Southwest China's Tibet is expected to record GDP growth of 13.2 percent in 2006, the highest in 10 years, regional government sources said on Monday.

The autonomous region's GDP will hit 29 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) this year, said Zhang Qingli, secretary of the regional committee of the Communist Party of China.

Tibet witnessed average annual GDP growth of 12 percent between 2001 and 2005.

"The rapid growth is mainly driven by fixed assets investment, consumption and foreign trade, all of which have grown by more than 17 percent since last year," said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government.

Per capita GDP in Tibet will exceed 10,000 yuan (US$1,282) this year, according to Zhang.

"Tibet has entered a period of fast economic growth," said Zhang.

The operation of the Qinghai-Tibet railway in July this year, which ended Tibet's history of no railways and linked the region more closely with other parts of China, is believed to be the key factor in the region's development.

The reopening of border trade at the Nathu La Pass bordering Tibet and India, which also occurred last July, also boosted the region's economic development, according to analysts.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)