A mountainous region of Asia to the north of the Himalayas. Ruled by Buddhist lamas since the 7th century, Tibet was conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century and the Manchus in the 18th century. China extended its authority over Tibet in 1951 but only gained full control after crushing a revolt in 1959, during which the country’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, made his escape into India. Many of Tibet’s monasteries and shrines were destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to change national culture and consciousness. Almost completely surrounded by mountain ranges, Tibet is the source of some of Asia’s largest rivers including the Yangtze, Salween, and Mekong. Separatist feeling has grown strongly since the 1980s, which has led to violent demonstrations against Chinese rule in 2008.