Damxung, located in the middle of Tibet, is 160km from the capital Lhasa. Tibetans regard it as the northern gate to the regional capital.

In Tibetan, Damxung means "the choice place". It has the best grassland in Changtang and is the only county devoted to animal husbandry.

Sitting at an elevation of 4,300 metres, it is intersected by the Nyainqentanglha Mountains, and has a total area of 12,000 square kilometres.

The county exercises jurisdiction over six townships and two towns. Tibetans account for the bulk of the county population, with the rest from the Mongolian, Hui and Han ethnic groups.

The period from May to October is the best season to visit. While the Nyainqentanglha Mountain is still covered with snow, the land at its foot is green and dotted with white sheep and black cows.

The area lives on livestock breeding, and the many domestic animals include goats, sheep, yaks, buffaloes and horses. Major animal by-products include butter, milk, meat, sheep wool, cashmere and animal hides. When winter comes, the locals sell the best part of their mutton and beef in return for cash or needed daily necessities. Most of the butter, beef and mutton sold in Lhasa comes from Damxung.