Tibetan New Year 2011

Celebration News

Tibetans start celebrations
Firecrackers and prayer flags, Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese food, Buddhist rituals, singing and dancing - together all indicate that Losar, the Tibetan New Year, is just around the corner. [More]

Needy people receive living allowances
A total of 31.68-million-yuan living allowances allocated to all the low-income families. [More]

Tibetan Losar Gala
This year's Losar Gala is expected to impress audiences with tailored programs and well-designed lighting effects. [More]

Streets cleaning for Tibetan Losar
Lhasa conducted a regular street cleaning to ensure a clean environment for the festival. [More]

Central government's policies benefit Tibet 

GDP

Two-digit GDP growth for 18 consecutive years

The Tibet autonomous region has reported two-digit GDP growth for 18 consecutive years, with last year's growth rate estimated at 12.2 percent year-on-year.

300b

Fiscal budget and expenditure to hit 300 b

The fiscal revenue of Tibet autonomous region during the 12th Five Year Plan Period (2011-2016) is expected to be 28 billion yuan with average annual growth of 15%.

Libraries

3,331 more rural libraries built in 2011

The Tibet autonomous region will build 3,331 more rural village libraries in 2011, with a 30,000-yuan fund for each, according to news from the regional press and publication sector.

Culture

100m yuan for cultural relics preservation

"Of all the relics renovation fund, about 10.59 million yuan was paid to workers involved in the maintenance projects, mostly local farmers and herders, while 57.92 million yuan more was used to purchase raw materials locally."

Education

Children of farmers to enjoy free education

Starting on Jan 1, 2011, children of farmers and herdsmen in Tibet began enjoying the "three guarantees" policy, a preferential policy the central government has granted to Tibet.

Digital

Legal

700,000 yuan earmarked for legal aid

The Ministry of Finance allocated a special fund for legal aid totaling 700,000 yuan to assist Tibetan people in legal affairs.

Internet

First free cyber bar opens in Tibet

The cyber bar is dedicated to providing free service for local residents to get information about farming and grazing techniques, as well as to learn skills in the use of internet other than for commercial purposes.

Energy

Tibet power grid to link with national network in 2012

A multi-billion dollar project to connect the power grid in Tibet to the one in the rest of China will be completed by 2012, ensuring a steady supply of electricity to the plateau region.

Medicine

Tibet continues financial support for traditional Tibetan medicine

The government of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has earmarked 10 million yuan (1.5 million U.S. dollars) per year for the next five years to support traditional Tibetan medicine. 

Railway

World's highest railway to be completed by 2015

An extension of the world's highest railway from Tibet's capital Lhasa to its second largest city, Xigaze, will be completed by 2015, as one of the plateau region's key construction projects during the 2011-2015 period.

Antelope

Tibetan antelope population hits 200,000

Tibet tightened supervision and patrols of antelope habitats in 1998. The population of Tibetan antelopes, once a critically-endangered species, has risen to 200,000 in Tibet.

Poverty

Poverty-stricken population nearly halved

At the end of last year, Tibet had 502,000 people in absolute poverty, down from 964,000 reported in 2005, said a statement from the poverty relief office in Tibet's capital Lhasa.

Pension

Rural pension system extended to 2 million Tibetan farmers, herdsmen

The government-subsidized scheme, which began in November 2009 in seven of Tibet's counties, cities and districts, had been extended to all 73 counties, cities and districts by November 2010.

Tourism

Potala Palace receives 4 mln tourists over past five years

Tibet's architectural gem, the Potala Palace, saw 4.04 million tourists and believers in Buddhism over the past five years.

Non-public sector

Tibet reports fast growth in non-public sector of economy

The non-public sector now commands 40.6 percent of Tibet's gross domestic product (GDP) and has become an important constituent of the local economy