Xizang is located in the southern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and stands at the southwestern border of China. It is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China.

Xizang has been an integral part of China since ancient times. Prior to the 1950s, Xizang was a society of feudal serfdom under theocratic rule, a society characterized by a combination of political and religious powers. Government officials, aristocrats and monasteries collectively maintained tight control over Xizang's resources and wealth, and the Tibetan people lived in dire misery without any freedom. At that time, Xizang was as dark and backward as medieval Europe.

The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 marked Xizang's entry into modern civilization. After a series of important historical stages, from its peaceful liberation and democratic reform to the establishment of the autonomous region and the reform and opening-up drive, Xizang has steered itself into a fast lane of development together with the rest of China. Half a century later, Xizang is a world totally different from its old self before the 1950s. The Tibetan people have gained freedom, equality and dignity, and are fully enjoying the fruits of modern civilization. They are working hard in unison toward the building of a united, democratic, affluent, culturally and ethically advanced and harmonious socialist society in the Xizang autonomous region.

The development and progress in Xizang is in accord with the rules for the development of human society, and reflects the mutual aspirations of the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang. It is the natural result of the overall development and progress of China as a whole. The development and progress of Xizang mirrors the victory of human society's enterprising spirit and creativity in the quest for justice and happiness, and has proved the inevitability of history.

The region's GDP has grown from 174 million yuan ($23.84 million) in 1959 to 276.49 billion yuan in 2024. The population of Xizang has increased from 1.23 million in 1959 to 3.7 million in 2024, with life expectancy rising from 35.5 years to 72.5 years.