This area, nearly 500 thousand square kilometers, includes the west and southwest portions of Tibet. There are two zones, fringed by mountains. In the north is part of the Northern Tibet Plateau, which rises above 5,000 meters, and is studded with lakes.(5) Bangong, Lumajangdon, Nganglharing (or Ngagla Ring) and Zharinam (or Zhari Nam) are among them. North of this part of the plateau are the Kunlun Mountains, which reach nearly 7,000 meters at Muztag(6) on the Sinkiang(7) border, and average 6,000 meters. Within the plateau are the Ngunglong Kangri mountains, which reach above 7,300 meters at Aling Kangri, and separate the northern inland basin drainage from the headwaters of the Indus(8), to their south. The south bound of the plateau is, in the west, the Gangdise Mountains, and in the east, the western Nyainqentanglha Mountains. The tallest peak is Kangrinboqe, at more than 6,700 meters. South of these connected ranges are lower lands, mostly below 4,000 meters. These are dominated by the headwaters of the Brahmaputra(9) River, locally called the Maquan (or Damqog). West of the upper Maquan are the headwaters of the Sutlej, a tributary of the Indus, locally called the Langqen (or Xiangquan). South of these river valleys are the Himalayas, which reach 8,848 meters at Mount Everest (or Oomolangma or Sagamatha).
More than 700 thousand people live here. More than 19 in 20 speak Central Tibetan(10) and practice Lamaist Buddhism.
The largest town, Xigaze, has 80,000 people, and is a prefectural capital. It is known for the Tashilunpo Monastery, built in the 15th century, and seat of Panchen Lamas, a high rank in Lamist Buddhism.
It is speculated that the people the Chinese called the Ch'iang--from eastern Tibet and further east--are the same as the Zhang-zhung, who are a Tibeto-Burman people who formed a state in western Tibet. The Tibetans (Bod) conquered them starting around the end of the 6th century, the elite bringing with them Lamaist Buddhism.
Subsequent religious developments
north
east of Ngari, and north of Xigaze
east of Xigaze
south of eastern Xigaze
southwest of western Xigaze, and south of southernmost Ngari
southwest of Ngari
west of southwest Ngari
west of northwest Ngari
(1) Officially called Xizang or Tsi-tsang or Si-tsang. It is Bodyul in Tibetan. The Chinese can be translated as Western Treasurehouse.
(2) Zhongguo or Chungh-hua in Chinese. It can be translated as Middle Kingdom.
(3) Also called Ali or A-li.
(4) Also called Rikaze or Jih-K'o-Tse or Sigatse.
(5) Called 'co.'
(6) There are at least three mountains with this name in China; the other two are taller.
(7) Also spelled Xinjiang or Hsin-chiang. It can be translated from Chinese as New Frontier.
(8) Locally called the Sengge or Shiquan. It is Asia's eighth longest river.
(9) Asia's tenth longest river.
(10) The Gtsang (or Tsang or Lhasa), Dbus and Mngahris (or Ngari) dialects may be separate languages.