Often called "the roof of the world", Tibet lies in the heartland of Asia; a vast, arid plateau ringed by the world's highest mountains. With an average altitude of 14,000 feet above sea level, Tibet has long been one of the world's most remote and inaccessible civilisations. Click here to view a map of Tibet and the region.

Tibet is roughly the size of western Europe, with the eastern area comprising forest and grassland, rising to the arid steppes of the north and west. Most of Asia's major rivers flow from the Tibetan plateau, including the Yangtse, Yellow, Mekong and Indus.

The population of Tibet is approximately 13.5 million, with 7.5 million of those being ethnic Chinese.