ABSTRACT
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala, India, has established fifty-two Tibetan refugee settlements in South Asia, of which thirty-five are in India, ten in Nepal, and seven in Bhutan. The CTA is in charge of education and healthcare in the settlements and organizes elections. In addition to these communities of refugees, there is also some seasonal or temporary migration of Tibetans in South Asia. Through farming, textiles, and handicraft operations most Tibetans in South Asia have been able to enjoy a standard of living the average for their host countries. Tibetan refugees enter Nepal through the passes of Tatopani, Rasuwa, Mustang, Dolpa, Humla, and Walungchung Gola. Compared to those living in South Asia, Europe, and North America, most Tibetans in Australia and New Zealand have migrated there because they have married locals, or because they wished to study, work, or engage in religious or cultural activities there.
