See also: Wearied, Lhassa (tectonic plate)

Lhassa (拉萨; Pinyin: Lāsà; Tibetan: ལྷ་ས་; Transliteration Wylie: lha its), capital history of the kingdom of the Tibet, is currently the capital of the Chinese autonomous region of the Xizang, more usually called autonomous region of Tibet, although it covers only approximately half of historical Tibet. Its population was of approximately: 120000 inhabitants in 2006.

The Palate of Potala, old palate of the Dalaï Lama, Head of the State before to the administration of Tibet by China, is classified with the world heritage by UNESCO.

Lhassa can mean literally “the ground of the gods” (Lha = deity, Its = ground, ground) although old documents Tibetans and inscriptions show that the place was formerly called Rasa, which wants to literally say “the ground of the goats” or the " entouré" place; (by an enclosure of mountains).

History

The legend tells that the second emperor Tibetan Songtsen Gampo (Srong-brtsan Sgam-Po) made of Lhassa his capital.

The city rose and acquired importance with the support of three vast monasteries Gelugpa (Dge-lugs) by Tsong-kha-Pa and its disciples at the 15th century. These three monasteries are Ganden (Dga'-ldan), Will be (Will be) and Drepung ('Arm-spung).

The fifth Dalaï Lama, Lobsang Gyatso (Blo-bzang-rgya-mtsho) (1617 - 1682), conquered Tibet and moved the administrative center with Lhassa. It began there the construction of the Potala which will finish a few years after its death. During this period, Lhassa acquired its statute of political capital of Tibet.

Geographical location

Located on the Plate of Tibet, at the bottom of a valley surrounded by mountain, its altitude of 3650 m does of it one of the highest cities in the world. The mountains surrounding the city rise with 5000m. The city is skirted by the Kyi river, which crosses the Nyainqentanglha mountains, and extends on 315 km before being thrown in the Brahmapoutra.

Climate

The climate is of mountain type. The average temperatures for the town of Lhassa go from approximately -1°C for the coldest month to +18°C for the hottest month, with an annual average of +8,4°C, and the Pluviométrie is there of 431  mm .

Demography

The population of the prefecture was estimated at: 420000 inhabitants in 2004  , and that of the town of Lhassa with: 122261 inhabitants in 2007 .

Transport

There exist nine daily flights (six by Air China and three by Sichuan Airlines) between the airport of Lhassa (Code AITA LXA) and Chengdu, two flights between Lhassa and Chongqing (Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines), and a flight between Lhassa and Qamdo (Air China) and between Lhassa and Xi' year (China Eastern Airlines)  .

A rail link with the Qinghai (Golmud) was open in July 2006. The cars are pressurized (and very resistant to support the winds of sand, the lightning, the rays ultraviolet, etc) China envisages 2 ' 000 tourists in more per day, which will have an significant impact on the local economy.

Administrative subdivisions

The city-prefecture of Lhassa exerts its jurisdiction on eight subdivisions - a district and seven counties  :

• the district of Chengguan - 城关区 Chéngguān Qū   ;
• the county of Lhünzhub - 林周县 Línzhōu Xiàn   ;
• the county of Damxung - 当雄县 Dāngxióng Xiàn   ;
• the county of Nyêmo - 尼木县 Nímù Xiàn   ;
• the county of Qüxü - 曲水县 Qūshuǐ Xiàn   ;
• the county of Doilungdêqên - 堆龙德庆县 Duīlóngdéqìng Xiàn   ;
• the county of Dagzê - 达孜县 Dázī Xiàn   ;
• the county of Maizhokunggar - 墨竹工卡县 Mòzhúgōngkǎ Xiàn .

Contemporary sights of Lhasa (August 2005)

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