The shelterbelt in the Lhasa River valley.

Known as the "Roof of the World," the imposing Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the highest plateau in the word. As a unique geological phenomenon in East Asia, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau stands, along with the east monsoon area and northwest arid area, as one of the three distinctive natura1 regions in China, and has exerted a great influence upon the formation and development of the geographical landscape in adjacent areas. With vast territory and high and steep terrain, Tibet Autonomous Region forms the main part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, covering 26.52 to 36.32 degrees north latitude and 78.24 to 99.0l degrees east longitude. This extensive region has been called the Tibet Plateau, "a plateau on the Plateau." In fact, Tibet Autonomous Region also includes areas with a relatively low elevation on the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Tibet Autonomous Region was founded in l965, with Lhasa as its capital city. The current administrative districts are divided into Lhasa, a prefecture-level city, and six prefectures including Shigatse, Qamdo, Nagqu, Shannan, Ngari and Nyingchi. The l.2-million-km2 autonomous region accounts for one-eighth of China's total land area. According to the fifth census of the People's Republic of China up to 00:00, November 1, 2000, Tibet has a population of 2.6163 million, of which 2.4lll million are Tibetans (92.2%), l55, 300 are Hans (5.9%) and 49,900 are of other ethnic groups (l .9%).

Virgin forest on the northern side of the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Bomi County at the foot of the snow-capped mountains.

The vast and picturesque Tibet Autonomous Region presents a unique sight. The soaring snow mountains stretch thousands of miles with immense basins and wide valleys in between. Lakes are scattered all over the boundless expanse of the Plateau separated by sheer ravines with swift currents. Grassy marshland and grassland extend far and wide in the hinterland of the region. On the southern edge of the Plateau, thick forest, rice-fields, banana groves and tea plantations are everywhere in the mountainous area of southern scenery. In the southeast, the vertical natural zones of mountains and canyons with strikingly changing landscape are bright and colorful. High, frigid and desolate north Tibet is the natural paradise of wild animals.

Tibet Autonomous Region with unique natural conditions and rich natural resources is a treasured place in China. Tibetans and other ethnic groups have lived and procreated on this beautiful and fertile land for thousands of years, making great contributions to the exploitation of the Plateau, the development of the Chinese culture as well as the construction of the country. Since the l950s, with the energetic support by the central government and co-efforts of different ethnic groups, Tibet Autonomous Region has witnessed vigorous growth of all industries and taken on an entirely new look. On the green mountain pastureland thriving herds of cattle, horses and sheep are grazed. Both banks of the Yarlung Zangbo River are overgrown with verdant qingke barley and rape with golden flowers, which presents a scene of vitality. As a project of great magnitude, highways built with all kinds of hardships are the link between the autonomous region and the interior of the motherland, bringing the Tibetan people high hopes for a happy life.

Serac forest formed by the melting Rongbo Glacier at the foot of Mt. Qomolangma.

With its young history of geological development, wonderful and colorful natural landscape, as well as the enormous influence it exerted on the neighboring areas, the Tibet Plateau has strongly attracted people's attention over a long period of time. It looks somewhat strange or even mysterious to those who have never set foot on Tibetan soil. In this book, by giving a brief introduction to its geographical features, we try to lift up its mystical veil so that people can better develop, exploit, remake and protect the vast area based on improved understanding of this land. The Tibet Plateau is like a wide expanse of waters. In the course of knowing, exploiting and preserving nature, in both the theoretical study in geography and the practice of regional development, there still are many issues and unknowns waiting to be explored, tackled and resolved.

Rural scenery on the bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River.

The Sun Lake situated in Hoh Xil.