Although not technically an independent country anymore, many people still recognize Tibet as the home to the Tibetan people. However, in the 1940s and 50s, China invaded Tibet, and has since been in control of the region. When Tibetans refer to Tibet, they mean the land that was once the country of Tibet, however when China refers to Tibet, they call it the Tibet Autonomous Region, which is an area less than half the size of historical Tibet. For those who have stayed in their homeland, there is much suffering at the hands of the Chinese, although the Tibetans refuse to give up their culture and beliefs.

Currently there are around 6 million Tibetans living in the Tibet region, compared to now over 7 million Chinese.

Tibet is located in Central Asia, north of Nepal. The average altitude of Tibet ranges from 13000 to 16000 feet, and it is sometimes referred to as the "Roof of the world".

The major religion practiced by Tibetans is Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, is the Head of State, although in 1959 he was forced to flee after the Chinese invasion of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. He has been living in India since then, and is still head of the Tibetan Government-in-exile.

This description was last modified Apr 03 2005, 06:30 PM  [ View Page History ]
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