Tibet China (Xizang)

Tibet China is one of the country's most famous provinces, known for its breathtaking landscape and rich cultural heritage, especially Buddhism. Officially titled Xizang Zizhiqu (Xizang Autnonmous Region), Tibet is the nation’s 2nd largest province, covering 474,490 square miles (1,228,400 sq km). However, its population and population density both rank 31st in the country with 2,740,000 people and 2.2 p/sq km respectively. The province has a strikingly small Han population. The capital and largest city is Lhasa.

Tibet China Geography

Tibet is situated on the aptly titled Tibetan Plateau, the highest region in the world. Most of the world famous Himalaya mountain range is in Tibet where it runs along the southern border with Nepal, India, and Bhutan. (On the eastern end there is a disputed border with the Indian province Arunachal Pradesh. The border, known as the Macmahon line, was drawn by the British with Tibet’s consent in the early 20th century. The Chinese claim more than 90% of the territory and in October of 1962 launched a large-scale military invasion and reclaimed most of the region. However, in November of that year, the Chinese announced a unilateral cease-fire and withdrew behind the Macmahon line.) Mount Everest towers at 29,035 feet (8,850 m) on the border with Nepal.

The Kunlun Mountains run west to east along much of the northern border with Xinjiang. The Tanggula (pinyin: Dangla) Mountains run parallel to the south of Kunlun Shan where they run over the border into Qinghai. The Nyainqentanglha Mountains run east to west in southern Tibet just above the vast Brahmaputra river, which U-turns and runs southward into India then to Bangladesh. Other notable rivers in Tibet are the southward running Lancang Jiang and Nu Jiang in the southeast. Tibet also borders Yunnan, Sichuan, and Burma (Myanmar) in the southeast.

Tibet China Industry

Tibet has some of the largest grasslands and forests in China, although, soil is unevenly distributed. The powerful water resources help generate a huge amount of electricity, along with considerable solar and wind energy production, which together account for about 30% of the county’s total output. Agriculture has been Tibet’s traditional form of sustenance. However, as the region is opened to tourism related industries have created jobs in these sectors as well. Over the last five years the provincial GDP has actually outpaced that of the nation, though it remains small in absolute terms.

Tibet China History

Tibet’s history is largely separate from most of Chinese history. The region was ruled by a number of indigenous emperors from the 7th to 11th century and its kingdom stretched as far as Bengal and Mongolia. The Himalayas protected the region from Indian incursion for the most part. Not so commonly known, Buddhism was not officially brought into Tibet until roughly one thousand years after the Buddha’s death. Songtsen Gampo, who expanded Tibet’s influence and power immensely, invited Buddhism, notably through his invitation to Indian guru Padmasambhava who brought tantric Buddhism, into the kingdom during his reign in the first half of the 7th century.

The Mongols, interested in attacking Song China from the west, pushed into the region in the 13th century.

The 5th Dhalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, unified Tibet in the 17th century and was the first to have his political control effectively spread over the region. In 1652, he personally conducted a successful diplomatic mission to the Manchu emperor Shunzhi. He also moved the capital to Lhasa, where he built the Potala Palace, the world famous landmark of Lhasa, Tibet. Starting during the 5th Dhalai Lama’s reign and until their expulsion in the mid-18th century, Christian missionaries from Europe made their first, and notably unsuccessful, visits to Tibet. Subsequent Dhalai Lamas ruled over the country with varying degrees of personal power, sometimes hindered by age.

The Chinese held only nominal political influence in Tibet during much of the Qing Empire (1644 AD – 1911 AD). There was one notable military incursion after a Tibetan revolt in 1750. Tibet largely sealed its borders during the 19th century when the title Hermit Kingdom was spawned.

In 1904, the British, who feared Russia’s expanding influence in Turkistan, sent in Indian troops who soon occupied Lhasa. This impelled the 13th Dalai Lama to flee to Mongolia. In 1906, a treaty was signed with China, which solidified the British claim over the region, making it a British protectorate. In 1907, yet another treaty, this time including Russia, recognized Qing sovereignty over Tibet. The Qing then sent a military expedition to Lhasa in 1910 to establish direct rule for the first time, only to see their entire empire crumble a year later. This time, the Dalai Lama fled to India.

Mao Zedong ordered the People’s Liberation Army into Tibet in 1950. In May 1951, a treaty was signed by representatives of the Dalai Lama, which allowed Chinese military occupation and a joint Chinese-Tibetan government. The immediate land reform sparked unease. Eastern Kham and Amdo were administered like other normal Chinese provinces and today are incorporated into modern Sichhuan, Gansu, Yunnan, and Qinghai.
Traditionally, serfs, usually owned by lamas and commonly subjected to cruel conditions, did the bulk of the land labor. Before the Communist’s rule, over half of the region’s population of 1.2 million were in serfdom.

As the lama’s saw their power wane during the fifties, rebellions sprang up and by the end of the decade, coinciding with the Great Leap Forward, there was full-scale rebellion. The Tibetan Resistance Movement resisted the PRC with considerable success in the south, partially thanks to help from the CIA. However, in 1959 the Chinese stepped up their efforts and openly disrespected the Dalai Lama. The resistance forces then fled from Tibet China to India.

The 13th Dalai Lama’s government in exile is not recognized by any government. Few expect him or any subsequent Dalai Lama to return to Lhasa and administer the region. However, the 13th Dalai Lama has gained international respect as a religious and spiritual leader and many nations and governments welcome him as such.

Tibet China Demographics

Tibetans still account for 93% of the province’s population. Han comprise only 6%. Hui and Moinba (Monpa) account for 0.3% each. Lhoba are also present in Tibet China

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China Provinces