Changtang

History

Changtang was once ruled by a culture known as the Zhangzhung, which later merged with Tibetan culture.

People

The people of the Changtang are nomadic pastoralists. They are known as 'Changpa', for 'northerners,' or 'Drokpa' for 'nomads' in Tibetan. As of 1989 there were half a million nomads living in Changtang. Unlike many other nomadic groups, the Changpa are not under pressure from settled farmers as the vast majority of land they inhabit is too inhospitable for farming.

The economy of the region is based around the livestock of the Changpa, and the most important resource is the plants the animals graze on. The transhumance of the Changpa over one year limits the impact that their animals have on the grazing lands, the grasses of which are dead for eight to nine months of the year and provide poor fodder during that time. Unlike many other nomadic pastoralists, the Changpa do not move from one climatic region to another; this allows them to move shorter distances in many cases, ranging between 10–40 miles. Migratory routes are established and followed year after year, staying in the same encampments each year, often in camps that have stone walls for corrals and for sheltering the tents. Wealthier nomads may have buildings for storage and living in for the part of the year they spend at that encampment.

In addition to changing pastures, there are numerous other techniques developed by the Changpa to even out the periods of surpluses and shortages. Dairy products are converted into less perishable forms (like butter and cheese) during the summer when the livestock are producing high amounts of milk. Animals are slaughtered early in the winter, after fattening up in the summer and while the weather is conducive to storage.

Trade has played an important role for the Changpa as they are not able to produce all the goods they consume. Salt, meat, live animals, wool, and unprocessed cashmere are traded for basics such as grain, cooking pots, and other metal implements, as well as more modern goods.

Tibetan Changtang

Most of the Tibetan Changtang is protected nature reserves consisting of the Chang Tang Nature Reserve, the second-largest nature reserve in the world, and four new adjoining smaller reserves totaling 496,000 square kilometres (192,000 sq mi) of connected nature reserves. Since the reserves have been established, there has been a welcome increase in the number of animals belonging to endangered species. The protected areas stretch across parts of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinjiang and Qinghai in China. Located in the Nagqu prefecture, the average elevation of Tibetan Changtang is as high as 5,000 meters. The Nagqu Horse Festival is held each year.

Ladakhi Changtang

Only a small part of Changtang crosses the border into Ladakh in India. It is, however, on a historically important route for travellers journeying from Ladakh to Lhasa, and now has many different characteristics due to being part of India. As in the rest of Ladakh, Changtang has been experiencing many socio-economical developments since the late 20th century. Ladakh is one of the regions most exposed to international mass tourism in India. Centuries-old cultural and social fabrics are now changing rapidly, influenced by consumerist and modern lifestyles. This is becoming a source of both concern and hope for the populace of the region. Another major influence in the region is Tibetan settlement at the behest of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The settlement was first established in 1963 with almost 3,000 residents but today it has more than 7,000 settlers. For administrative purposes, the Ladakh settlement is divided into two, Sonamling and Changtang.

Hamlets

Changtang hamlets were established when many Tibetan nomads, mostly from western Tibet, fled and settled down in the adjoining places of Ladakh. There are more than 3,500 Tibetan refugees residing in the Changtang region who depend primarily on livestock, with agriculture being their secondary occupation. These nomads were organized into the Tibetan refugee settlements in 1977 by the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala, with help from government of India and the state governments of Nyoma, Kagshung, Goyul, Hanley, Sumdho, Samedh, Karnag, Chushul and Churmur. These settlements are scattered across the high-altitude plateau with an average elevation of 4,700 metres (15,400 ft). The temperature in the region varies from −5 to −35 °C (23 to −31 °F) in winter and up to a maximum of 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. Large areas of Changtang are semi-arid with very little vegetation growth. Agricultural lands and pastures are confined to limited areas along the riverbanks. The average snowfall is less than 10 mm (0.39 in) occurring usually during the months of December, January and February. Unusual and excess snowfall as happened in March 2012, can be fatal to the livestock of the nomads. Sometimes, goats and sheep cannot get access to the grass for grazing for period up to 15 days. This constitutes the most critical part of the year for the nomads.

Education in Ladakh is administered by the SOS Tibetan Children Village, a non-profit institution providing education to the Tibetan children. Most of students attend day school, but there are also boarding facilities for very poor students and those from nomadic camps. The settlements have one modern allopathic hospital and one Tibetan medical and Astro clinic. There is also a bird sanctuary.

Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary

The Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (or the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary) is a high altitude wildlife sanctuary located in the Ladakhi adjunct of the Changtang plateau in the Leh District, Ladakh. It is important as one of the few places in India with a population of the kiang or Tibetan wild ass, as well as the rare black-necked crane. The sanctuary is home to many rare species of flora and fauna, with natural grasslands and more than 200 species of wild plants. The village of Karzok is 4,560 metres (14,960 ft) above sea level is situated on the northwest bank of Tsomoriri and is claimed to be the world's highest year-round inhabited village.

The altitude of the sanctuary varies from 4,300 to 5,800 metres (14,000 to 19,000 ft), and the topography is formed of deep gorges and vast plateaus. There are around 11 lakes and 10 marshes, and the area is surrounded by three large lakes, the Tsomoriri, the Tsokar Lake and the Pangong Tso. Tso Moriri is among the highest lakes of its size in the world, 120 km² (46 sq mi) with a maximum depth of 40 m (130 ft) and situated at an elevation of 4,525 m (14,846 ft). Tso Moriri is a Ramsar site. Pangong Tso, spanning Ladakh and Tibet's Rutog County, is situated at an elevation of around 4,240 m (13,910 ft) and is 134 km² (52 sq mi). The water in Ladakh is salty, in Tibet less so. The Indus River flows through the sanctuary, dividing it into two parts.

The cold desert of this wildlife sanctuary is sparse but the marginal conditions have resulted in species with some remarkable characteristics. Seven rare and endangered plants which some believe have medicinal properties were discovered here by C.P. Kala. Three of these species are listed as vulnerable and one as endangered on the IUCN Red List (Arnebia euchroma, Geranium sibiricum, Lancea tibetica, Lloydia serotina, and Ephedra gerardiana).

The Pashmina goat is famous for its ultra fine Cashmere wool. Pasmina in Persian means 'made from wool' and in Kashmiri it translates to 'soft gold'. This breed of goat inhabits the Changthang plateau and therefrom gets its name. Pashmina shawls are hand spun in Kashmir and Nepal.