Lhasa and sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. It is located at the foot of Mount Gephel. Traditionally, the city is the seat of the Dalai Lama and the capital of Tibet, and is one of the highest capitals in the world. It is the location of the Potala and Norbulingka palaces (both are included as World Heritage Sites), and is the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism. The Jokhang in Lhasa is regarded as the holiest centre in Tibet. The city is home to 1,100,123 people (2009). Its altitude is 3,650 metres and the air only contains 68% of the oxygen compared to sea level. Lhasa literally means "place of the gods", although ancient Tibetan documents and inscriptions demonstrate that the place was called Rasa, which means "goat's place", until the early 7th century.
