The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, an inland plateau in Asia, is the largest plateau in China and the highest-altitude plateau in the world, known as the "Roof of the World" and the "Third Pole." It stretches from the southern edge of the Himalayas in the south to the northern edges of the Kunlun Mountains, Altun Mountains, and Qilian Mountains in the north. To the west, it is bounded by the Pamir Plateau and the Karakoram Mountains, while to the east and northeast, it connects with the western section of the Qinling Mountains and the Loess Plateau. It lies between 26°00′–39°47′ N latitude and 73°19′–104°47′ E longitude.

The plateau spans approximately 2,800 kilometers from east to west and 300–1,500 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of about 2.5 million square kilometers. Topographically, it can be divided into six regions: the Qiangtang Plateau, the Southern Tibet Valley, the Qaidam Basin, the Qilian Mountains, the Qinghai Plateau, and the High Mountain Canyon Region of Sichuan-Tibet. It encompasses the entirety of Tibet and Qinghai in China, as well as parts of Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan, along with portions or the entirety of Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The natural history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is remarkably young. Influenced by multiple factors, it has formed the world's highest and youngest natural geographical unit, where horizontal and vertical zonality are closely intertwined. The average annual temperature in the heartland of the plateau is below 0°C, with vast areas having average temperatures of less than 10°C even in the warmest month.

The general elevation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ranges between 3,000 and 5,000 meters, with an average altitude of over 4,000 meters. It serves as the source of many major rivers in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The plateau is dotted with numerous lakes, such as Namtso and Qinghai Lake. It also boasts abundant sunlight and geothermal resources. Permafrost is widespread across the plateau, and the vegetation is predominantly natural grassland.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is also one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation and the cradle of Chinese civilization. Figures from Chinese legendary history, such as Fuxi, Emperor Yan, Lieshan, Gonggong, Siyue, Jintian, and Yu the Great, were all ancient Qiang people of the plateau. The inhabitants of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are primarily Tibetans, who have developed a unique plateau cultural system centered around Tibetan culture.