[Following articles appeared in MSNBC on August 26, 1997 covering the recent trip made by Dan Haig and the company to Dharamsala to set up the Gangkyi (LAN) local area network. TS]

POPULATION: Total: 131,000. India 100,000; Nepal 25,000; Bhutan 2,000; Switzerland 2,000; Canada 600; United States 1500.

GOVERNMENT: Democratic. Popular & electoral college voting system

HEAD OF STATE: His Holiness the Dalai Lama

CABINET MINISTRIES: Education, Finance, Health, Home Affairs, Information & International Relations, Religion & Culture and Security

ELECTION SCHEDULE: Assembly & Cabinet elections every 5 years

SEAT OF GOVERNMENT: Dharamsala, Northern India

INT'L GOV'T. OFFICES: Budapest, Paris, Geneva, Kathmandu, London, Moscow, New Delhi, New York, Tokyo, Zurich, Sydney GOV'T. PUBLICATIONS:Sheja ( Tibetan), Tibetan Bulletin, News Tibet (En) Tibbat Bulletin (Hindi), Actualities Tibetaines (Fr)

INDEPENDENT PUBLICATIONS: Mangtso, Da-sar, Da-sa Phongya, Rangzen (Tibetan); Xiang Luntan (Chinese), Tibetan Review, Rangzen (En)

LITERACY: Estimated at 60%

MILITARY & POLICE: None

GOVERNMENT INCOME: Annual voluntary tax, business revenue, donations

NATIONAL FLAG: Mountain with snow lions & red & blue rays over sun

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS: March 10- Uprising day; July 6- Birthday of H.H., Sept. 2- Democracy day; New Year (date changes)

MAJOR INSTITUTIONS: Institute of Performing Arts, Library, School of Dialectics, Medical Institute, Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies

TIBETAN NGOs: Women's Organization, Youth Congress, Amnye Machen

LANGUAGE: Tibetan. The host country's language is also spoken

RELIGION: Tibetan Buddhism

ECONOMY: Agriculture, agro-industrial, handicrafts, small business, carpet weaving

LEGAL STATUS: Stateless. A small percentage of Tibetans bear foreign passports. Most hold Indian registration certificates.