Tibet, an autonomous region of China, is often called the 'Rooftop of the World' because it occupies the highest plateau on Earth, the Tibetan Plateau. The region has an average elevation of over 4,500 meters. Its capital, Lhasa, is one of the highest cities in the world and is the traditional home of the Dalai Lama, featuring the Potala Palace. Tibet is bordered by the Himalayas to the south, which include Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth, straddling the border with Nepal. This high-altitude geography makes the climate extremely cold and dry. Tibet is also the source of several of Asia's major rivers, including the Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, and Indus, which provide water to billions of people downstream. Due to the thin atmosphere, the region receives intense solar radiation. The local culture is deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism and has been shaped by the challenges of living in such a rugged, elevated environment.