Location
Tibet Autonomous Region is located at longitude 78°25'-99°06' east and
latitude 26°44'- 36°32' north on the southwest border of China and
covers the majority of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Bordering India,
Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim to the south and the west, Yunan Province to
the southeast, Sichuan Province to the east with Qinghai Province and
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the north, Tibet is the second
largest region in China (after Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region),
occupying a total area of over 1,200,000 sq.km, at an average altitude
of more than 4,000m.
Physical Features
As part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and also known as the 'Roof of the
World', Tibet is an amazing combination of sceneries including
mountains, plains, foothills and valleys. With the Kunlun and the
Gangdise Mountains being respectively at its northern and southern ends,
the land inclines from an average altitude of above 5,000m in the
northwest to about 4,000m in the southeast, hence differing landscapes
found in the different regions.
South Tibet: Mt. Everest soars to a height of some 8844.43m skyward and
together with several other mountain ranges with an average altitude of
6,000m, constitutes the Himalayan mountain range as the highest
mountainous area in the south of Tibet. With the higher western end of
this area being dry and freezing, the eastern region is temperate, humid
and densely forested. Meanwhile, between the Himalayas and the
Gangdise, the Yarlung Tsangpo River winds its way through this region
leaving a fertile agricultural area of lakes, basins and river valleys
along its course.
North Tibet: Vast plateaus in the north of Tibet, specifically around
the Kunlun Mountain, the Tanggula Mountain and between the Gangdise and
the Nyainqentanglha Mountains, cover 2/3 of the total area of Tibet.
Dotted with numerous lakes and basins, the plateaus, among which
Changtang Plateau is the best known, provide rich animal husbandry
products for other parts of Tibet.
East Tibet:The tortuous ways of Nu, Lancang and Jinsha Rivers cut
through the majestic Hengduan Mountain range, creating breathtaking
landscapes of high mountains and deep canyons. Higher in the north and
lower in the south, the mountain and canyon area in the eastern part of
Tibet presents a wide diversity of fauna and flora as well as a unique
combination of snow-capped peaks and verdant hillside forests.
Mountains
The Kunlun, Karakoram, Tanggula, Gangdise, Nyainqentanglha and Himalayas
mountain ranges span the Tibet Autonomous Region from east to west,
while the Hengduan Mountain range uniquely winds its way from south to
north. Among the fourteen mountains in the world that exceed 8,000m,
five stand in Tibet. Mt. Everest , the world highest, awesomely reaches
8844.43m and allures more and more visitors to admire it yearly, as well
as mountaineering expeditions to conquer its summit. Some other peaks,
such as Mt. Kailash , although lower in altitude, are noted for their
great significance in religious beliefs of the region and are frequented
by many hundreds of dedicated pilgrims.
Rivers and Lakes
Rivers in Tibet are not only great in number, but are also recognized as
the source of such famous Asian rivers as the Ganges, Mekong and the
Indus, etc. The Yarlung Tsangpo River, the fifth longest in China as
well as the highest in the world, originates in the Himalayas and flows
into India after traveling 2,057 km within China. Rivers of Jinsha,
Lancang and Nu, joined by numerous tributaries provide an abundance of
hydroelectric energy as well as irrigate the agricultural areas within
their floodplains.
The largest lake in Tibet is Namsto, which, with an area of 1,920 sq km
makes it the second largest salt-water lake in China, and, at an
altitude of 4,718m the highest salt-water lake in the world. Lake
Manasarovar , shares its fame as being one of the 'Three Holy Lakes in
Tibet' with Namsto and Yamdrok Yumtso , is the highest freshwater lake
in the world. With over 1,500 lakes dotted around the vast Tibetan
plateau, 47 exceed an area of 100 sq km , with the total surface area
being approximately 1/3 of that of China's lakes.