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Environmental Facts

	The following environmental data describe some of the geographic features relevant to Tibet.
	AREA 2.5 million sq. km. Approximately the size of Western Europe AVERAGE ALTITUDE 14,000 Feet AVERAGE TEMPERATURE July 58 F; January 24 F. AVERAGE RAINFALL Wide Range: in western areas: 1mm in January to 25mm in July; in the eastern areas: 25 to 50mm in January to 800mm in July TERRAIN 70% Grassland; From high plateau to tropical forest MAJOR RIVERS Mekong, Yangtze, Salween, Tsangpo, Yellow, Indus, Karnali, Irrawadi LAKES 15,000+; including: Lake Kokonor, Lake Yamdrok, Lake Namtso Yumbo MAMMALS 210 species; including: Wild Yak, Bharal (blue sheep), Musk deer, Tibetan Antelope, Tibetan gazelle, Kyang (wild ass), Pica BIRDS 532 species;  including: Black necked crane, Lammergeier, Great crested grebe, Bar headed goose, Ruddy Shel duck, Ibis-bill FOREST TYPES Tropical and Sub-tropical montane coniferous forests: FOREST COVER 1949: 221,800 sq. km.; 1985: 134,000 sq. km. (almost 50% reduction) TYPICAL TREES Spruce, Fir, Pine, Larch, Cypress, Birch, Oak PROVINCES U-Tsang, Amdo, Kham PLANTS 12,000+ species of plants; including: 400 species of Rhododendron (50% of world's total species), 2000+ medicinal plants MINERALS 126 total; including: Borax, uranium (world's largest uranium reserve), iron, chromite, gold, copper, iron, lithium MAIN FOOD CROPS Barley, wheat, maize, muatard, millet, sorghum MAIN VEGETABLES cabbage, cauliflour, lettuce, radish, turnip, peas, celery, carrot, potato ECOSYSTEMS forest, scrub, steppe desert, aquatic BORDERING COUNTRIES India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, China POPULATION 6 million Tibetans; estimated 7.5 million Chinese in Kham, Amdo
	[Source: ICT, Office of Tibet, London]

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