Population Density Dataset of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the Tibetan Empire Period

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a fragile ecological environment, spanning a geographical range of 25°59′43.74″N–39°59′20.01″N and 73°29′56.26″E–104°25′20.95″E, with significant internal population regional differentiation. This study constructs a spatialized population dataset based on the Tibetan Empire period, the first era of unified governance on the plateau. First, population quantity data were obtained from historical literature and records. Second, using land use as a restrictive factor, the weights of elevation, slope, rivers, ancient settlements, post stations, and other factors were determined through the expert scoring method and Analytic Hierarchy Process to construct impact coefficients. Finally, a 1km×1km gridded population distribution model was developed using ArcGIS software to calculate population density. After verification, the error in population distribution for the Tuyuhun and Bailan regions is around 20%. There are two main reasons for the error: records of population during the Tibetan Empire period are characterized by uncertainties, with possible practices such as underreporting, undercounting, and overreporting; the number of documented ancient settlements remains incomplete, as only those ancient sites with explicit historical records have been spatially represented, thereby affecting the accuracy of population distribution. The spatialized population dataset of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the Tibetan Empire period contains population density data (234 MB) and a population density distribution map (6.90 MB).