Tibet is located in central Asia north east of the Himalaya mountains. Tibet rests on a plateau that is elevated to heights making agriculture limited in scope. Most people in this region raise and live off of their livestock, with agriculture limited to a few vegetables and barley. The people live a subsistence lifestyle, with few of the modern conveniences found in the western world. Their religion is a form of Buddhism that is found only in Tibet and the surrounding area including parts of India and Mongolia. The leader of Tibetan Buddhism is the Dalai Lama.
Currently the country is considered to be a province, or more specifically an Autonomous Region, of the People’s Republic of China. However, this remains controversial. China gained control of Tibet in 1950, but ten years later, after a failed rebellion, a government in exile was set up. Today this opposition still exists and is headed by the Dalai Lama. China has opened up Tibet to tourism, and this is a rising aspect of the Tibetan economy. People are now visiting Tibet from China as well as from places around the world.