Source: TOI
Context: A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Shigatse in Tibet at a shallow depth of 10 km, as reported by the China Earthquake Administration.
About Tibet:
- Located in Central Asia, Tibet is officially known as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China.
- Capital: Lhasa, situated at an elevation of 3,650 metres.
- Neighbouring Regions and Countries: China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and
- Physical Features of Tibet:
- Topography:
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- Known as the “Roof of the World”, Tibet lies on the Tibetan Plateau, averaging 4,500–5,000 metres elevation.
- Major landforms:
- Qiangtang Plateau in the north – high-altitude, cold desert.
- Deep valleys and ravines in the southeast.
- Himalayas in the south and Kunlun Mountains in the north.
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- Mountains and Peaks:
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- Mount Everest (Qomolangma) – World’s tallest peak on the Tibet–Nepal border.
- Mount Kailash – Sacred to Hindus and Buddhists.
- Other Ranges: Gangdise, Himalayas, Kunlun, Tanglha.
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- Major Rivers Originating in Tibet:
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- Yarlung Tsangpo (Upper Brahmaputra) – Cuts through the Himalayas into India.
- Indus, Sutlej, Mekong, Salween, Yangtze – All originate here.
- Notable lakes: Lake Nam, Lake Siling, Lake Mapam (Manasarovar).
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- Flora:
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- Dominant vegetation includes grasslands, alpine shrubs, and sparse forests of bamboo, rhododendrons, oaks, and conifers.
- Medicinal and edible plants like gro-ba, om-bu, and khres-pa grow in river valleys and wet lowlands.
- Fauna: Tibet hosts over 100 mammals like wild yak, snow leopard, musk deer, and Tibetan antelope.
