Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has a history of more than 1,300 years. It is the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of the region. With a population of 400,000, Lhasa covers an area of 30,000 square km, in which the downtown covers 544 square km and holds a population of 140,000. Tibetan ethnic group makes up 87 percent of the total population; the rest consists of Han, Hui and other ethnic groups， but the Tibetan ethnic group makes up 87 percent of the total population.

Located at the bottom of a small basin surrounded by mountains, Lhasa has an elevation of 3,650 meters and sits at 91'06E and 29'36N, the center of the Tibet Plateau. Blessed with flat land and mild weather, Lhasa is free of frigid winters and unbearably hot summers, having an annual average daily temperature of 8 degrees C (43 degrees F). It enjoys 3,000 hours of sunlight annually, much more than all other cities in this regard, giving the city its title of "sunlit city."

Lhasa has many beautiful scenery. The Lhasa River, known as the "merry blue waves," runs through the snow-covered peaks and gullies of the Nyainqentanglha Mountains, extending 315 km. The river empties into the Yarlung Zangbo River at Quxu, forming a scenic wonder that features blue and white water waves. Most of the historical sights here date back to the 1600s when the magnificent Potala Palace was built. The Potala dominates the skyline but Jokhang is considered to be the spiritual center of the city and there are numerous other small active temples dotted about. Pilgrims still flock to Lhasa to see and experience the remaining enclaves of tradition that remain. Despite the important religious and historical legacy of the city, Lhasa has changed more in the past 40 years than ever before. Although pilgrims still visit here, they are now joined and compete for space with western tourists and numerous Chinese.Inside the city towers the Potala Palace. The city features a combination of traditional and modern things, including prayer wheels and computers.

Lhasa enjoys an annual precipitation of 500 mm. It rains mainly in July, August and September. The rainy seasons in the summer and fall are the best seasons of the year, when it rains mostly at night, and is sunny in the daytime.