Last Updated: December 27, 2017
Since 2009 there have been 152 confirmed self-immolations within Tibet and the PRC, 12 occurring in 2011, 86 in 2012, 27 in 2013, 11 in 2014, seven in 2015, three in 2016, and six in 2017. Below is a map marking the locations of the self-immolations.
Detailed information about each self-immolation can be found on our self-immolation fact sheet.
Note on geography:
Tibet was traditionally comprised of three main areas: Amdo (north-eastern Tibet), Kham (eastern Tibet) and U-Tsang (central and western Tibet). The Tibet Autonomous Region was set up by the Chinese government in 1965 and covers the area of Tibet west of the Dri-chu (Yangtse river), including part of Kham. The rest of Amdo and Kham have been incorporated into Chinese provinces, and where Tibetan communities were said to have ‘compact inhabitancy’ in these provinces they were designated Tibetan autonomous prefectures and counties. As a result most of Qinghai and parts of Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces are acknowledged by the Chinese government to be ‘Tibetan.’ ICT uses the term ‘Tibet’ to refer to all Tibetan areas currently under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China.