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50 for Tibet History
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About Us: 50 for Tibet History
• History of the Tibet Occupation
• The Rowell Fund
• Galen Rowell and Barbara Cushman Rowell
• Tibet at a Glance
• History of Galen's Interest in Tibet
Tibet at a Glance
Size:
2.5 million kilometers²
Capital:
Lhasa
Population:
6 million Tibetans and an undetermined number of Chinese, most of whom are in Kham and Amdo
Religion:
Tibetan Buddhism is practiced by 99% of the Tibetan Population
Language:
Tibetan (of the Tibeto-Burmese language family). The official language is Chinese after Chinese occupation in 1959.
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; desertification, poaching of large mammals
Average Altitude:
14,000 Feet
Highest Mountain:
Chomo Langma (Mt. Everest) 29,028 ft
Average Temperature:
July 58º F; January 24º F
Mineral Deposits:
borax, uranium, iron, chromite, gold
Major Rivers:
Mekong, Yangtse, Salween, Tsangpo, Yellow, Indus, Karnali
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:
Communist (after Chinese occupation in 1959)
Relationship with the People's Republic of China:
Colonial
Legal Status:
Occupied
