The Tibet Autonomous Region has recorded marked progress in urbanization over the past five years, statistics show.
Currently, the region has two cities, 71 county towns and 112 townships; the urban population is 420,000 and the urban area totals 147 square kilometers.
A modern highway network has taken shape in the regional capital Lhasa. The city built 12 major roads in 2000 and is building three highways, with a total investment of 300 million yuan.
Rapid highway construction has laid a solid foundation for the city's economic development. Mayor Lobsang Gyaincain said that Lhasa's economy has maintained two-digit growth in recent years, with the gross domestic product reaching 3.6 billion yuan (US$433 million.