Shannan, Tibet

Shannan (Chinese: 山南; pinyin: Shānnán; lit. 'south of the mountains'), also known as Lhoka (Tibetan: ལྷོ་ཁ།, Wylie: lho kha, ZYPY: lhoka; Chinese: 洛卡; pinyin: Luò kǎ), is a prefecture-level city in the southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Shannan includes Gonggar County within its jurisdiction with Gongkar Chö Monastery, Gonggar Dzong, and Gonggar Airport all located near Gonggar town.

Located on the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Valley, formed by the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Lhoka region is often regarded as the birthplace of Tibetan civilization. It is bounded by the city of Lhasa to the north, Nyingchi to the east, Shigatse on the west and the international border with India and Bhutan on the south. The city measures 420 kilometres (260 mi) east to west and 329 kilometres (204 mi) from north to south. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that Tibet's earliest agricultural farmland, its first palace and first Buddhist monastery are all located in Lhoka. It also has the distinction of having held the first lhamo performance. Ethnic Tibetans constitute 98% of the population, the remaining 2% being Han, Hui, Mönpa, Lhoba and other ethnic groups.

Shannan has 1 district and 11 counties and its capital is Tsetang, which is located 183 kilometres from Lhasa. It covers an area of 79,700 square kilometres (30,800 sq mi), which includes part of South Tibet, a disputed territory currently under control of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh; the disputed parts include Itanagar, the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh. Its topography averages 3,700 metres (12,100 ft) above sea level. The population of Tsetang city was 330,100 as of 2007 with Tibetans accounting for 96% of the total population. The resident population of Shannan increased by 25,045 or 7.61% from 328,990 in the 2010 Sixth National Census to 354,035, with an average annual growth rate of 0.74%, in 2020.

The Lhoka region has not only an ancient historical background but is also the most prosperous in Tibet.