain the "Confirmation Letter for Foreigners to Travel to Tibet" through Tibet Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau. The method is to contact any international travel agency in Tibet in advance to make the arrangements.
3. Domestic tourists visiting Tibet are not restricted by individual or group travel. However, if their itinerary enters border areas, such as Mount Everest and the Aila Mountain Sacred Lake, they need to apply for a border from the public security organ, similar to the process for traveling to Shenzhen. If they only visit the hinterland of Tibet, such as Lhasa City, Zedang Town in Shannan, J Town, and Shigatse City, they do not need a border.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that due to Tibet's cold, high-altitude climate and high elevation, most tourists will experience some degree of altitude sickness upon their first visit to Tibet. Generally, for those in good health, there will be no significant impact. However, for the weak, to avoid unnecessary trouble, it is recommended to take some oxygen after arriving in Tibet.