Lhasa is the traditional capital of Tibet and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.

The city is the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama and in Tibetan Buddhism is regarded as the holiest centre in Tibet. The city is home to about 255,000 inhabitants and, at an altitude of approximately 3,650 m (12,000 ft), is one of the highest cities in the world.

Lhasa literally means "place of the gods", although ancient Tibetan documents and inscriptions demonstrate that the place was first called Rasa, which means "courtyard place" or "goat place".