Cities of Tibet, learn the Tibetan cities before you come
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is divided into one prefecture-level city (Lhasa) and six prefectures (Ngari, Nagqu, Qamdo, Shigatse, Shannan and Nyingchi). Check out famous Tibet cities in the Tibet Political Map below.
Major Tourist Cities in Tibet
Capital city of Tibet-Lhasa
Lhasa is Tibet's traditional capital and the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Lhasa contains the world heritage site the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, and a number of significant temples including Jokhang Temple.
The city of Shigatse in Xigaze Prefecture, west of Lhasa, is the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region. Gyantse County in Xigaze Prefecture and Chamdo County in Qamdo Prefecture are also amongst the largest.
For general information about Lhasa city, please click this link.
Other famous cities and towns in cultural Tibet include Nagchu County in Nagqu Prefecture, Nyingchi, and Tingri County in Xigaze Prefecture.
2nd largest city of Tibet-Shigatse city
Shigatse is a county-level city and the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), People's Republic of China, with a population of 92000, about 280 km to the southwest of Lhasa city and 90 km to the northwest of Gyantse. It is the administrative centre of the modern Shigatse Prefecture, a region of the TAR.
The city is located at an altitude of 3,840 meters (12,600 ft) at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo (aka Brahmaputra) river and the Nyang River (Nyang Chu or Nyanchue) in west Tibet and was the ancient capital of Ü-Tsang province. It is also the name of the surrounding county.