Facts about Tibet
Facts about Tibet
| Size: | 2.5 million sq. km. | |
| Capital: | Lhasa | |
| Population: | 6 million Tibetans and an estimated 7.5 million Chinese, most of whom 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 | |
| Typical Birds: | Black necked crane, Lammergeier, Great crested grebe, Bar-headed goose, Ruddy shel duck, Ibis-bill | |
| Major Environmental Problems: | Rampant deforestation in Eastern Tibet, poaching of large mammals | |
| Average Altitude: | 14,000 ft. | |
| 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 58 f; Jan. 24 f. | |
| Mineral Deposits: | Borax, uranium, iron, chromite, gold | |
| Major Rivers: | Mekong, Yangtse, Salween, Tsangpo, Yellow | |
| Economy: | Tibetans: predominantly in agriculture and animal husbandry. Chinese: predominantly 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. | |
| Political and Religious Leader: | The 14th Dalai Lama. In exile in Dharamsala, India. | |
| Government in Exile: | Parliamentary | |
| Government: | Communist | |
| Relationship with the P.R.C.: | Colonial | |
| Legal Status: | Occupied |
