| Total population | 13.5 Million | |
| GNP per capita/year | 170 US$ | |
| Total adult literacy rate | 13% females; 38% males | |
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Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 147 |
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Tibet is a vast area, equal in size to the whole of Europe and is one of the poorest areas in the world. In contrast to other developing countries, Tibet suffers an extremely harsh winter. In consequence a substantial part of peoples' income must be spent on heating. There is one qualified doctor for each 16,830 of the population (one to 500 in Switzerland). Only 37% have access to clean water.
ROKPA has been concentrating its efforts in the rural areas of Eastern Tibet: traditionally known as Kham and Amdo. These now extend over 5 Provinces: The Autonomous Region of Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan and Gansu. In project areas, a high percentage of the population is of Tibetan ethnicity. Geographically, the land is on a high plateau; the average altitude is over 16,500 ft with valleys from 10,500 ft to 17,400 ft. 75-95% of the population are of Tibetan origin.
In the sparsely populated areas in the North-East small-scale agriculture and animal husbandry are the principal occupations. There are often no roads and the region is only accessible across the steppe by jeep or on horseback.