The Statistics Bureau of Tibet releases the following facts and figures about the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1999. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Tibet reached 10.335 billion yuan last year, up 9.1 percent over 1998, and surpassing the national average for six consecutive years.

The average per capita income of farmers and herdsmen in Tibet reached 1,250 yuan (151 U.S. dollars) in 1999, an increase of 7.9 percent over 1998.

Some 180,000 people from overseas visited Tibet in 1999, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year, and foreign exchange earned from tourism amounted to 36 million U.S. dollars, up 9 percent.

In 1999, the industrial output value of Tibet rose by an estimated 7.8 percent over 1998, with large increases in the output of gold, cement ,and electricity.

Tibet's tertiary industry is expected to achieve 4.585 billion yuan in added-value in 1999, up 12.7 percent over 1998, thanks to the measures taken to stimulate domestic demand and consumption.

The import and export volume of Tibet is expected to reach 166 million U.S. dollars in 1999, a rise of 51 percent over the previous year, with export volume surging by 87.6 percent.

Last year, Tibet introduced 6.48 million dollars of foreign funds.