Understanding Tibet in
Time and Space
UROP China Project Group
OUTLINE
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1.
2.
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5.
6.
7.
Introduction
Natural Resources
Population
Culture and Education
Economy
Environment
Data Sources
1. Introduction
1.1 Tibet’s Landscape
Tibet – the Last Clean Land on the Earth
1.2 Tibet’s Location
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Tibet is in plateau region and located at the west of Yangtze river watershed
It is home to indigenous Tibetan and people from other 43 ethnic groups
1.3 Some Facts about Tibet
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Language
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Tibetic Language with numerous dialects
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12.284 million sq meters
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2.81 million （at the end of 2006）
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Lhasa
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Tibetan Buddhism
Islam
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Average 4,900 meters (app. 16,000 ft)
Area size
Population
Capital City
Religion
Elevation
Elevation
and
Yangtze Watershed
1.4 Tibet’s History
-Largely Isolated from other parts of China until the1950s
-Has never been recognized by any country as an independent state
(Veek, Pannell, Smith and Huang, 2008. China’s Geography)
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In 1700s and 1800s, the Chinese government appointed Ambans, or Residents,
as the Tibet Governors
In 1914, Simla Convention signed by Tibet and British India with Tibet as an
autonomous region of China, which, however, has never been accepted by the
Chinese government
Before 1950, political and religious power was centralized in the hand of the
DalaiLama, with the best agricultural land of Tibet controlled by Lamaist
monasteries
In 1950, the new Chinese government took control of Tibet
In 1954, China and India signed a treaty that accepted Chinese sovereignty in
Tibet
In 1959, 14th Dalai Lama Fled to India after Lhasa Rebellion was suppressed by
the Chinese government
In 1979, China opened Tibet to foreign tourists
On July 1st, 2006, Qing-Zang railway (1956 km) started the operation
1.5 Changes in Tibet
Changes in Geography: Qing-Zang Railway
(Mt.Kunlun)
(Gomud)
(Qinghai Lake)
(Xining)
(Budongquan)
(Kekexili)
(Tuotuo River)
(Wudaolian)
(Tuotuo River)
(Mt.Tanggula)
(Anduo)
(Nam Lake)
(Mt. Nianqingtanggula)
(Dangxiong)
(Yangbajin)
(Lhasa)
(Naqiu)
2. Natural Resources
2.1 Rich in Natural Resources
Tibet has…
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World’s greatest alpine plants
Plateau-dwelling wild animals
Prime source of Asia's great rivers
Loftiest mountains
World's most extensive plateau
Ancient forests
Deep untouched valleys
2.2 Land Resources by Prefectures
Arable land
Forest land
Natural pasture
Barren land
Prefecture
Area
%
Area
%
Area
%
Area
Lhasa
55.53
15.4
101.33
0.8
2 117.79
3.27
502.24
Changdu
72.18
20.02
2 976.70
23.53
7 061.07
10.9
2 886.00
Shannan
63.74
17.68
3 059.49
24.18
3 187.51
4.92
1 188.25
Shigatse
135.52
37.59
219.97
1.74
12 617.14
19.47
4 208.52
Naqu
6.02
1.67
220.9
1.75
20 858.08
32.19
16 602.11
Ali
1.76
0.49
0
0
16 906.76
26.09
9 084.19
Linzhi
25.8
7.16
6 073.61
48.01
2 048.38
3.16
2 531.72
360.56
100
12 651.98
100
64 796.72
100
37 003.03
Tibet in total
2.3 Spatial Distribution of Natural Resource
3. Population
3.1 Population of Tibet
Total population : approximately 2.81 million in 2006
Population Density : 2.03 people per sq km in average
Age Distribution: 31.2% (0-14 years old), 64% (14-65 years old), 4.8% (65above)
Dependency Ratio : 56.1% (Yangtze River average = 44.2%)
Annual Population Growth: 11.7‰, with birth rate of 17.4‰ and death rate of
5.7‰ in 2006
Agricultural Population: 91.6%, highest among Yangtze River regions
Urban Population: 8.4%, lowest among Yangtze River regions
Total Population by Counties
Population Per County
of Tibet in 2000
(Unit: Person)
3.2 Natural Population Growth
3.3 Population Changes of Tibet
4. Culture and
Education
4.1 Tibetan Ethnicity
Consists of 44 ethnic groups:
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93% Tibetan (藏族）
6.1% Han （汉族）
% of ethnic population in Tibet
among all of their population in China:
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95% Monba (门巴族）
91% Lhoba (珞巴族）
45% Tibetan（藏族）
4.2 Tibet Religion
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Bön
Tibetan Buddhism
 Nyingma
 Kagyu
 Sakya
 Gelug
Tibetan Muslims (Kachee)
Tangka 唐卡艺术
扎什伦布寺,日喀则市,1447Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse
4.3 Education
All expenses of boarding schools up to 9 years education are covered by the government
Education Attainment by Population Aged 6 and Over
1200000
1071534
1000000
796442
800000
600000
165957
149969
200000
42418
50430
23255
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400000
Average Years at Schools by Counties
Average years at schools
per county of Tibet in 2000
(Unit: Year)
Illiterate Population for Age 15 and Over
Illiterate population for age 15 and
over per county of Tibet in 2000
(Unit: Year)
5. Economy
5.1 Economic Development
5.2 Industry of Tibet
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Modern industries in Tibet were close to non-existent prior
to 1950
Industrial development finally surfaced in the late 1950s
with the opening of several factories in Lhasa and the
establishment of a hydroelectric power facility
By 1980, the economy was centered around tourism and
agricultural industries
Has seen gradual industrial growth during the late 20th
Century, but still is one of the least prosperous provinces
in China
5.3 Agriculture of Tibet
Limited, but developing
forestry
 Important crops
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 Barley
 Wheat
 Beans
 Dairy
Products
Agricultural Regions
Employed population in Farming,
Forestry, Animal Husbandry and
Fishery per county of Tibet in 2000
(Unit: Person)
Agricultural Output
6. Environment
6.1 Environmental Impact
The increase in passenger
traffic will result in greater
tourism and economic activity
on the Tibetan Plateau.
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The railway would make
coal, which is not produced in
Tibet, an affordable
replacement. However, the
increase in fuel combustion
due to increased human
activity in an already-thin
atmosphere may affect the
long term health of the local
population.
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6.2 Environmental Concerns
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Grassland Degradation
Endangered Wildlife
Deforestation
Potential Water Pollution
ENDANGERED BIRDS
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Wood snipe
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Tibetan eared phesant
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Rufous-necked hornbill
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Snow patridge
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Black-tailed godwit
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Sclater’s monal pheasant
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Golden eagle
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Tibetan snowcock
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Saker falcon
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Satyr tragopan Black crane
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Spoonbill
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Red-headed trogon
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Brahminy kite
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Koslow bunting
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Tibetan patridege
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Calandra lark
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Tibetan sand grouse
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Blyth’s Tragopan
ENDANGERED MAMMALS OF TIBET
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Takin
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Rhesus macaque
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Tibetan Antelope
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Shou (Red Deer)
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Otter
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Snow leopard
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Tibetan Wild Yak
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Himalayan Tahr
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Blue-sheep (bhharal)
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Black bear
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Ibex
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Goral
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Red panda
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Kyang (Tibetan wild ass)
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Siberian Tiger
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Lynx
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White-lipped Deer
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Tibetan Argali Sheep
6.3 Global Climatic Effects
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Tibet influences the global weather pattern by
affecting the flow of jet streams over the
Tibetan Plateau.
Loss of forest and grassland cover of the
plateau will affect pacific typhoons and also
cause the El Nino effect which altogether
affect the weather pattern of Europe, North
America, Peru, India and China.
Challenges under Global Changes
Cultural diversity
Biological diversity
Globalization of economy
Technology innovation
Climate changes
7. Data Sources
7.1 Data Sources for Tibet Studies
Government Statistics
Survey Data (rural, urban, enterprise, market)
Census Data (population, basic units,
agriculture)
GIS Data (administrative boundaries, roads,
rivers, land, elevation,….)
Remote Sensing Data
7.2 Tibet Census Data with GIS Maps
- The 2000 Tibet Township Population Census Data with GIS Maps
- The 2000 Tibet County Population Census Data with GIS maps
- The 2000 Tibet Province Population Census Data with GIS Maps
- The Tibet Historical Population Census Data with GIS Maps (1953,
1964, 1982, 1990, 2000)
- Tibet 2000 Population Data with One sq km GIS Maps
- Tibet 2004 Economic Census Data with ZIP Maps
7.3 Population and Economic Census Data
> 2,000 demographic variables in 2000 population Census
Geographical Levels: 2000 Population Census:
Country
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Province
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Prefecture
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County
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Township
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1 sq km Grid
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2004 Economic Census:
General Information
 Employment
Nationalities
 Revenue
Age Structure
 Industries
Household Structure
 Products
Education
 Ownerships
Fertility
Deaths
Marriage
Migration
Housing Status
Industries and Occupations
7.4 Historical Population Census Data
(1953,1962,1982,1990,2000)
Census 1953
Census 1962
Census 1982
Census 1990
Census 2000
7.5 China Data Online
Tibet STATISTICS
•Monthly Statistics
•National Statistics
•Provincial Statistics
•City Statistics
•County Statistics
•Industrial Data
•Statistics on Map
•Statistical Yearbooks
CENSUS DATA
• Economic Census Data
• Industrial Census Data
• Population Census (82,90,00,05)
http://Chinadatacenter.org
http://Chinadataonline.org
References
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Veek, Pannell, Smith and Huang. 2008. China’s
Geography, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Tibet: The Truth (video)
www.wikipedia.org
www.chinadataonline.org
www.cnn.com
www.yahoo.co.kr
www.sherig.org
www.tchrd.org
www.images.google.com
http://www.cctv.com/specials/xizang
http://news.xinhuanet.com
Thank You
The Participants of UROP China Project:
Jenny Chiu
Shang Kong
Min Ah Kim
Su Kyung
Carson Qing
Annie Su
China Data Center, University of Michigan