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Backgrounder: Tibetan Nationality
Tibetan, one of the 55 minority nationalities in China, is mainly scattered in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces.
Tibet has a Tibetan population of 2.41 million, making up 92 percent of its total population. Tibetans call themselves "Boba", which means farming group. Tibet got its present name during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty.
The region was liberated peacefully in 1951, and the feudal- slave system was ended through a course of democratic reforms in 1959. The Tibet Autonomous Region was founded in 1965. Twelve autonomous prefectures and counties have been set up since then.
Tibetans have their own language and written characters. The heyday of the Tibetan culture lasted from the 10th to 16th century. The epic portraying the legendary hero Gesser is considered the longest epic in the world. Tibetan drama fully reflects its national flavor.
The Potala Palace in Lhasa, the regional capital, is the architectural complex at the highest elevation on earth. Tibetan medicine is an important part of the Chinese medical system. Tibetans believe in Mahayana, which absorbs the rite of local Buddhists. The regional economy is characterized by animal husbandry and agriculture.
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