Tibet

Tibet (Chinese pinyin: Xīzàng) is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people. Tibet is the highest region on earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft). Nearly all Tibetans follow Tibetan Buddhism, known as Lamaism, with the exception of approximately 2,000 followers of Islam and about 600 Roman Catholics. In its infancy, Tibetan Buddhism was greatly influenced by Indian Buddhism, but after years of evolution, Tibetan Buddhism developed its own distinctie qualities and practices. A well-known example is the belief that there is a living Buddha, who is the reincarnation of the first, a belief not held by Chinese Buddhists.