Together, these families account for nearly 60% of the world’s population: Indo-European (3.2 billion speakers) and Sino-Tibetan (1.4 billion). Are Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan related? Together, these families account for nearly 60% of the world’s population: Indo-European (3.2 billion speakers), and Sino-Tibetan (1.4 billion). The Sino-Tibetan family comprises about 500 languages spoken across a wide geographic […]

China has to restrict access to Tibet because some foreigners cannot handle the altitude, a top official in charge of the region has said.The border region of Tibet is a popular travel destination in the Himalayas. Its capital, Lhasa, is at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, a height that can cause altitude sickness. Why […]

In Tibetan culture and Sherpa culture, Dawa (Tibetan: ཟླ་བ, Wylie: zla wa; also written Tibetan: ཟླ་བ, Wylie: zla ba) is a word meaning “moon” or “month”. What does Dawa mean in Tibetan? In Tibetan, “dawa” means month, and “saga” (or “saka”) refers to a specific star that’s particularly visible during the time of year — […]

The new Chinese government invaded eastern Tibet in October 1950, captured the bulk of the Tibetan army stationed there, and forced the government of Tibet to negotiate.Ultimately, an unsuccessful Tibetan revolt erupted in March 1959 and the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans fled into exile. How has China affected Tibet? The peaceful buddhist country of […]

Based on a phylogenetic study of 50 ancient and modern Sino-Tibetan languages, the scholars conclude that the Sino-Tibetan languages originated among millet farmers, located in North China, around 7,200 years ago. Who invented Tibetan language? Thonmi SambhotaHistory. The creation of the Tibetan alphabet is attributed to Thonmi Sambhota of the mid-7th century. Tradition holds that […]

Entry & Exit Requirements U.S. citizens must have a passport that is valid six months beyond their departure date to enter China. U.S. citizens are also required to obtain a visa. There are 16 visa categories for foreigners entering China. Can US citizens go to Tibet? No individual travelers are allowed to travel to Tibet […]

According to Tibetan legend, the Tibetan people originated from the union of a monkey and a female demon. The Chinese Tang dynasty annals (10th century ce) place the Tibetans’ origin among the nomadic pastoral Qiang tribes recorded about 200 bce as inhabiting the great steppe northwest of China. Where does Tibetan come from? Modern Tibetans […]

Nepal is an independent state with a federal government at its head. Meanwhile, Tibet is classified as an autonomous region or a Chinese province. Nepal has one form of government, while Tibet has two –the Chinese government and a government in exile headed by the Dalai Lama. How similar is Nepal to Tibet? Tibet and […]

There are two base camps on Mount Everest, on opposite sides of the mountains: South Base Camp is in Nepal at an altitude of 5,364 metres (17,598 ft) (28°0′26″N 86°51′34″E), while North Base Camp is in Tibet, China at 5,150 metres (16,900 ft) ( 28°8′29″N 86°51′5″E). Is Mt. Everest in Tibet or Nepal? The summit […]

The flag is popularly known as the Snow Lion flag due to the presence of the two snow lions. The flag was adopted as a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement, and has become known as the “Free Tibet flag”. Does Tibet have its own flag? The Tibetan flag, also known as the “snow lion […]

Traveling from Bhutan to Tibet is relatively easy, with flights from Bhutan to Kathmandu in Nepal and the option to travel overland to Lhasa or take the direct flight from Nepal. However, while it may be easy to travel between these two Buddhist locations, there is no way to do it directly. Is Bhutan close […]