Tibet is a fascinating place. The “roof of the world” has an average elevation of 4.000 m. It’s a world full of intense impressions.
Text by Dr. Rudolf Thaler
The region is going through a tremendous transformation and development. Tibet (in Chinese Xizang) is the second largest province in China with the size of around 1.2 million km2 (three times the size of Germany and one-eighth of China’s land area). At the same time, Tibet has the lowest population density. The permanent resident population was 3.65 million at the end of 2023. Tibet borders India, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal.
In the framework of a visit, an Austrian delegation headed by Georg Zanger, President of the Austrian Chinese Business Association (ACBA) was welcomed by a representative of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) of China who ceremoniously presented a white silk scarf, the Tibetan Hada, which expresses the great hospitality of Tibetans.
Steady economic growth and booming tourism
Tibet has achieved steady economic growth over the past decade. Tibet’s GDP surged from approximately 10.5 billion USD (71 billion yan) in 2012 to 208 billion Yan in 2021, with an annual average growth of 9.5%. Around 628.000 households were lifted out of poverty. TAR overcame the impact of the pandemic and reported an economic growth of 6% in the first half year 2024.
China invested 45.6 billion USD in Tibet’s road construction in the period 1953-2023. Over the past ten years, the government has renovated and built around 59.000 km of rural roads. Huge investments are planned to untap the enormous potential of hydropower. Tourism has become an important pillar in Tibet with revenues accounting for nearly one-third of the region’s GDP. Railways, expressways, new airports and hotels are part of the modern touristic infrastructure.
Tourism revenues reached a record in 2023. After the relaxation of China’s anti-Covid measures, Tibet welcomed 55.17 million tourists (plus 83.7% in comparison to 2022), thereof around 20.000 foreign tourists. In the first quarter of 2024, 4.300 foreigners visited Tibet. The touristic hotspots were opened gradually. At Potala palace, the daily quota of visitors is limited to 7.000 people excluding pilgrims and 2.000 foreign groups per year of around 10 people each. Lhasa’s tourism boom has spread to surrounding regions. Rural tourism attracted 12.7 million visitors, creating 64.500 jobs.
Tibetan museum – “people closest to the sun”
The Tibetan history and culture museum is an eye catching complex presenting Tibetan folk culture under the motto “people closest to the sun”. You will discover, for instance, an iron handle bronze mirror from the early metal age, a stone carved chessboard, stunning royal clothes, stone carvings, and many more interesting artefacts.
In the 7th century, during the early years of the Tubo regime, the Tibetan alphabet of 30 consonants and 4 vowels according to Sanskrit was created. The development of Buddhism goes back to the Tubo period. Buddhism gradually replaced Bon religion and profoundly influenced the entire Tibetan history.
Lhasa – The spiritual heart of Tibet
Lhasa is a vibrant and modern city with 800.000 inhabitants, framed by mountains. Bilingual signs in Chinese and Tibetan language are everywhere. Lhasa means ‘holy land’ and is the political, economic and cultural centre of Tibet.
Lhasa’s landmark is the red-white-red Potala palace, majestically situated on the Red Hill. It has a rich collection of historical relics and has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The palace was originally the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. It’s an impressive example of Tibetan architecture with 13 storeys and around 1.000 rooms. The visitor’s platform from Chak Pori Hill offers a stunning view on the south bank of the Lhasa river. The Nanshan Park became a popular destination and is part of an ambitious forestation program which started ten years ago.
The Jokhang temple was built in the 7th century and displays the central golden Buddha image, the most revered in Tibet. The huge complex is the holiest site and spiritual heart of Tibet, where all major Buddhist ceremonies are being held.
Lhasa’s oldest street is the Barkhor street with crowds of pilgrims circumambulating the Jokhang temple, spinning prayer wheels and chanting sutras. Tibetans always walk clockwise around holy monuments. Offering Tibetan dresses for photo shootings became a much in demand business model.
Holy lakes and mountains
The eastern part of Tibet is often called „Tibetan Switzerland“. The 400 km drive on the famous 318 route to Nyingchi shows many villages along the way. Local families offer their traditional houses via Airbnb. The plans to build a ski resort were abolished because of environmental protection. Gongbu Park in Nyingchi City is Tibet’s largest urban central park.
Basum Tso is the sacred lake of the Ningma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said that the small island called Tashi is floating on the lake and the pit is the entrance to the Dragon Kings treasure collection. When stamping your feet in the pit and you feel the echo, you will get the blessing of the Dragon King.
One of the highlights traveling in Nyingchi region is to get a glimpse of the sacred Namjagbarwa mountain (7.782 m), considered to be one of the most beautiful mountains. The crossing of a 4.728 m pass with prayer flags on top of the mountain on a scenic road above the clouds is another impressive experience. Lulang forest is famous for its thousand year old trees, the oldest is the ‘King Cypress’.
Tibetan Opera on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List
The “Princess Wencheng” Opera is one of the so-called “Big Eight Tibetan Operas” and is listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Since its debut in 2013, more than 1.800 performances have been staged in the open air theatre with 4.000 seats. The opera tells the story of Han Empire Princess Wencheng’s 15 months long journey to get married to the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo of Tubo Empire over 1.300 years ago.
Innovation on top of the world
The Lhasa Economic-Technological Development Zone promotes agriculture, tourism, ethnic medicine, handicrafts and high tech industries such as bioengineering and new energy. The total value of Tibetan exports – 522.7 million USD in the first half of 2024 – still has a great potential to expand.
The government offers companies innovation vouchers to purchase services from universities, for start-up incubation etc.. Special pressure cookers were invented to cope with low air pressure, which makes conventional cooking a time consuming process. E-commerce helps producers of agricultural products from remote regions to enter new markets. The Tibetan porcelain factory produces the brightest porcelain worldwide using Yak bones. Companies focus on the development of oxygen supply industry. Oxygen bottles are offered to visitors nearly everywhere, in shops, buses, hotels. The high altitude makes the region an ideal destination for developing and testing innovations in a challenging environment.
Amazing facts
– The Tibetan plateau is the largest and highest plateau in the world
– Lhasa is one of the world’s highest cities (3.656m)
– Tibet has an enormous potential of hydropower. It’s home to37.000 glaciers, i.e. 14.5% of total glacier mass and the third-largest body of ice on the planet after the Arctic and Antarctic
– The Qinghai-Tibetan region is the source of many of China’s largest rivers including Yellow, Mekong, Salween, Yangzi rivers
– The Qinghai – Tibet train line is the world’s highest railway
– Five of the world’s highest airports are located in Tibet
– The Potala palace is the highest ancient palace in the world (3.700m)
– Larung Gar Buddhist Academy is believed to be the world’s largest Buddhist Academy
– The Drepung Monastery – outside Lhasa – was once one of the world’s largest monasteries with around 7.000 monks in residence
– Tibet shares the world’s highest mountain (Mt. Everest 8.848m) with Nepal
– Tibetan opera and Tibetan medicine have been included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
– Tibet is the habitat of many endangered species, like the Tibetan antelope and snow leopard
– The Yartung Zangbo Grand Canyon is the world’s longest (2.057 km) and steepest canyon
