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Chamdo

Located in eastern Tibet,the Chamdo Prefecture, tucked away in the Henduan Mountains and dissected by the Jinshajiang, Lancanjiang and Nujiang rivers, covers an area of 108,600 square km. On its eastern side lies Sichuan, with Yunnan to the south and Qinghai in the north.

Now it administers 11 counties: Chamdo, Gyamda, Gongjo, Riwoqe, Dingqen, Chagyab, Baxoi, Zogang, Mangkang, Lhorong and Palbar (Yanjing, Senda, Togba and Bitug have been approved by the State Council, but haven't been set up yet), 13 districts, nine towns, 168 townships (including nine towns) and 1,622 administrative villages. Twenty-one ethnic groups including Tibetan, Han (Chinese), Hui, Zhuang, Naxi, Lhoba, Monba and Bai live here. The total population is over 550,000, of which 98.26 percent are Tibetan.

Chamdo Prefecture possesses a strategic geographical position. With a broad land and relatively large population, it is regarded as the East Gate of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Situated between 93 6 -99 2 east longitude and 28 5 -32 6 north latitude, it faces Dege, Baiyu, Shiqu and Batang counties of Sichuan Province across the river to the east, borders Deqen County of Yunnan Province to the southeast, neighbors the Nyingchi Prefecture to the southwest, links with the Nagqu Prefecture to the northwest and joins the Yushu Prefecture of Qinghai Province to the north. It covers a total area of 110,000 square km, accounting for 8.9 percent of Tibet's total. Now it administers 11 counties: Chamdo, Gyamda, Gongjo, Riwoqe, Dingqen, Chagyab, Baxoi, Zogang, Mangkang, Lhorong and Palbar (Yanjing, Senda, Togba and Bitug have been approved by the State Council, but haven't been set up yet), 13 districts, nine towns, 168 townships (including nine towns) and 1,622 administrative villages. Twenty-one ethnic groups including Tibetan, Han (Chinese), Hui, Zhuang, Naxi, Lhoba, Monba and Bai live here. The total population is over 550,000, of which 98.26 percent are Tibetan.

The Chamdo Prefecture has an average altitude of over 3,500 meters, with a unique topography and wonderful landscapes. It is in the plateau continental climate zone. The terrain lowers down from northwest to southeast, and the valley deepens from north to south. The mountains in the northwest are integrated, creating wide plateaus in the watershed area; while the hills and valleys are more frequently found in the south, and the mountains become more precipitous, and the river valleys deeper.

The mountain body is divided into many parts. Most of the peaks are way above the snow line, the highest of which is the Nyainqentanglha on the border of Palbar rising to 6,956 meters. Divided by the three-river water system, the Chamdo Prefecture forms a multi-layer plateau, with a complicated geomorphologic structure, different topographies, climate types and plant growing environments. The average annual sunshine is 2,100-2,700 hours, and the non-frost period ranges from 46 to 162 days. Here one can find broad and rich pastures, undulating farmland, endless forests on peaks, abundant minerals, water and solar energy, diversified wide fauna and flora and sub-tropical scenes. Here the mountains, water, trees, birds, beasts, insects, fish, flowers and grass prosper together, forming a beautiful, varied, tranquil, primitive and magnificent picture of nature.

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