Also called the “Roof of the World”, or “the World Ridge" or "the Third Pole on the Globe" Tibet is not only home to the highest mountains on earth but is still one of the most isolated places on earth. An autonomous region of China, Tibet borders with most of the south Asian countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Burma. A politically disputed land under China, Tibet also borders the politically sensitive regions of Sikkim & Kashmir under India. Thus, the tectonic & political movements make Tibet one the world’s most important strategic regions.

Tibet’s 4,000 km boundary line covers a land area of more than 1.2 sq km which makes up the one-eighth of China’s total land area. Geographically, Tibet has been divided into three major parts – the east, north, & south. The Himalayas including the Mt. Everest are part of the larger Tibetan plateau formed by the interaction with the Indo-Australian plate. The mountains systems are believed to be world’s youngest ones, formed by rhe rising sea-beds of the ancient Tethys Sea.  

The eastern part of Tibet constitutes the forests that make up the one-fourth of total land area. You’ll encounter yaks & nomads making their survival in the grasslands of the northern part. Human settlement and agriculture are mostly focused on the southern & central part of Tibet.

Alternatively, Tibet can also be divided into two physical regions: the lake region, & the river region.  Many great rivers originate in the Tibetan Himalayas and form river systems like Indus, Brahmaputra and Salween that flow toward the Indian Ocean.