Nyang Chu

a river on the Tibetan upland; right tributary of the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra). Length, about 250 km; drains an area of about 12,000 sq km. The Nyang Chu rises on the northern slopes of the Himalayas and flows through a narrow valley. High water is in spring and summer; the river freezes in winter. The main transportation route across the Himalayas, from Sikkim to Lhasa, passes along the fertile valley of the Nyang Chu. The cities of Gyangtse and Shigatse are located on the Nyang Chu (Shigatse is at the mouth).