* Different dialects: Tibetan has many dialects, some of which are mutually unintelligible.
* Regional variations: The number of Tibetan speakers varies widely across different regions.
* Official vs. informal use: Tibetan is an official language in Tibet Autonomous Region of China and in Bhutan, but it's also spoken in other areas, including India, Nepal, and other parts of China.
* Data limitations: Accurate language data collection is challenging, especially in regions with limited access and diverse languages.
Estimates:
* Ethnologue: A widely respected source estimates that there are around 6.5 million Tibetan speakers globally.
* Other sources: Other estimates range from 5 million to 8 million Tibetan speakers.
Important Note: These are just estimates. The actual number could be higher or lower depending on the definition of "Tibetan speaker" and the specific data used.