Population growth rate: 12.7% (2002)

Life expectancy (average): 65

Ethnicity

The population of Tibetans in the region accounts for 45 percent of that in the country. In addition to Tibetans, other ethnic groups include the Lhoba, Moinha, Han, and Hui. Among the total population, 2.41 million are Tibetan (92.2 percent), 155,300 Hans (5.9 percent) and 49,900 (1.9 percent) of other ethnic groups.

Literacy

Among the total population in the region, 33,000 people are graduates with an educational level of college or above, accounting for 1.3 percent; 88,800, senior middle school, 3.4 percent; 160,500, junior middle school, 6.1 percent; and 801,000, primary school, 30.6 percent.

There are 850,700 illiterate people.