Between the highest mountain ranges of the world - the Himalayas and the Karakoram - stretches the geographical region of Little Tibet. This region is sometimes referred to as Shangri-La, the Land of Happy People. It is also dubbed as the Moon Country. In the 7th century, the Chinese traveller Hiuan Tsang called it Ma-Lo-Pho - the Red Country. It was also known as Ripul - the Mountainous Country. The name of Ladwak, Land Under the Pass, gave the rise to the current name referring to the Kingdom of Ladakh.
