Life on Plateau: An overview of Xizang

Situated on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and known as the "roof of the world," southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region comprises Ali Prefecture and six cities, including Xigaze, Shannan, Nyingchi, Qamdo, and its capital, Lhasa. Benefiting from its stunning landscapes, unique cultural traditions, and diverse resources, Xizang received more than 63 million visitors from both within China and abroad in 2024. 

The Potala Palace, Norbulingka, and Jokhang Temple, listed together as one item, are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Xizang is home to over 1,700 sites in the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, where over 1,700 religious and folk activities, including the Shoton Festival, Butter Lamp Festival, Saga Dawa Festival, and religious walks around lakes and mountains take place. 

With 47 established nature reserves of various types, which cover a total area of 412,200 square kilometers, Xizang is home to 1,072 species of terrestrial wild vertebrates and 246 wildlife species under special state protection. Thanks to strengthened ecological conservation efforts in recent years, the living conditions for wild animals in Xizang have seen significant improvement

Nestled in Nagarze County of Shannan City, Yamdrok Lake – Tibetan for "the emerald lake of the upper pasture" – is at an altitude of 4,441 meters and spans 638 square kilometers. Transforming into a dreamscape each May, the lake is adorned with a coat of spring snow. 

In recent years, the surrounding environment of Yamdrok Lake has improved significantly, with more and more wild animals coming to inhabit and reproduce. Feeding the brown-headed gulls spotted by the lake and enjoying the scenery of the lake has become popular for tourists to Xizang. Along with Lake Namtso and Lake Manasarovar, Yamdrok Lake is regarded as one of the three sacred lakes of Xizang.