# Lhasa

> prefecture-level city and capital of Tibet

**Wikidata**: [Q5869](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5869)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhasa_(prefecture-level_city))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lhasa

## Summary
Lhasa is a prefecture-level city and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. Established in 633, it serves as the administrative center for the region and is a big city and human settlement. It holds recognition as a member of the Wetland City Network starting in 2025.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Prefecture-level city, big city, human settlement.
- **Country:** People's Republic of China.
- **Capital Of:** Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet, Tibetan Empire, Khoshut Khanate.
- **Location:** Tibet Autonomous Region.
- **Inception:** 633.
- **Area:** 29,634.01 square kilometres.
- **Population:** 902,500 (2015); 867,891 permanent population (2020).
- **Coordinates:** 29.6457567°N, 91.1408186°E.
- **Elevation:** 3,650 to 4,150 metres above sea level.
- **Timezone:** UTC+08:00.
- **Postal Code:** 850000.
- **Local Dialing Code:** 891.
- **UN/LOCODE:** CNLHA.
- **China Division Code:** 540100 (MCA), 54 01 (statistics).
- **Official Name:** 拉萨市 (Chinese), ལྷ་ས་གྲོང་ཁྱེར། (Tibetan).
- **Native Label:** 拉萨, ལྷ་ས་.
- **Sitelink Count:** 134.
- **Wikipedia Title:** Lhasa (prefecture-level city).

## FAQs
**What is the geographic and demographic profile of Lhasa?**
Lhasa covers an area of 29,634.01 square kilometres and sits at an elevation between 3,650 and 4,150 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 29.6457567°N, 91.1408186°E. As of the 2020 census, the permanent population was 867,891, with a male population of 470,353 and a female population of 397,538. The urban population was 605,511, and the rural population was 262,380.

**What administrative divisions does Lhasa contain?**
The prefecture-level city of Lhasa contains the following administrative territorial entities: Lhasa District, Lhünzhub County, Damxung County, Nyêmo County, Qüxü County, Doilungdêqên District, Dagzê District, and Maizhokunggar County.

**What is the governmental and political structure of Lhasa?**
Lhasa is a prefecture-level city and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Its legislative body is identified as Q106704936. The head of government (mayor) took office in December 2022. The city is part of the list of province-level capitals and sub-provincial cities in the People's Republic of China.

**What are the city's international connections and memberships?**
Lhasa is twinned with Beit Shemesh and Elista. It is a member of the Wetland City Network, with membership starting in 2025. It has a UN/LOCODE of CNLHA.

**Where can official information about Lhasa be found online?**
The official website for Lhasa is available in Chinese (`https://www.lasa.gov.cn/`), English (`http://www.lasa.gov.cn/english/`), and Tibetan (`http://www.lasa.gov.cn/tibetan/`).

## Why It Matters
As the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Lhasa functions as the primary administrative, political, and cultural hub within the region. Its status as a prefecture-level city places it as a key node in the governance structure of the People's Republic of China. The city's historical significance is highlighted by its founding in 633 and its former role as the capital of the Tibetan Empire and the Khoshut Khanate. Its inclusion in the Wetland City Network from 2025 underscores its environmental importance. Lhasa is also a vital human settlement located at a high altitude, influencing regional demographics and urbanization.

## Notable For
- Being the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Having an elevation that ranges from 3,650 to 4,150 metres above sea level.
- A history dating back to its inception in 633.
- Serving as the capital of historical entities like the Tibetan Empire and Khoshut Khanate.
- Membership in the international Wetland City Network starting in 2025.
- Being featured as a city-state in the video game *Civilization V*.

## Body

### Geography and Demographics
Lhasa is geographically positioned at coordinates 29.6457567°N, 91.1408186°E within the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. The city spans a total area of 29,634.01 square kilometres. Its elevation varies significantly, with records indicating heights of 3,650 metres and 4,150 metres above sea level.

Demographically, the city has seen growth over recent years. A 2015 count recorded a population of 902,500. The Seventh National Population Census of the People's Republic of China in 2020 recorded a permanent population of 867,891. This population includes 470,353 males and 397,538 females. The urban population stands at 605,511, while the rural population is 262,380.

### History and Governance
Founded in 633, Lhasa has a long history as a political center. Historically, it served as the capital of the Tibetan Empire and the Khoshut Khanate. Currently, it functions as the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. As a prefecture-level city, it is part of the list of province-level capitals and sub-provincial cities in the People's Republic of China.

The city's governance is structured around a legislative body (referenced as Q106704936). The current head of government assumed office in December 2022.

### Administrative Divisions
Lhasa contains several administrative territorial entities. These include:
- Lhasa District
- Lhünzhub County
- Damxung County
- Nyêmo County
- Qüxü County
- Doilungdêqên District
- Dagzê District
- Maizhokunggar County

### Identifiers and Classifications
Lhasa is classified as a prefecture-level city, a big city, and a human settlement. It has been assigned numerous identifiers across various databases and systems, including:
- **UN/LOCODE:** CNLHA
- **Geonames ID:** 1280737
- **OpenStreetMap Relation ID:** 2745046
- **China Division Code:** 540100 (by MCA), 54 01 (for statistics)
- **Freebase ID:** /m/01jmlw
- **Wikidata Description:** prefecture-level city and capital of Tibet

The city maintains official names in Chinese (拉萨市) and Tibetan (ལྷ་ས་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།), with native labels 拉萨 and ལྷ་ས་.

### Culture and Media
Lhasa has a presence in various cultural and media contexts. It is categorized under "Regional/Asia/China/Tibet/Lhasa/" in the Curlie directory. The city is featured in the video game *Civilization V* as a city-state. It has a broad international presence on Wikipedia, with versions in over 140 languages including English, Chinese, Tibetan, French, German, and Russian. Its topic's main category is "Category:Lhasa". Lhasa is also referenced in major encyclopedic works such as *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary*, *The Nuttall Encyclopædia*, *Great Soviet Encyclopedia*, and *Encyclopædia Britannica*.

### Infrastructure and Communications
The city utilizes the postal code 850000 and the local dialing code 891. It operates in the UTC+08:00 timezone. Official online presence is maintained through three websites catering to Chinese, English, and Tibetan speakers. Lhasa is twinned with Beit Shemesh and Elista.

### Environmental Recognition
Lhasa is set to become a member of the Wetland City Network in 2025, highlighting its commitment to wetland conservation and environmental sustainability.

## References

1. National Database of Laws and Regulations
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. [Lhasa](https://wetlandcity.org/lhasa/)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Czech National Authority Database
7. MusicBrainz
8. [Source](http://www.lasa.gov.cn/lasa/lsrk/column_common.shtml)
9. Tabulation on 2020 China Population Census by County
10. GeoNames
11. BBC Things
12. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/cn.htm)
13. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
14. Quora
15. Enciclopedia Treccani
16. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
17. Dizionario di Storia
18. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
19. KBpedia
20. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands