Lhasa District Facts For Kids

Lhasa District is the heart of Lhasa City in Tibet, a special region in southwestern China. It's like the busy center of this high-up city on the Tibetan Plateau, the world's biggest stretch of high land. Lhasa sits about 3,650 meters above sea level—that's taller than the highest mountains many people climb!

For hundreds of years, since the 1600s, Lhasa has been the main place for Tibetan Buddhist leaders and rulers. It's home to amazing temples and palaces where people pray and learn. Over 800,000 people live there today, making it one of the biggest cities on the plateau. Tibetans call it a special place full of sunshine and stories.

People visit Lhasa to feel close to their history and faith.

Long ago, in the 600s, a strong leader named Songtsen Gampo united Tibet and made it a big empire. He chose a spot called Rasa—now Lhasa—in a green river valley to build his capital. There, on a big hill called Mount Marpori, he started the first buildings that led to the famous Potala Palace.

By 764, people carved the oldest Tibetan writing on a stone pillar in Lhasa. Over time, it grew as a center for learning and medicine, like at the school on Chokpori, the Iron Mountain, started in 1413.

In the 1600s, the Dalai Lama made Lhasa the official capital, building grand places for prayer and living.

Lhasa nestles in a valley along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, protected by tall mountains. This spot keeps out fierce winds and extreme weather, even at its sky-high elevation.

It has a cool, dry climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The coldest days dip near freezing in January, while July daytime highs reach about 17°C—perfect for exploring without sweating too much.

Tibetans call Lhasa the 'sunlit city' because it gets around 3,000 hours of sunshine a year! Rain falls mostly at night in summer, leaving sunny days. This makes it a bright, cheerful place most of the time.

Lhasa shines with sacred spots like the Potala Palace, a huge white and red fortress on a hill. It was home to the Dalai Lamas and now welcomes visitors as a museum.

Nearby, the Jokhang Temple is Tibet's holiest site, where pilgrims pray and spin prayer wheels. Norbulingka, the summer palace, has beautiful gardens and golden roofs. These three are special UNESCO World Heritage treasures, protected for the world.

Walk the Lingkhor path, an 8-kilometer loop around old Lhasa, to see hills like Chokpori and feel the peaceful vibes. Many sites were fixed up in recent years to keep history alive.

Lhasa’s economy mixes old traditions with new ideas to help the city grow while keeping its beautiful environment safe. Long ago, it was the main spot for Tibetan trade, where people bought and sold goods from far away. Today, tourism is a big part of it—visitors come to see the stunning mountains, temples, and culture, bringing jobs in hotels and guides.

Farmers in the countryside grow highland barley and winter wheat, and raise animals like yaks. People also make handicrafts such as colorful embroidery and textiles. Nearby mines dig up copper, lead, and zinc, and there’s exciting work with geothermal energy from hot springs underground. These activities use both modern machines and traditional ways to create things like leather goods and plastics.

Education in Lhasa helps young people learn about their history and the world. The biggest school is Tibet University, opened in 1985. It’s in the city and has about 8,000 students studying many subjects, with help from the government.

Other important schools include Tibet Tibetan Medical University, which teaches traditional Tibetan healing with herbs and medicine. There are also special colleges like Lhasa Teachers College for future teachers, Tibet Police College, and Tibet Vocational and Technical College for hands-on skills. These places prepare kids and grown-ups for good jobs while honoring Tibetan ways.

Getting around Lhasa is easier thanks to modern roads, trains, and planes. Since 2006, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway—the highest train track in the world—connects Lhasa to other cities like Xining and Beijing. Trains pump in extra oxygen to help with the high altitude, and trips can take about 40 hours from far places.

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport, built in 1965, is just a short drive south. Planes fly daily to big Chinese cities and sometimes to nearby countries. Buses and cars link everything, making travel fun and safe for people exploring Tibet.