ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan plateau is a very high and flat area in the middle of Asia, kind of like a big table. It's really, really high up in the air, like a mountain that is many times taller than any other mountains around. The Tibetan plateau is so high up that it's often covered in snow, and the air is quite thin and cold.

The Tibetan plateau is special because it's home to many unique animals, like the Tibetan antelope and the snow leopard, which can survive in the cold temperatures and high altitude. It's also an important place for many people, particularly Tibetan people who have lived there for thousands of years. They have a special culture and way of life, living in harmony with the environment around them, and they have their own language, religion and traditions.

The Tibetan plateau is also important for the rest of the world because the rivers that flow through it, like the Yangtze, the Yellow, and the Mekong, provide water for millions of people who live downstream in China, India, and Southeast Asia. The Tibetan plateau also plays a crucial role in regulating the weather patterns of the region, affecting things like rainfall, monsoons and droughts.

So, in short, the Tibetan plateau is a really high, flat area in the middle of Asia where special animals and people live, and it has an important role in providing water and regulating weather patterns for millions of people downstream.